Tried rewilding my tiny backyard in Portland and just got more weeds

Honestly, I spent like $200 on native wildflower seeds and plugs last spring, following some online guide for urban rewilding. I cleared out the lawn, scattered everything, and watered it for weeks. What came up was mostly crabgrass and thistles, with maybe three actual flowers. Did I do something wrong with the timing, or is this just how it goes when you try to fight the grass without chemicals?

2 comments

2 Comments

milarodriguez1d agoMost Upvoted

Isn't it funny how trying to force something good tends to backfire, like when you prune a plant too hard and it just gets leggy and sad...? The soil and timing thing is real, but it's almost like nature hates a blank slate that we create for it, the same way a quiet room in a busy house just fills with clutter. Maybe the trick is to work with what's already there instead of clearing the table and expecting something better to magically show up.

blair_taylor321d ago

Blame it on the timing and your soil. You probably seeded too late or early for your zone, and that bare dirt you cleared was just begging for crabgrass and thistles because they love disturbed ground. Native plugs need at least a full season to settle in and compete, so year one is basically a weed party while the real plants are still underground doing root stuff. Next time just scalp your lawn short in fall, scatter seed, and walk away. Let the grass act as a nurse crop instead of nuking everything.