HWEN Alleyway Pollinator Pathway Project

Southern Butterfly and Hummingbird Mix 

The HWEN Alleyway Pollinator Pathway Project uses a special "Southern Butterfly and Hummingbird" native seed mix designed for the environmental conditions of Middle Tennessee and the Southern Tier States. It is suitable for sites with dry-to-wet or moist soils. The flowering period and flower colors are coordinated for full season variety.

This native seed mix contains Pure Live Seed, which means that a Government certified testing lab has tested the seed and it is guaranteed to be viable. There are no empty seeds, dead seeds, leaves, stems, dirt, weed seeds or any other contaminants in the packet. The amount of seed of each species in the mix has been calculated using the number of seeds per pound of each species factored by establishment parameters.

How to Plant

Here's how to plant your pollinator patch in an alleyway, corner of your yard, or container. Any area can be transformed with wildflowers because your seeds can be sown in pots and containers, as well as on open soil.

📷 Have fun! We can't wait to see your spaces transformed! Share photos with us by email at hwen.org@gmail.com or post and tag us on Instagram @hwenneighbors or Meta @HWENneighbors .

🌱 Planting in grass or lawn:

Where to plant:   Wildflowers are versatile and are suited to many different spaces. Its not just lawns and grass areas that can be transformed, imaginative use of containers by upcycling an old bath, sink, wheelbarrow or boat can bring colour and wildlife to even the most urban of environments. Your seed packet should be sufficient for about one square yard (approximately 3' x 3' or 2' x 4'), so bear this in mind when choosing where to sow your seeds. Wildflowers need sunshine, so try to avoid shaded areas.

🚗 Keep to an area where potentially tall, natural growth will not be a visual hindrance to traffic. 

Get permission: Always have landowners permission before you sow your wildflower seeds. 

When to sow: Choose a fine Spring or Autumn day when the soil is neither too wet nor too dry.

Choose your space: If your chosen space is grass or lawn, you will need to remove the grass with a spade and rake over to create a patch of bare soil where your wildflower seeds can be sown. You might even create a special shape, like a crescent or circle, in which to sow your seeds.

Tools:

• Garden fork or spade

• Garden or hand rake

• Watering can or spray mister

• Pollinator seed mix (1 packet to approx. 1 sq. yd.)

• A label to remember where you’ve sown your seeds!

Prep:

• Dig over the soil with a fork or spade breaking up any large clumps.

• Remove large stones and weeds so the wildflowers don't have any competition.

• Rake the soil so it's fine and crumbly

• Ideally, leave prepared soil for about two weeks so any dormant weeds or grasses that come to life can be removed.

How to sow: 

Onto a bare patch of soil or a cleared space–

• Scatter your wildflower seeds over the soil by hand, a little at a time for an even spread.

  • Tip: To make spreading easier, mix seeds with a small amount of dry sand so you can see where you've sown them.

• Gently brush over or sprinkle fine, crumbly soil to barely cover the seeds with a very thin layer (no more than 1/8"). Seeds need sunlight, so be careful not to bury them too deeply, or they won't grow.

• Very gently, water the whole area using a watering can or fine mist sprayer, taking care not to wash your seeds away.

• Label the area with plant markers (you can make your own with chopsticks), and don’t forget to include the sowing date.

After sowing: Water the patch regularly after sowing and while the seedlings are establishing. Ideally water your freshly sown wildflower space twice a week and more frequently in hot weather. Seeds should germinate within a couple of weeks of being sown, depending on weather. Be patient and keep looking out for the tiny green shoots of life.

🪴 How to sow in containers:

If you don't have access to a patch of soil, containers are a great option, especially for balconies, paved areas and to add variety to larger outdoor spaces. You can use large wooden planters, oversized pots, tubs, sinks, or even an old sandbox. 

🏆 One of the keys to success is to avoid small containers. Wildflowers won’t survive in cramped spaces and need room for roots to grow and absorb nutrients and water, so best to go big!

Tools:

• A large container

• Stones or broken crockery

• Top soil or multipurpose compost

• Watering can or jug

• Pollinator seed mix (1 packet to approx. 1 sq. yd.)

• A label to remember where you’ve sown your seeds!

Prep:

• Check that container has a few holes in the base to let water gradually drain out. Otherwise, carefully use a drill or sharp instrument to add holes.

• Add a few stones or broken crockery to the bottom to help drainage.

• Move your empty container to your chosen space before filling; an empty container is much easier to move than a full one.

• Fill container with topsoil or multipurpose compost. For environmental reasons, please avoid soil containing peat.

• As you fill the container, gently push down the soil or compost to break up any lumps and fill large air pockets. Leave 1" from top to allow room for watering.

• Sprinkle seeds by hand evenly over the surface and cover with a scant 1/8" of soil or compost and water well.

• Label with a plant marker.

After sowing: This is the most vulnerable time for seeds. Keep soil moist and water if dry. Seedlings can die if soil dries out completely, and containered wildflowers need regular watering throughout their lives. In summer, this might mean a good soak every day, even after rain, but be careful not to overwater. When soil is oversaturated, seedlings can die from a lack of oxygen reaching roots.

 Your seeds should germinate within a couple of weeks of being sown, depending on weather. Be patient and watch for tiny green shoots of life.

Mix Species

The Southern Butterfly and Hummingbird Mix contains the following 4 native grass species and 17 native wildflower species shown below.

* PLS Oz: the amount of Pure Live Seed in ounces, which is a measure of the percentage of viable, germinable seeds in a seed lot.