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Wildflower Seeding in SoCal: Plant Seeds First, Mulch Later

Question: October, SoCal. Cleaned perennial bed, want wildflowers + fine bark mulch. Seed before or after mulch?

Answer: Seed First, Mulch After Seedlings Reach 4 Inches

Seeds struggle to establish in bark mulch. Let seeds germinate and grow to ~4", then mulch around them. For self-sowing future years, go light on mulch.

—Russel

Landscaping and Design: Dog-Safe Mulch Selection: Preventing Paw Splinters; Designing a Large Serpentine Front Bed in Northwest Georgia; Preparing a Grassy Hillside for Wildflower Planting: Kill Grass First; Planting Wildflower Seeds: A Complete Guide for Natural Beauty; Planting and Growing Betula (Birch): Heritage River Birch; Growing Native Wildflowers: Seeds, Site Prep, and Design; How to Grow Wildflower Plants; Wildflower Planting Over a Septic Field: Fall is Best; Southeastern Wildflower Mix: What to Plant and When; Planting Wildflowers in Georgia: Site Preparation, Seed Selection, and Maintenance

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