Below are some guidelines for planting wildflowers, sources, and books for identifying and landscaping with wildflowers. Please check our links on the home page for other resources.

Planting wildflowers
Tips for avoiding problems with city ordinances when landscaping your yard
Suggested natives for landscaping
Sources of wildflowers
Books on landscaping with and identifying wildflowers
Flower list seen on Northeast field trip
Invasive plants in Oklahoma

PLANTING INFORMATION
WHEN TO PLANT: Almost all perennial and many annual plants are best planted in the fall months of September, October, and November, seed is best planted in September and October. Plants can also be planted in the spring near the frost-free date.
WHERE TO PLANT: Most of the wildflowers in our area require several hours of sunlight. They will usually do well in most soils as long as drainage is adequate. Those wildflowers that prefer shade will probably require alteration of the soil not discussed here.
PREPARATION OF AREA: Although use of herbicides is usually not recommended, grassy areas are best treated with a glyphosate-containing herbicide. These must be applied to green vegetation,  so will probably need to be applied well before seeding. Allow at least 2 weeks before seeding the area after application of the herbicide.
An alternate method would be to cover the dormant turf grass with several sheets of newspaper, cover that with a couple of inches of sand or compost or a mixture of the two.
Mow any dead vegetation as short as possible.

SEEDING:
1. Lightly rake the area. Raking deeper than ½ inch will encourage weed seeds to germinate.
2. Hand broadcast the seeds over the area. If you are using a mixture be sure they are properly mixed.
     Commercial wildflower mixtures contain flowers not native to the area so mix your own.
3. Lightly rake the area again to assure good seed-soil contact.
4. Spray the area with water.

CARE: Water as needed to keep the area moist until seedlings have a couple of true leaves. There is no need for fertilizer. Of course, avoid foot traffic.
SEEDS: Seeds, purchased from a local source, usually will be better adapted to our area. They should come with instructions on how to treat the seeds or they may be already treated since some seeds require special treatments. They may require a different planting scheme from that given above because some seeds require light exposure for germination. There are specific guidelines that need to be followed for collecting seeds in the wild.

AVOIDING PROBLEMS WITH CITY ORDINANCES:

Here are several suggestions for avoiding problems with those people that think only a well manicured lawn is acceptable. Actually, you are trying to defend yourself from the authorities that will be responding to the complaints of the lawn crowd.

  Do not have any plants that are noxious or allergenic.
  Do not violate any height restictions near roads.
  Take care not to violate any easment requirements.
  Make the area look like a garden including hardscape.
  Keep records of what is present and their care.
  Keep records of all interactions with authorities.
  Keep a picture record of what your garden looks like through the seasons.
 

OKLAHOMA SOURCES:
Clear Creek Farm and Gardens: Loretta and Kirk Bowers, P.O. Box 89, Peggs, OK 74452; (918) 598-3782.
Johnston Seed Company: 319 West Chestnut, Enid, OK;  johnseed&johnstonseed.com or
    1-800-375-4613. They provide custom mixes.
Oklahoma Wildflowers: 207 Mulberry, Okeene, OK 73763;  wildflower@okeene.com or (580) 822-3655.
Sanctuary Gardens, Inc.: Victoria Gonzales, Blanchard, OK; Specializing in water plants: (405) 485-9557.
StoneBridge Garden Center: Martin Stone, 700 E. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore, OK 74017;
   stonbrdg@busprod.com or (918) 341-1228.
Sunshine Nursery & Arboretum: Steve and Sherry Bieberich, Rt. 1, Box 4030, Clinton, OK 73601;
   (4050) 323 6509 or gardening@sunshinenursery.com.
Wild Things Nursery: Marilyn and Ken Stewart, 114 Quail Run, Seminole, 74868. They do not sell directly
   out of their nursery but attend many herb shows and markets including Norman’s.
   Contact at mbs11@sbcglobal.net or 405-382-8540 for information or plant listing.

For landscaping using natives:
Rose Rock Landscape & Design: Wayne and Susan Chambers, 238 East Robin Road, Midwest City, OK 73130. (405) 769-7917.

BOOKS

Many books describe planting flowers which would apply to wild flowers as well. Landscaping with natives is somewhat more problematic. If you have suggestions, please send them to the webmaster. Here is one that is specific and another rather specific to our area:

Native Plant Selection Guide for Oklahoma Woody Plants, Darlene Michael, 1995, available from ONPS.

Gardening with Prairie Plants by Sally and Andy Wasawski, published by University of Minnesote Press, 2002.

    For identifying our native wildflowers and trees:

Roadside Wildflowers of Oklahoma, Doyle McCoy, University of Oklahoma Press, 1981 (photographs)*

Field Guide to Oklahoma Plants, Ronald Tyrl, Terrence Bidwell, Ronald Masters, Oklahoma State University, 2002 (drawings)*

Forest Trees of Oklahoma, revised by Elbert Little, Jr. Oklahoma Forestry Service, 2002 (drawings)*

An Annotated List of the Ferns, Fern Allies, Gymnosperms and Flowering Plants of Oklahoma, John and Constance Taylor, "ONPS", 1994 (no pictures)*

Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas,George Diggs, Barney Lipscomb, Robert O'Kennon, BRIT, 1999 (drawings)

* Can be obtained through ONPS when available.

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