EM7A – Meadow mixture for acid soils

Composition

Mixture EM7A contains wild flowers and grasses that are found on soils that are moderately acidic. This type of grassland often develops in upland areas, areas where the topsoil has been leached by rainfall over time, and where lime has not been applied in recent years.

Wild Flowers

%	Latin name	Common name
0.5	Achillea millefolium	Yarrow
1	Betonica officinalis - (Stachys officinalis)	Betony
2	Centaurea nigra	Common Knapweed
1	Euphrasia officinalis	Eyebright
2	Galium verum	Lady's Bedstraw
1.5	Leucanthemum vulgare	Oxeye Daisy
1	Lotus corniculatus	Birdsfoot Trefoil
0.5	Plantago lanceolata	Ribwort Plantain
0.5	Primula veris	Cowslip
1.5	Prunella vulgaris	Selfheal
2	Ranunculus acris	Meadow Buttercup
1	Ranunculus bulbosus	Bulbous Buttercup
1	Rhinanthus minor	Yellow Rattle
1.5	Rumex acetosa	Common Sorrel
1	Scorzoneroides autumnalis - (Leontodon autumnalis)	Autumn Hawkbit
1	Succisa pratensis	Devil's-bit Scabious
1	Teucrium scorodonia	Wood Sage
20

Grasses

%	Latin name	Common name
10	Agrostis capillaris	Common Bent
1	Anthoxanthum odoratum	Sweet Vernal-grass (w)
24	Cynosurus cristatus	Crested Dogstail
10	Festuca filiformis	Fine-leaved Sheep's-fescue (w)
15	Festuca ovina	Sheep's Fescue (w)
16	Festuca rubra	Slender-creeping Red-fescue
4	Phleum bertolonii	Smaller Cat's-tail (w)
80

Sowing Rates

kg/ha	kg/acre	g/m2	Order Mixture
40	16	4	Order this mixture

Growing guide

Ground preparation

Endeavour to select ground that is not highly fertile and does not have a problem with perennial weeds. Good preparation is essential to success so aim to control weeds and produce a good quality seed bed before sowing.

To prepare a seed bed first remove weeds using repeated cultivation or a herbicide. Then plough or dig to bury the surface vegetation, harrow or rake to produce a medium tilth, and roll, or tread, to produce a firm surface. (more on preparation)

Sowing

Seed is best sown in the autumn or spring but can be sown at other times of the year if there is sufficient warmth and moisture. The seed must be surface sown and can be applied by machine or broadcast by hand. To get an even distribution and avoid running out divide the seed into two or more parts and sow in overlapping sections. Do not incorporate or cover the seed, but firm in with a roll, or by treading, to give good soil/seed contact. (more on sowing)

Aftercare

First year management
Most of the sown meadow species are perennial and will be slow to germinate and grow and will not usually flower in the first growing season. There will often be a flush of annual weeds from the soil in the first growing season. This weed growth is easily controlled by topping or mowing.

Avoid cutting in the spring and early summer if the mixture is autumn sown and contains Yellow Rattle, or if the mixture has been sown with a nurse of cornfield annuals. These sown annuals should be allowed to flower, then in mid-summer cut and remove the vegetation. It is important to cut back the annuals before they die back, set seed and collapse: this cut will reveal the developing meadow mixture and give it the space it needs to develop.

Management once established
In the second and subsequent years EM7A sowings can be managed in a number of ways which, in association with soil fertility, will determine the character of the grassland. The best results are usually obtained by traditional meadow management based around a main summer hay cut in combination with autumn and possibly spring mowing or grazing.

Meadow grassland is not cut or grazed from spring through to late July/August to give the sown species an opportunity to flower.

After flowering in July or August take a 'hay cut': cut back with a scythe, petrol strimmer or tractor mower to c 50mm. Leave the 'hay' to dry and shed seed for 1-7 days then remove from site.

Mow or graze the re-growth through to late autumn/winter to c 50mm and again in spring if needed.

(more on grassland management)

EM7A is most suited to moderately acid soils (pH 5.0-6.5 acid-neutral). The most acidic sites and waterlogged soils develop more specialised plant communities such as heath and moorland which fall outside of the meadow grassland category, and therefore require an alternative approach.

 

EM7A is a complete mix composed of 20% native wild flowers and 80% slow growing grasses (by weight). The flower and grass components are also available to order separately as EM7AF for the flower component and EG7 for the grass component.