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Wildflower Sod Trials |
By James E. Klett, Colorado State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
During the 1994 and 1995 growing seasons, Colorado State University, in cooperation with Applewood Seed Company, looked at various wildflower sod mixes along with different methods of establishing the sod. We found little difference between sod being sold as low growth (short varieties) and higher growth (tall varieties).
At the end of the second season, the wildflowers with a solid sod visually looked better than the plugs. Often a few species tended to dominate the wildflower planting. Ratibida (Coneflower) seemed to dominate in most of the different sod mixes by the end of the growing season. Also, sods with Ratibida and Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) appeared to lodge more than other species like Coriopsis and Shasta Daisy. By the end of the second growing season season, some species became very dominant, especially Cerastium tomentosum (Snow in Summer).
Overall, wildflower sod resulted in a denser sod quicker than plugs but some plant species can become quite dominant.
Photograph courtesy of Rivendell Sod Co.
