Wildflower Bed – Weeds

Q: I planted wildflower seed a couple of years ago and they look great but the weeds almost overpower them. I mow the area in the fall but the weeds and thick grasses all come back.

A: The name wildflower implies that these plants will grow and flourish just about anywhere. But wildflower beds are not carefree. You have to do something every month to eliminate non-flowering weeds or they will take over the bed. If you’d rather not pull weeds by hand, you can put a spray guard on your garden sprayer and apply non-selective weed killer to individual weeds. I have a guide to establishing a wildflower bed at http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/wildflowers/.