Savin Hill Native Seed Library

Proper preparation and seed-to-soil contact are essential for successful establishment. Follow these steps when sowing your native seed mix.

For the Boston area, late summer through early fall is an excellent time for seeding, particularly from mid-August through mid-September. Warm soil encourages germination, while increasingly cool temperatures and fall rainfall help young plants establish with less heat stress.

Native mixes containing wildflowers or species that require winter cold stratification may also benefit from late-fall dormant seeding.

For an existing lawn:

• Mow the existing grass short.
• Remove excessive thatch, dead vegetation, and debris.
• Rake or scarify the surface to expose some bare soil.
• You do not need to completely remove healthy existing turf when overseeding, but the seed must be able to reach the soil.

For bare or newly prepared areas:

• Remove weeds and unwanted vegetation.
• Loosen and rake the upper surface of the soil.
• Create a relatively smooth seedbed without excessively tilling or disturbing the soil.

Distribute the seed as evenly as possible at the recommended seeding rate.

For better coverage, divide the seed into two equal portions. Spread the first half while walking in one direction and spread the second half while walking perpendicular to the first.

For small quantities of native seed, mixing the seed with slightly damp sand or another suitable carrier can make even distribution easier.

After spreading, lightly rake the seed into the soil. Most small native seeds should remain at or very near the soil surface rather than being deeply buried.

Gently press or roll the seeded area afterward. Good seed-to-soil contact improves moisture availability and germination.

Immediately after seeding, water the area gently and thoroughly.

During germination, keep the upper layer of soil consistently moist but not saturated. Depending on temperature and rainfall, this may require light watering once or more per day.

Avoid heavy watering that creates puddles, erosion, or washes seed away.

As seedlings become established, gradually reduce watering frequency while watering more deeply.

Native plants establish differently from conventional lawn grasses. Some species germinate quickly, while others may require weeks, months, or even exposure to winter conditions before emerging.

During the first season, much of a perennial plant's development may occur below ground as it establishes its root system.

Do not assume that an area has failed simply because every species does not appear immediately.

Keep newly seeded areas adequately watered during establishment and minimize foot traffic.

Monitor weeds so that aggressive species do not shade or overwhelm young seedlings. When necessary, weeds can be cut or mowed before they produce seed while allowing the developing native plants to continue establishing.

Avoid applying broad-spectrum herbicides to newly seeded areas.

Seed-to-soil contact + consistent moisture + patience are the keys to successful establishment.

A native landscape develops over time. With proper establishment and management, it can become increasingly resilient and require fewer inputs as the plant community matures.

• 10.00% Bromus kalmii — Kalm's Brome
• 3.50% Asclepias incarnata — Rose Milkweed
• 15.00% Carex brevior — Plains Oval Sedge
• 5.00% Chamaecrista fasciculata — Partridge Pea (inoculant powder pre-applied)
• 3.00% Echinacea purpurea — Purple Coneflower
• 1.50% Eupatorium perfoliatum — Common Boneset
• 4.00% Eutrochium maculatum — Spotted Joe Pye
• 4.50% Helenium autumnale — Fall Sneezeweed
• 2.50% Lobelia cardinalis — Cardinal Flower
• 1.00% Mimulus ringens — Monkeyflower
• 25.00% Panicum virgatum — Switchgrass
• 1.00% Pycnanthemum tenuifolium — Narrow-Leaved Mountain Mint
• 10.00% Rudbeckia hirta — Black-Eyed Susan
• 0.13% Sisyrinchium angustifolium — Blue-Eyed Grass
• 2.38% Symphyotrichum novae-angliae — New England Aster
• 2.00% Symphyotrichum novi-belgii — New York Aster
• 6.00% Verbena hastata — Blue Vervain
• 3.50% Zizia aurea — Common Golden Alexanders

Growing Conditions: Sun to part sun • Moist to average soil

Coverage: 15 sq. ft. • 100+ seeds per sq. ft.