Wildflower meadows and flower strips: Mixes with a great ecological benefit

At a time when there are increasingly fewer species in the cultivated landscape, wildflower meadows are an important element for providing game with an attractive food supply all year round. Our wildflower meadow and flower strip mixes are made up of highly productive type compositions for different sowing times and usages.

Wildflower meadow

Wildflower meadows can be annual or perennial. If possible, a wildflower meadow should be cultivated alternately with conventional agricultural crops and the boundaries should be broadly distributed. It is particularly important to create permanent refuge areas that will then last for many years as breeding areas. Only there can wild animals find sufficient peace and protection to breed and rear their young.

Sown by the beginning of August, the wildflower meadows also make outstanding winter catch crops.

AGRAVIS Raiffeisen AG, in collaboration with the Landesjägerschaft Niedersachsen, has developed various seed mixes and tried them out in practice.

Wildflower meadow mixes

LJ flower strips

for flower strips and rape crop rotations
recommended by the Landesjägerschaft Niedersachsen e. V.

45% cultivated oats
30% buckwheat escul.
10% sunflowers
4% hollyhock
3% borage
3% Egyptian clover
3% marigolds
2% phacelia

Seed density: 10–15 kg/ha

Sowing time: mid-May to August

The composition of the mix meets both the requirements for support within the framework of the agri-environmental schemes BS 1 (BS 11/BS 12) of Lower Saxony and Bremen and the requirements for an ecological focus area within the framework of agricultural support.

LJ RüSa

Mix for “refuge and boundary areas” for wild animals and biodiversity in the agricultural landscape.

15% buckwheat escul.
10% cultivated oats
8% hollyhock
8% phacelia
7% sunflowers
6% yellow sweet clover
6% white sweet clover
4% borage
4% sainfoin
4% winter rapeseed
3% gold of pleasure
3% alfalfa
3% fodder cabbage
3% marigolds
3% winter beet
2% perennial lupins
2% meadow fescue
1.5% Timothy grass
1% turnip
0.5% marguerite

Seed density: 15 kg/ha

Sowing time: from mid-May

LJ Multi EU

A varied annual mix suitable for a wide range of locations
Preferred use for re-vegetating fallow land and buffer strips
Also well suited as a catch crop with an early sowing date up to 20th July at the latest

20% buckwheat escul.
12% Egyptian clover
10% serradella
10% fenugreek
10% sunflowers
10% phacelia
6% hollyhock
4% flax
3% mustard
3% borage
3% rapeseed
3% oilseed radish
3% marigolds
2% fodder cabbage
1% winter beet

Seed density: spring 10–15 kg/ha, late summer 15–25 kg/ha

Sowing time: mid-May to August

Download Wildflower meadow and flowering plant mixes brochure as a PDF file

PremiumSaat Wildflower meadow

PremiumSaat Wildflower meadow Universal

Perennial grazing and coverage for all locations and game species. The composition changes over the years depending on animal browsing and location.

25% perennial rye
25% buckwheat
10% winter rapeseed
5% oilseed radish
5% winter beet
7% sweet lupins
5% serradella
5% alsike clover
5% Persian clover
5% crimson clover
2.5% fenugreek
0.5% field mustard

Seed density: 40 kg/ha

Sowing time: end of April to September (wait for the late frost in spring)

PremiumSaat Wildflower Meadow – annual (Vechtaran mix)

Annual, low-cost sowing mixes for summer grazing for all game species. This mix is recommended by various hunting associations.

17% buckwheat
17% peas
16% sweet lupins
12% sunflowers
10% oats
5.8% field mustard
5.8% Crimson clover
4% linseed
3.5% facultative wheat
2.9% summer vetch
2.8% cultivated hollyhock
1.7% mustard
1.5% oilseed radish

Seed density: 20 kg/ha

Sowing time: end of April to June

PremiumSaat Clover and Grass Wildflower Meadow

Perennial, robust, mass-growing seed mix for all locations. Grass and clover grazing areas are used above all by roe deer and rabbits

20% German rye grass
17.5% white clover
15% meadow fescue
10% Welsh rye grass
10% Timothy grass
10% common meadow grass
10% Persian clover
7.5% red clover

Seed density: 40 kg/ha

Sowing time: April to mid-September

PremiumSaat Game Protection Mix 1 (WSM 1)

For all locations, can be used for at least 2 years, corresponds to the field conservation headland mix (ASR)

45% perennial rye
25% buckwheat
4.29% mustard
4.29% winter rapeseed 00
4.29% oilseed radish
2.86% turnip rape
2.86% Westphalian fodder kale
2.85% phacelia
2.85% red clover
2.85% white clover
1.43% cock's foot
1.43% Timothy grass

Seed density: 35 kg/ha

Sowing time: end of April to June

Flower strips

With their many species of vegetation, flower strips provide valuable living space for bees, insects and wild animals, and increase the attractiveness of agriculture. For this reason, the cultivation of flower strips and flowered areas is supported at state level within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In order to participate in these agri-environmental schemes, precise requirements must be met with regard to sowing time, period of use, crop protection and fertilising, as well as the make-up of the respective seed mix.

AGRAVIS supplies various mixes that are eligible for grants in order to create flower strips and conservation headlands in North Rhine-Westphalia and annual flower strips (BS 11/12) in Lower Saxony and Bremen.

The relevant authorities provide information about the exact requirements of the agri-environmental schemes. AGRAVIS cannot accept liability for the granting of subsidy premiums.

AGRAVIS Beekeepers' Mix EU

Annual mix of particular value to nectar-collecting insects, very attractive to bees, varied flowering times provide food over a long period, also suitable as a catch crop.

30% Egyptian clover
20% sunflowers
15% phacelia
15% Persian clover
15% buckwheat escul.
5% oilseed radish

Seed density: spring 10–15 kg/ha, late summer 20–25 kg/ha

Sowing time: May to mid-August, as BS 11/12 up to 15th April

AGRAVIS Honey Fallow EU

Very varied annual mixed blooms with high value for nectar-collecting insects and honey bees in particular.

23% Egyptian clover
20% sunflowers
13% buckwheat escul.
13% Persian clover
10% phacelia
8% serradella
3% coriander
3% hollyhock
3% oilseed radish
2% dill
2% marigolds

Seed density: 10–15 kg/ha

Sowing time: May to July for honey fallow, as ecological focus areas (EFAs) by 31st May, for BS 11/12 by 15th April

Flower strips for the flower strip and conservation headland agri-environmental scheme in North Rhine-Westphalia

Mix B perennial (with cruciferous plants)

30% buckwheat escul.
15% red fescue
10% sainfoin
10% red clover
5% cock's foot
5% mustard
5% linseed
5% winter rapeseed
5% winter beet
5% crimson clover
4% oilseed radish
1% borage

Seed density: 25–30 kg/ha

Sowing time: up to 15th May

Mix B perennial (without cruciferous plants)

Flower strip mix for the flower strip and conservation headland agri-environmental scheme in North Rhine-Westphalia

30% buckwheat escul.
15% red fescue
10% sainfoin
9% linseed
5% cock's foot
5% phacelia
5% sunflowers
5% niger
5% Egyptian clover
5% crimson clover
5% red clover
1% borage

Seed density: 25–30 kg/ha

Sowing time: up to 15th May

Tip from the experts

"Sown by the beginning of August, the annual wildflower meadow and flowering plant mixes with a higher seed rate also make outstanding winter catch crops."

Thomas Husemann, plant cultivation sales consultant

EU crop payment schemes

Greening

Find out more about the plant cultivation requirements that qualify you for subsidies.

Find out more

Field trial on one hectare

Flowering field

Farmer Volker Hinze has sown AGRAVIS wildflower meadow seed mixes. We are already seeing the first signs of success.

Read the report

Wildflower meadows and flower strips

Familiarise yourself with our highly productive mixes