Self-Seeding Plants : Landscaping : Home & Garden Television

If you're looking for plants that take care of themselves, re-seeders might be the answer. "Re-seeding plants are low to no maintenance, low to no cost, and they bring lots of good bugs, enjoyment and plants that will return to your garden year after blooming year," says Hoffman.

"I talk to people all around the country about their gardens, and there's one thing I hear time and time again," says master gardener Paul James. "Gardeners just don't have the time or money to plant new things season after season." So what's a busy and economical gardener to do? Reseeding expert Fred Hoffman offers some helpful advice for creating self-seeding gardens.

With plants like Melampodium, a self-sowing annual, and the herbaceous perennial tuber rose (figure A), Hoffman creates cultivated garden spaces in a natural, easy-to-care-for setting. Self-seeders are so easy to care for because they virtually grow themselves. For example, the California poppy (figure B) and the ever-popular cosmos (figure C) are both annuals, which die after a season after their single season of bloom. However, Hoffman recommends letting Mother Nature use wind and rain to plant their seeds for you. The plants may look a bit scraggly as the seed head dries out (figure D), but the results are well worth it.

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

Dried plants that have already bloomed are loaded with seeds and ready to naturalize an area. Seeds that naturalize, meaning that they spread and grow on their own, are often stronger and more vigorous than transplants. At the end of the blooming season, you can collect these tough, naturalized seeds to plant again.

There are several ways to collect seeds. One method is to gently dislodge the seeds from the seed head and store them in a plastic container. You can also sweep up any disconnected seeds with a hand broom and dustpan. Another method called deadheading is as simple as shearing off the spent flowers with pruning shears. If you have a large area to cover, you can even use the lawn mower to cut an area of flowers. Then either dry the clippings and store them in a cool, dry place, or spread the clippings directly on the areas that you want to naturalize.

Figure E

Ideal naturalizing locations just happen to also feature the perfect conditions for pesky weeds like this field bindweed (figure E). Hoffman recommends immediately removing any field bindweeds as you spot them. "Weeds are actually great examples of how rigorous reseeders can be, but they're not what most people have in mind when naturalizing their yards."

Figure F

A cheap way to get rid of weeds without chemicals is to use black plastic. Hoffman suggests securing a weed-ridden area with black plastic for several months to stop weeds dead in their tracks. When using black plastic to control weeds, you need to first prepare the area. Cut back the weeds with a weed eater or lawn mower, and rake up the cuttings. Level the ground with the rake, and lay the black plastic over the prepared area. Secure the edges of the plastic in place with bricks positioned along the perimeter (figure F).

Because black plastic draws the sun's heat into the ground to destroy the plants' roots, it's most effective to lay it down during the hottest months of the year. Three to four months after applying the black plastic, the plants underneath should be gone.

Hoffman advises to avoid adding any nutrients such as compost or fertilizer to your soil to maintain as natural a state as possible. "Wildflowers like an area of low fertility and full sun." For example, Hoffman planted verbena in his garden and treated the area with fertilizer and compost, meticulously watering the space to encourage growth. However, the verbena would not grow there, but to Hoffman's surprise, it hopped out of the treated area and grew vigorously in a nearby area with more natural soil conditions. The moral of this story is wildflowers actually prefer no extra water, fertilizer or compost.

Figure G

The best times to sow seeds are during spring and fall when the soil temperature is perfect for germination. To sow the seeds, gently rake the surface of the soil (figure G). Add a handful of sand to your seed container to help disperse the seeds more evenly, and scatter them by hand. Lightly rake the seeds in before wind has a chance to disperse them further. Keep the area lightly watered for 4 to 6 weeks until the plants come up.

During the fall, you can let the rain water your seeds for you. Most self-seeders should sprout. "In an area that has several self-sowing plants, use a lightweight compost as mulch," says James. "Heavier mulches such as bark chips can hinder the seeds from reaching the ground. And if they can't reach the ground, how are they ever going to grow?"

If you still need another reason to encourage a garden that replants itself year after year, Hoffman says self-seeders are also home to lots of beneficial insects, such as hoverflies, lacewings and ladybugs, all of which enjoy the pollen and nectar from the flowers. By hosting beneficial bugs in your garden, you will help keep the all-important environmental balance.

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