NOW?
Because you never got around to it in September, October, or November.
Because of that itchy green thumb - "just gotta plant" - feeling.
It's actually a good time to plant wildflowers. Many species require 4-8 weeks of freezing or near-freezing nights before germinating. The freezing and thawing of the environment will help the seeds break dormancy and begin the establishment of basil rosettes of leaves that will later anchor lovely Blanketflowers, Rocky Mt. Penstemons, Skyrockets, and Yellow Prairie Coneflowers. Unfortunately this rosette is how many perennials look the first year. BUT sowing in winter will increase their chances of blooming the first year.
As the snow melts, it carries the seeds down to the soil. As a rule wildflowers should not be planted deeply. When germination occurs, the plants lack the strength to push up and through the soil. The cold is actually a plus for wildflowers to germinate.
HOW ?
1. Buy the seeds. Wildflower seeds are usually sold either by the ounce or by the pound. An ounce should cost you less than $10 and cover from 150 to 400 square feet. Make sure that the seeds are free of grass seeds and invasive plants such as white yarrow.
Examples of wildflower seeds mixes from Santa Fe garden centers include: Agua Fria Nursery - Native Wildflowers for Pinon-Juniper Area (5500 to 7500 feet altitude) and Aspen Meadow Mix (8,000 to 10,000 feet altitude); Plants of the Southwest - High Plains Mix (4,000 to 8,000 feet with 15 +/- inches annual precipitation) and High Desert Mix (3,000 to 6,000 feet with 5-18 inches rainfall); Santa Fe Greenhouse (High Country Gardens) - High Mountain Wildflower Seed Mix (elevations of 7,500 feet and above) and Western Trails Wildflower Seed Mix (elevations of 3,000 to 7,500 feet with rainfall amounts in the range of 10-25 inches per year).
2. Sow the seeds. Just scatter them on the snow. Wildflower seeds make very expensive bird feed SO put a light dusting of snow on top of the seeds. (You might want to explain this sequence of events to any neighbors who fail to grasp the gardener's need to PLANT.)
