Hi Everyone!

I posted this in the Wildflowers forum, but it may belong here instead. Sorry for the repeat, but I need help!

I recently moved to Idaho, and now have 12 1/2 acres. Our place is in a river canyon, and part of it is a very steep hillside. My dream is to cover the hillside in wildflowers. I've flung countless seeds, but nothing has started growing yet, and it's making me crazy. I spread the first several hundred thousand seeds back in March when we were here the first time, and I can't find anything growing. So, I flung about a million more seeds a few days ago. I know it's too early to see blooms, but I'm not patient when it comes to blooms!

On another thread, we were discussing a plant that some people got rid of, or decided not to plant, because it reseeded too much, which made me think that I need to get some plants that do that. I guess it doesn't have to be a wildflower, but it needs to be able to survive with mostly mother nature providing the needed moisture, since I can't really water the area where I want to grow these plants. Our area supposedly gets about 25 inches of annual rainfall, but I think we are in a bit of a drought this year. We're supposedly in zone 7b, but I think our house is more likely in 7a, since we're 800 feet higher than town is.

I'm looking for plants that will grow in my zone that reseed bad, and can survive without any pampering. If they are deer resistant, even better, but I'm probably hoping for too much there! I do have Lupine growing all over, which is great, but I need more than just Lupine. Also, the taller the better. Anyone have any suggestions?

Natalie I do not have experience with something like your project. But just did a google for 'how to get wildflowers seed to grow on a steep hillside' search found American Meadows that might be helpful plus a lot of other sites came up that could be useful.

Thanks so much Betty! I'll check it out!

Thanks Natalie, I'm in the same position as you. I have a west facing hillside that leads down to a field and pond. We previously ran cows on it, but now have torn down the fences and are letting it revert to nature. I, too, envision of beautiful hillside of wildflowers, I've also flung my share of seed at it, and mostly have just grasses (which are lovely in the wind) and a very few field daisies. I diligently saved seed from both California and field poppies last year, tossed some in the fall and some in the spring - so far nada. As with Natalie, I do not plan to water or weed this area so it needs to be tough and durable. A major obstacle is the seed will need to wiggle down between the existing grass to find soil. I've got lots of buttercups, which I don't mind, but they are probably also a hindrance to other plants colonizing. I'd love to get some native lupine established and foxgloves at the wood edges. When we have mole infestations, I use that opportunity to plant directly in the newly hilled dirt. A work in progress...

I wonder how it would work to mix the seed in some bagged soil and then fling it around it might help the seed stick to the hill.

If you could get some sweet peas started, they would be gorgous when blooming . They are a good reseeder also

Deb, sounds like we both need a lot of help! Your property is very beautiful, though your hill looks like a gentle slope compared to my cliff! Mine isn't really a cliff, but it feels like it in some spots when I'm trying to walk back up it!

I also have grasses growing, which I love, but I need some color! I have wild (or field) mustard growing, which of course is yellow, and I also have Arrow-leaved Balsamroot, which is pretty, but it's also yellow. The wild Lupine are a very light purple, and really don't stand out at all. I actually have to look for them to find them. I sure wish they were a darker color. Wonderful idea about putting some seeds in fresh mole hills! Luckily, I've only found one mole hill here (in the lawn - ), and one of the dogs found two moles. The moles no longer exist, thanks to the dog, but I'll be on the lookout for more hills to plant in!

Curtis, I hadn't thought of sweet peas, so thanks for mentioning that! I love sweet peas!

Betty, good idea on mixing the seed in with some soil. I'll give that a try on my next million seeds!

Anyone know if Alien Sunflowers reseed well? My Dad sent me two packages of seed, and I have no idea where to plant them. I'm thinking that they may need some care to get them going, but it would be fun having them growing down the cliff!

Natalie: I wonder if the seeds you threw out were possibly disbursed by the wind? I can't imagine that they would stay put without being lightly covered in soil; or watered in to give them good contact with the current soil. You said you just recently moved to Idaho; were the wildflower seeds that you sowed for that particular area of the country? I hope you are able to find seeds that will germinate and spread on that hill/cliff because it sounds like it would be really pretty full of colorful wildflowers!

I googled and found this list of Wildflowers for Northern Idaho, maybe you could ask around at your local garden centers/nurseries to find a source for these seeds:

http://www.fs.fed.us/outernet/...

Good luck and keep us posted ... would love to see photo's of that area all abloom!

The plant I can not get rid of in my gardens is spiderwort. After years of trying they still pop up. But they sound right for you and come in many different colors.
https://www.google.com/search?...

Bob, I had a spiderwort in Utah, and it never spread or reseeded! Funny how one thing is a pest for some people, and it behaves nicely for others! I planted it in an area that I hoped it would spread in, but it never budged. I loved that plant, and meant to bring it with me, but ran out of time and room in the truck before I got to it. I think I'll give that one another try and see if I can get it to behave badly!

Lin, while it's possible that they were blown away, I don't think it's likely, considering the area that I spread them in. I live in a river canyon, so it's not often that the wind isn't blowing, but it had rained for several days before I tossed the seeds, and I was careful to make sure they hit the ground. Also, the wind wasn't blowing at the time. It rained lightly for the next few days too, kind of on and off rain, so I know they got watered. It never rained hard enough to wash them away in those few days. We left though soon after that, and I have no idea what the weather was like. I'm sure there were some nights that had a hard freeze, but some of the seeds could take it. It may be that there are too many other plants (weeds) here, or they just haven't gotten tall enough to see them yet. I haven't given up home of something blooming, but I want to plan for the future.

I made a short video of the hillside that I'm hoping to get wildflowers to grow on. Sorry for the quality. The hillside is very green, but it looks brown in the video. This is from my deck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

What about Coreopsis tinctora? Also ruella humilis. Both are big reseeders for me. But then again my mums reseed like crazy too!

Wow, what a slope. Lots of potential. I hope some of your seeds are growing and just not tall enough for for you to see.

Jen, some of my mums reseeded this year too!!!!

I see your vision - and it will be beautiful with loose natural color added. My advice is to just keep spreading seed out, preferably of plants native to your area. That's what I keep doing, hoping something will eventually take. One thing I did last year was to gather seeds of roadside plants and toss them out at about the same time (in a rain so they got kind of hammered into the ground and got some water) - I figured that's when they normally would drop to the ground. Crossing fingers.

Arlene, I too am hoping I have seedlings that are just below the grasses and are hopefully gathering strength to pop up.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I brought a Coreopsis plant with me, but I don't think it's the same one. I think I left that particular one behind, but my Dad has some seed for it. Mine never reseeded, but his does, so it's a great choice. I just looked up ruella humilis, since it wasn't familiar. I really like it! I'll have to check and see if it will grow here!

Now if I could ever get mums to reseed, that would be great!!!

Deb, it's nice having someone to go through this wait with! We're going to have awesome wildflower hills someday! I do plan on collecting seeds from any flowers that I find here. My husband and I went to town yesterday. He was driving, and I was searching for blooms. Didn't find any along the road, but there are a lot of roads here that we haven't ventured down yet. I'm hoping that some of them have lots of flowers! I just need to find them.

Verbena Bonasaris (Brazilian Verbena) reseeds well. I can save some seeds for you. It's tall so it would show up over the grass. I have tons of common rudbeckia as well. They pop up all over the place. And Gaillardia.

Arlene, I would LOVE some Brazilian Verbena seeds! I just looked it up, and I'm right on the edge of hardiness for it, but I'd love to give it a try. I had never heard of it before you mentioned it. It is so pretty! I think I would plant the seeds in pots though and get them started first, just to be safe. I know that I'll need to plant a few plants, and not just toss seeds. That way, they can get established some and then reseed themselves. I may have brought some rudbeckia seeds with me. I'll have to check on that. I did bring a plant, so I can collect seeds. Mine don't get very tall, but I do love them. Gaillardia is a really good suggestion. I may have brought one with me but I'm not sure. I think my Dad has seeds of that plant though. Please send me a tree mail and let me know what I owe you!