Hand Picked British Wild Flower Seeds Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus Minor (50g)

Be aware these are hand picked seeds so will contain some chaff Rhinanthus minor or Yellow Rattle. This hemi-parasite of British grassland was for centuries an unwelcome sight on improved grassland as it weakens grass, reducing its vigour and spread…if however you want a species-rich grassland, with a diverse community of plants and animals then Yellow Rattle can be a valuable tool, as it opens up the sward of grass, allowing other plants light and nutrients to grow. It also acts upon clover, another vigorous plant that can overwhelm a grassland community. Yellow Rattle itself is an pretty plant, that is attractive to bumblebees. It forms short (15 to 4cm) spikes of bright yellow hooded flowers with purple-pink flush to their base and peridot-green slender leaves. Once the Yellow Rattle seed has set the spike turns a rich russet brown and if you walk through it, the seeds rustle in their papery shells, hence the ‘Rattle’ name. Sow at 1g per m2 It doesn't need to be sown evenly as it will usually spread. To sow, scarify the grassy area by raking harshly, or sow it in areas that have been trampled by animals - the crucial thing is that it needs to have contact with the soil. Don't cover the seed, just press it down with your feet or with a roller. It must be sown in autumn/winter from October to late November