Operation Wildflower

Volunteers can plant wildflowers on approved highway sections.

Flowers on the side of the road

How to Volunteer

  1. Select an appropriate right-of-way section according to the guidelines below.
  2. Fill out a volunteer application and email it to the appropriate contact for your region.
  3. Once your application has been reviewed and approved, you will be contacted to come pick up your wildflower seeds or have them mailed. Follow the planting tips below.

Guidelines for Right of Way Planting

  1. Plant a minimum of 10’ from the edge of the pavement and if noxious weeds are present plant behind noxious weeds up to 30 feet from the edge of the pavement.
  2. Plant in areas that have visible soil (niches where seeds can germinate and establish).
  3. DO NOT plant in heavily sodded, grassy, or thick mulch layer (such as pine needle or dead plant material) where the seed cannot be incorporated into the soil.
  4. Sow or distribute seed in an even pattern to provide a light coverage over the entire area; do no sow all the seed in one small space within a large area.
  5. Take care to not sow seed over rocks or over heavily compacted soil; seed can be sown into rock where there are spaces for the seed to grow such as a rock mulch area.
  6. For best seed germination and establishment soils may need to be raked or roughened and seed lightly incorporated in to
    the soil. (Seed to soil contact is necessary for germination per Kara Carleton)
  7. Be aware of the time of year you are planting seeds. It is best to plant in the Fall (end of September/October). It is also recommended that Volunteers observe the weather forecast and plant seeds just prior to expected rain, if possible.
  8. Choose a spot that gets 6 or more hours of direct sun (unless you are planting a partial shade mixture.)
  9. Mix seeds with sand for better visibility and scatter seeds directly on top of the soil.

Documents

Daisies