Scentsy couldn’t have named their scents without the wonderful flower, fruits, berries, trees,  nuts, herb,  and plant scented ingredients which makes up their specially formulated wax.  Just a few of the wild and flowery scents found in our special oil includes: sweet berries, Valencia oranges, raspberries, cloves, cinnamon, amber, blackberry, vanilla, ginger, hazelnuts, pecans, passionfruit, mango, papaya, bergamot, cedar, lime, mandarin, apple, star anise, heliotrope, lavender, patchouli, jasmine, coconut, muguet, linden blossoms, pumpkins, fall leaves, honeydew, camu camu, cassia, pear, honey, lilacs, violets, mulberry, pomegranate, sandalwood, melons, lemons, grapefruit, sweet pea petals, lemongrass, guava nectar, persimmon, black currant, cocoa, allspice, fir, evergreen, pine, loganberry, strawberry, peppermint, nutmeg, mint, acai berry, sweet peach nectar, sweet fig, coconut pulp, moss, musk, rose petals, mediterranean citrus, oak, wood smoke, rosemary, thyme, citron leaves, water lilies, lemon groves, cypress, freesia, earthy fern, pumpkin, apricots, cranberry, pineapple, cucumber, bananas, gardenia, tuberose, Indian orange, star fruit, walnut, and vanilla bean.

1. Impatience. -”Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson
2. Improper site evaluation-good drainage is a must!
3. Deep soil preparation greater than one inch in depth will unleash dormant weed seeds that will compete with your wildflowers.
4. Covering the seed too deep beneath the soil surface. Remember: simply rolling or walking over a newly planted area will achieve proper seed/soil contact and aid in germination.
5. Trying to cover a large area with a small amount of seed. Recommended seeding rates listed in the catalog are important.
6. Planting at the wrong time of year.
7. Unsuitable site conditions for the variety being planted. A plant requiring full sun and well-drained soils will not prosper in an area that is partially shaded with heavy clay soils.
8. Not enough sunlight. Unless indicated, your flowers will require a minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight per day.
9. Inadequate rainfall after seed germination. The area should not be allowed to become completely dry. Supplemental watering may be required to sustain plant life.
10. Extreme weather conditions: hail, drought, excessive rainfall, floods, unseasonably cold temperatures.

For best results we recommend a low nitrogen fertilizer with an approximate ratio of 1-3-2 (1 part nitrogen-3 parts phosphorus-2 parts potassium).

There is a common misconception today that wildflowers are easily grown from
seed. Indeed, some species require little more effort than casting the seed on the soil and waiting for growth. Most wildflowers, however, require specific soil and temperature conditions, a certain degree of ongoing personal attention and most of all, patience. We have tried to assist you in your wildflower selection by labeling each species with an average “planting success” rate on a scale of 10% to 100%. Wildflower species with a lower percentage ratio may require more of your time and attention, but will be well worth your effort. Additional information about the temperament of each species in included within the description.

Unlike ornamental flower or vegetable seeds, most of the wildflower seeds have not been genetically altered to achieve specific traits such as rapid germination, height, color or adaptation to specific soil types or climates. Each species has been tested for purity and germination by an independent laboratory and meets our high standard of quality before we make the seed available to you for planting.

As wildflower enthusiasts, we want to produce in two to three years a display of color to match that which has taken Mother Nature hundreds of years to achieve. Nature plays an important role in the success or failure of all wildflower plantings. Adverse weather conditions such as drought, hail, or excessive rainfall-obviously beyond human control-may seriously affect the success of your wildflowers. Soil or drainage problems in your planting area may also hamper germination of your seeds; interpretation of the best possible planting area is the customer¹s responsibility.

* Always get permission from the land owner before collecting seed.
* Check laws and regulations before you collect seeds from city, state or national parks.
* Properly identify the species. This is usually easiest to do when the plant is in bloom.
* Store each species separately from other seeds. Include notes on the growing conditions where you harvested the seeds.
* Never collect more than a very small percentage of the seed from a wildflower population. Once established, you will be able to get additional seeds from your own plants. If there are only a few plants of a particular species in an area, locate a commercial source of the desired plant.
* Wildflowers may be very obvious while in bloom, but often by the time the seeds are mature, the plant will seem to disappear into the landscape. Do a little advance scouting and mark the location of desirable plants, so you can find them again at seed harvesting time.
* Never harvest seeds until they have ripened on the plant (after seed heads begin to brown but before seeds drop out). This usually takes at least a month.
* Do your homework, so you will know of any special requirements for growing the particular seeds, such as chilling, light or darkness, or extended dormancy. It would be pointless and wasteful to plant seeds which were unable to grow because they required light for germination.

Growing a Wildflower Garden
Success with growing wildflowers depends mostly on the conditions and preparation of the site.
Perennial wildflower species naturally found growing in the woods, are accustomed to rich humus soils and will benefit greatly from the same soil preparation given to your cultivated garden flowers.
Fertilizers are generally not necessary for wildflower establishment.
The soils for field or meadow wildflowers tend to be different from that needed for woodland wildflower gardens, in that it is generally less fertile and lower in organic matter.
These plants generally are more tolerant of poor growing conditions.
Many wildflower seeds require a dormant period before germination. If they are planted too soon after harvest, they may germinate early, and be unable to establish themselves before winter, and consequently die.
Sow seeds of most wildflowers, especially spring and early summer bloomers, in the fall from September through November.
This allows them to benefit from the fall rains and cold winter temperatures, after which they will sprout and begin growing when the spring sun warms the soil.
Late winter or early spring sown wildflower seeds are susceptible to loss from heavy rains as well as from prolonged dry spells.
Spring sown perennial wildflowers usually will not bloom until the following season.
One of the most common mistakes when planting wildflower seeds is failing to get rid of the weed seeds that are already in the soil. Weed seeds will germinate at the same time as your wildflowers, but will quickly outgrow them, and choke the life from them.
Before sowing your wildflower seeds, remove all weeds, and cultivate the soil lightly (never more than one inch deep, when growing wildflowers).
Rake the soil to even it out, leaving shallow grooves.
Broadcast the seeds evenly over the entire area, then, using the back of the rake, smooth the soil over the seedbed.
Tamp the soil lightly to ensure that each seed is in contact with the soil. Apply a light mulch to prevent soil crusting and erosion.
Seed Sowing Tips

* For more even distribution of the seeds, mix them thoroughly with four times their volume of sand or vermiculite.
* Some seeds have a hard covering which must break down naturally in the soil before germination. This process can be speeded along considerably by a process called scarification. This can be done by filing a small area on each seed, or cutting a nick into the seed coating with a knife.
* Avoid commercial wildflower seed mixes that contain too many different species of wildflowers. These are often filled with less desirable types of plants. It is better to sow single species, or create your own wildflower mix.
* Begin a program of careful watering as soon as your seeds sprout.
* Seeds should be stored in a cool, dry place away from light. Many species of seeds will last up to 10 years when sealed in glass jars or freezer bags and stored in the freezer.
* Never sow all of your seeds of a particular plant at the same time. Set aside some extras just in case there is crop failure due to uncontrollable conditions.

Evaluate… It is easier to match flowers to your existing sight than to change the site. Wildflowers thrive in an environment which is able to provide them with the necessary basics for survival (sun, soil and water). They are each different with each one having their own needs and it is important that these needs are evaluated and provided for. To do this an evaluation of what you have is essential. Do you have a limestone glade, a wet bog, open woods, or prairie? Will direct sunlight be available to the plant for the full day, part of the day, or not at all? Is the area low lying where water will be readily available or is it located in a high dry spot? These evaluative steps should be done very methodically to allow you to match the correct plants to your area, plants that will thrive in the conditions provided. It is the phase that makes us look outside of our “box” and identify wildflowers other than the plants we currently enjoy. It is the heart of growing native wildflowers, which will determine the success of your wildflower garden!

After these basic conditions have been identified, don’t forget to consider the viewpoint from where the wildflowers will be seen. Will they be foundation plantings that are only seen from the street or island beds that can be enjoyed from your dinning room window or deck? Will the wildflower seeds be planted in a garden viewed up close or a hillside only seen from a distance? Will the flowers need to be organized more formally or randomly scattered as in a prairie meadow? The idea here is to provide natural beauty to your property by considering all aspects of wildflower placement. Remember that the beauty of flowers is not only for the passer by, but the property owner as well. There are few things as delightful as looking out your own window to see the fruit of your efforts providing you with a bouquet of sunshine! A well thought out plan will provide your property with radiance and beauty while increasing its value.

top of page Preparing the Site… Taking these basic steps at the beginning of this process will provide healthy plants that are easily maintained and enjoyed for many years.

With the appropriate seeds chosen, you are ready to prepare the site for planting. Plantings that are randomly scattered in a field have different techniques for growing than plantings that are organized and viewed up close.

Meadows or Prairies… A field planting is a task that in the beginning is very labor intensive, but once established will provide a quarter century of beauty. The planting will perpetuate itself utilizing a natural ecosystem which can take one to five years to establish. The size of field that you plant depends on your commitment to nurturing the plants until the ecosystem is created. If you are short on patience and wish for blooming beauty quick, start small.

Preparing the area for a new planting is sometimes very time consuming and labor intensive but will provide tremendous rewards in the years to come. Any invasive alien species should be removed prior to planting native species. This may be achieved by hand pulling or spot treatment with herbicide. When planting native species in an existing crop field or disturbed area It may be necessary to remove any existing weeds and non-native species which compete with the native wildflowers for sun, water and nutrition from the soil, before planting wildflower seeds.

One method is to plow or disc the area in the spring to kill the existing vegetation followed by shallowly disking the area every few weeks during the summer as new weed seeds germinate. This should be continued most of the summer until the weed seeds in the top 1 inch of soil have germinated and been destroyed. The wildflower seeds can be broadcast over the area in the fall or early winter and will germinate the following spring.

A second method is the use of a chemical herbicide such as Roundup®. Read and follow all instructions when using any herbicide. Use the safest herbicide available and in the lowest amounts possible to achieve the objective while doing the least damage to the environment. Roundup can be used in late spring after the field is green and the plants are growing with a spot treatment three weeks later on plants that were not killed. Where regulations allow a controlled burn can be used after the vegetation turns brown and dry or the area can be mowed and the excess foliage removed. This can be followed with a final herbicide treatment in late October to remove any weeds that have started to grow over the summer. The wildflower and native grass seeds can be broadcast on the surface in the fall or early winter. Native warm season grass can also be planted with a no-till drill in the spring.

Hillsides… Hillsides should not be tilled do to the increase of erosion that can occur. On small areas, black plastic totally covering the area during July and August will kill most seeds and vegetation in the top layer of soil. For larger areas the use of a herbicide may be necessary. Native wildflower seeds may be broadcast over the area in the fall or early winter without further soil disturbance. A light mulch of straw will help prevent erosion.

Flower Beds… The objective when preparing the soil for a flower bed is to clear the area of all grass and weeds and keep it clear so the new wildflower seedlings are not competing for nutrients, water or sunlight. It is advisable to till the area until the soil is smooth and all grass and weeds are gone. Add compost to sites with heavy clay to give proper drainage and the additional nutrients the seedlings need. After the plot is worked, water the soil thoroughly so existing weed seeds will germinate and can be removed by hand pulling or shallowly tilling the soil. When the soil has been clear of grass and weeds for about a month the area is ready for planting.

top of page Planting… It may seem as though it has been a long process to get to this step, but the fruits of your labors are about to unfold.

When the appropriate time of year has approached and your seeds have been pretreated you may notice that it will be difficult to spread the amount of seeds you have over the area worked. To make planting the seeds consistent over the entire field it is suggested to add a bulk material such as sand or course sawdust to the seeds. Sowing the seeds using a ratio of 8 parts bulk material to 1 part seed will help achieve a uniform growth the next spring. To achieve optimal germination it is important that the seed have good soil contact. This can be improved if a roller is used to press the seed into the soil. To complete the process a light application of straw will help retain moisture for seed germination and prevent erosion. Applying straw to prevent erosion is especially important on hillsides.

Again, if seeding takes place in spring or summer extra care will have to be provided. Seeds may need a pretreatment before planting and additional watering and possibly weeding will be necessary until the seedlings can take care of themselves.

Fertilization… This is where all of that pre-planning pays off. For most wildflowers native to the area you choose to plant them in, fertilizer is not necessary or recommended. Relax and Enjoy!! Your native wildflowers are on their way. Patience is the only requirement necessary to enjoy your beautiful landscape.

top of page Germination Pre-Treatment:

Pre-treatment of some native wildflower seeds may be necessary due to seed dormancy, however most native wildflower seed will germinate without any pretreatment if they are planted outside in the fall or early winter. Dormancy is typically broken if the seeds go through a winter freeze. If the seed will be planted inside or in the spring or summer a physical modification of the seed coat which will trigger germination may be necessary. Following are some of the different techniques that can be used.

Scarification; Some seeds, (like White and Blue Wild Indigo) have a hard seed coat that prevents water penetration. Germination will be improved by rubbing the seed between 2 sheets of medium grit sandpaper to rough up the outer seed coat so water can penetrate the seed. An alternative method is the use of hot Water; Pour hot water (170-200 deg. F.) over the seeds and let them soak overnight before planting. (I prefer using sandpaper)

Cold moist stratification; Place the seeds in a plastic bag or covered container. Label the outside of the container with date and the seeds name . Add an equal volume of clean sand, sphagnum, or peat moss. Add water to moisten and then mix contents. The seeds should have some excess water the first day so they can absorb all they will. After 24 hours check the seeds and add more sand, peat, or sphagnum to absorb any excess moisture in the container. The seeds should be moist not wet as they can drown in too much water. Store the seed in the refrigerator (not the freezer) for the recommended length of time before planting.

You can also plant seed in moistened potting soil in seed trays and place outside in a cold frame or cover with glass and place outside out of direct sunlight during the winter. Check the seed frequently to prevent their drying out. Uncover them in the spring when they begin to germinate to provide good air circulation.

NOTE: Even with the proper pre-treatment, some native wildflower seeds may be very slow to germinate.