How To Plant Yellow Rattle Plugs
Establishing Yellow Rattle in a meadow
Yellow Rattle
Yellow Rattle Plugs are a good way to introduce a very beneficial species into your Meadow.
It is sometimes known as Hay Rattle (Latin name Rhinanthus Minor) and is an unusual plant.
Rattle is an annual species but it is also semi parasitic. For it to survive it needs grass to latch onto.
If it successfully takes it will then weaken the existing grass in a Meadow. So giving more room for the wildflower species.
Yellow Rattle Seed
In most cases Yellow Rattle is planted as seed in the autumn. You sow it at about 0.5 grams to the square metre in amongst grass, having created a seedbed. It will then remain dormant over winter. The winter cold period breaks the dormancy and it germinates in the spring. Once successfully established you have to manage the Meadow so that the Yellow Rattle comes back each summer.
Yellow Rattle Plugs
Another option is to plant Plugs Plants. We have these available in the spring. They are grown in amongst grass and they are sent out from mid April onward.
Plant up to five plugs per square metre. Getting Yellow Rattle to establish by seeds can be tricky. So Plugs can be a better option, albeit a more expensive one.
In terms of planting. On receipt make a small hole and drop the plug in. Make sure they are planted firmly. It may pay to water them for the first couple of weeks to make sure they do not dry out.
As an annual once established they should start to grow quickly.
To order Yellow Rattle plugs see link below.
For more advice an information contact us on 0800 085 4399 or by email shop@meadowmania.co.uk
