Seed
We offer a wide range of grass and wildflower seed mixes to suit your area. Choosing an appropriate seed mix is important and there are many things to consider, for example: How often are you able/willing to water? Will there be much traffic - such as wear and tear from children and pets? What is your soil type?
If you want to go strictly native, picking an appropriate mix is important and we have many to choose from. Often drought-tolerant mixes are not strictly native, but in some situations non-native species are more practical.
Benefits of Native Grasses
Lawns currently cover 25 million acres in the U.S. A typical Kentucky Bluegrass lawn consumes up to 17,000 gallons of water in one summer and receives 3 - 20 pounds of fertilizer and 5 - 10 pounds of pesticides.
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Lawns are useful for specific purposes, such as play areas for children and backyard entertainment, but how much irrigated, costly, highly maintained lawn is needed or wanted? Why let mowing become a monumental chore?
Consider these instead attractive alternatives that can offer seasonal color and interest, while attracting wildlife such as butterflies and songbirds into your landscape.
Drought Tolerant Native Grass Lawns
We can custom blend seed to fit your particular situation, taking into account soil, precipitation, function, and care. Mowing can be as often or as seldom as you want it to be! Little irrigation required.
Grass Seed Varieties
The table below describes some of the grass mixes we keep in stock. We also offer grasses in single species.
Name of Mix | Description | Seeding Rate |
|---|---|---|
Native Lawn Mix, Heavy Soils | Native, sod-forming grasses for clay soils. | 4-6 lbs/1,000 sq.ft |
Native Lawn Mix, Coarse Soils | Native, sod-forming grasses for sandy soils. | 4-6 lbs/1,000 sq.ft |
Dryland Turf Mix | Includes some non-natives; for use in areas with little to no irrigation. | 4-6 lbs/1,000 sq.ft. |
Fast & Fine Turf Mix | Non-native grasses; for irrigated areas only; quick green up, light shade tolerance and excellent trampling and mowing tolerance. | 5-8 lbs/1,000 sq.ft. |
Native Prairie Mix #1 | Native sod and bunch forming grasses; good buffer between turf and native areas. | 3-5 lbs/1,000 sq.ft. |
Native Prairie Mix #2 | Native, primarily bunch forming grasses; great mix to use with wildflower seeds. | 3-5 lbs/1,000 sq.ft. |
Native Dryland Mix | Good native mix for areas with little to no irrigation; this is a non-turf type mix; common at mid-elevations, such as Big Timber & Livingston areas (3,000 - 5,000 ft of elevation). | 3-5 lbs/1,000 sq.ft. |
Native Western Mix | Native mix for areas not intended to be mowed; good for areas with limited irrigation. | 3-5 lbs/1,000 sq.ft. |
Native High Elevation Mix | For areas greater than 6,000 ft, composed of only native grasses. | 3-5 lbs/1,000 sq.ft. |
Dryland Slope Mix | Includes some non-natives; good for areas with limited irrigation. | 3-5 lbs/1,000 sq.ft. |
Fairfield Pasture Mix | Non-native grasses; prefers occasional irrigation; excellent horse pasture. | 3-5 lbs/1,000 sq.ft. |
Wildflower Seeds
Blake Nursery carries a custom wildflower seed mix, which is adapted to Montana growing conditions. This mix includes perennial species that will return year after year.
How to Start a Wildflower Meadow
This is an example of a Blake Nursery custom native grass and wildflower seed mix.
It needs little watering and mowing. At the time this photo was taken the wildflower in bloom was Blue Flax. Other wildflowers bloom in succession.
It may take months before your ground is ready to plant so patience is key. Start by eliminating all vegetation where flower seeds are to be planted. You could accomplish this by repeated very shallow tilling (avoid deep tilling because it often brings new weed seeds to the surface) or spraying a non-residual herbicide.
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When the ground is clear of vegetation prepare the soil as you would a smooth, fine seedbed for grass, getting rid of clods. It's best to sow wildflower seeds in the early spring or fall. Fall works well if the area will receive snow cover in winter, but not so well if the area in winter is dry and exposed to wind. Water will help seed germinate, but do not over-water because this will encourage weed seeds that grow like rockets and overwhelm well-mannered wildflowers. Expect to do some hand weeding the first few years. We like sowing clump forming native grasses with wildflowers because it looks more natural and grasses that grow from rhizomes will eventually choke out the wildflowers.
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You may ask yourself, should I fertilize my wildflower meadow? No, wildflowers are best left unpampered. Too much fertilizer and they get leggy and floppy. Wildflowers are used to fending for themselves.