Idealseed committed to Seed
2019 marks the 30th anniversary in the seed industry for IDEALSEED managing director Billy Nimmo. The company offers decades of expertise and knowledge in the providing the very best professionally formulated grass mixture available in the UK.
I-DS not only offers premium quality seeds, but also innovative concepts for overcoming challenging projects and providing solutions tailored to individual requirements.
For decades Billy has worked in senior management positions for global leading grass seed breeders and is renowned throughout Europe for his expertise in the seed industry.
I-DS offers existing and new customers the opportunity to experience the benefit of tried and tested grass and wildflower seed mixtures of the highest standard.
We also tap into our unique knowledge of species and access to an extensive portfolio of varieties to develop customised seed mixtures tailored to your specific needs or current suppliers’ formulations for all sectors.
Our work is focused new innovative technologies to successfully produce products that are cost-effective, environmentally friendly and support traditional field-based breeding programmes. We are passionate about the environment and the damage to soil, watercourses and wildlife using chemical seed treatments, as such all of the seed sold by Idealseed “cleaned only” meaning, no chemicals or coatings are applied. Our focus on Quality always provides you with seed of high germination.
Our Philosophy
Good grass establishment and effective utilization is a science and with all sciences knowledge is the key to success, especially knowledge that has a practical application. the aim of I-DS is to share our wealth of knowledge and experience by providing you with seed mixtures which are designed for specific applications and use.
By utilising the latest technology and innovations the synergy of I-DS Grass & Wild Flower mixtures can dramatically result in grasses that are extremely able to exploit their challenging individual environments.
Grassland deterioration
Even under the best management Grassland will naturally deteriorate. For this reason, over-seeding is always a necessary requirement to maintain the optimum surface and performance. Whichever method you prefer, remember that the specific mixture selected for seeding is paramount. Feedback from our existing customers allows I-DS to visit sites in order to analyse grass in real situations, not just official or private grass trial sites. This way we can determine the interactivity and synergy of our mixtures the way nature intended.
Germination Temperatures & Establishment
Germination of grass seed begins when sufficient temperatures are present and adequate moisture is available for absorption. In the UK soil temperature is ALWAYS a limiting factor for grass seed germination and establishment. Seed selection can play a vital role in reducing this limiting factor. Species selection AND Variety selection are key factors for “good Grass”. Idealseed will assist in every way possible: Visit idealseed.co.uk
When is the best times to sow a lawn Seed?
If you want a fantastic lawn that’s really yours, there is nothing more pleasurable creating it from seed. Weather permitting and soil temperature is above 4°C, Grass and Native Wildflowers are best sown from Early March to Mid-October there is less competition from weeds, and the soil is moist enough, perfect for seeds to germinate. Seed and germinating grass requires plenty of moisture, if possible, best to avoid sowing in a dry July.
Why not Turf
Using seed has several advantages over turf. Apart from the cost, there are lots of different mixes available and seed is better for trickier areas, such as slopes and corners. Turf is mainly grown on a sand-based compound and may not survive your landscape conditions.
Choosing seed
Many suppliers have a large range of 10 or 12 variations of seed mixture, including blends for drought, shade or for a fine ornamental lawn. Idealseed offer FOUR proven mixtures: IDS2000, IDS2001, IDS2003, IDS2004 these are adequate for all Landscape or Garden projects
Soil preparation
- Prepare the soil by removing old grass, large stones and weeds, and then roughly levelling.
- Fork over the site and rake level to leave a fine finish.
- Firm the soil by walking over, placing weight on your heels and rake again.
- Two or three days before the seed is to be sown, lightly rake in a granular fertiliser.
How to sow seeds
- Use canes to mark out the area to be sown into square metres.
- Then simply broadcast the seed over all areas.
- A good rule of thumb is to spread seed at 50g per m2 (roughly a crisp packet). Keeping some back for over-seeding patchy areas a few weeks after sowing.
- Scatter the seed in one direction and then spread the rest in the opposite direction.
- After sowing, lightly rake over the area and water.
- Protect the newly sown seed from birds by attaching foil to string.
- It’s worth cordoning the area with string to prevent people from walking across the soil.
- Remember seedlings are susceptible to drought, so keep them watered during dry spells. Test your soil regularly by pushing your fingers into it.
- Carefully weed the area by hand. As the grass grows, it will outcompete weed growth.
- When the new lawn is 5cm (2in) high, cut with a mower to 2.5cm (1in). Carefully rake up the clippings. Do this for the next four cuts.
What size of area do you wish to sow?
Whether it be a small area in your garden to the largest landscaping project the UK has ever seen, Idealseed treat each customer with the same respect and support required.
Idealseed Consultancy & Supply
I-DS were delighted to become the main Grass and wildflower supplies to AWPR (Aberdeen West Peripheral Route) one of the largest landscaping projects ever undertaken in the UK
Overview of the £1 billion project
Completed in Autumn 2018, the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route one of the largest infrastructure projects in Scotland. Is part of Transport Scotland’s commitment to improving travel in Scotland.
The new road is 58km long with I-DS Species Rich as preferred mixture for both sides of verges, this consists of four sections:
- Balmedie to Tipperty: 12km from Blackdog to Tipperty
- Northern Leg: 16.1km from North Kingswells to Blackdog
- Southern Leg: 18.7km from Charleston to North Kingswells
- Fastlink: 11.5km from Stonehaven to Cleanhill
The project was delivered by Transport Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government and in partnership with Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council.
Ideal Native wildflower Seed (perfect pollinators)
Wildflower seed in Idealseed mixtures is of UK native origin.
The definition of UK native seed is: British native-origin seed refers to seed originally collected from wild populations in Great Britain (from sites with no known history of sowing of amenity or agricultural varieties) and either sown directly or grown on as a field crop to provide further seed. It includes seed collected in ‘green hay’. It excludes certified amenity or agricultural varieties of native species.
Idealseed UK native wildflower seed is sourced in two ways:
- Seed collections by professional growers which are fields sown or sown in modules before being field planted as spaced plants. These are then harvested and cleaned to increase seed germination, vigour and purity.
- Meadow collections are taken with owner permission or under license if the meadow is within a registered area. These seeds are then processed to remove excessive admixture and graded so they can be used in measurable amounts in prescribed mixtures.
Contents of wildflower mixtures may vary according to seasonal seed and species availability
I-DS mixtures contain a minimum of twenty-three native British wildflower species typically found in areas across a diverse range of soil types.
Why Sow Wild Flowers
Wild flowers are a very important part of our everyday life providing a rich, colourful and diverse ecological habitat for many insects and wildlife. They also offer great aesthetic value to enhance the natural beauty of the British countryside, motorway networks, parkland and gardens.
Over the past 50 years, the number of traditional wild flower meadows has dramatically declined resulting in a concerning decrease of British Insects. For pollination to take place, we need the ideal flowers to attract those all-important bees, ensuring plants become fertilised and reproduce.
Idealseed mixtures contain recommended of NATIVE WILDFLOWERS on the Royal Horticultural Society’s list of plants which are classified as ‘Perfect Pollinators’.
Native Wild Flowers are important to all of us
The rich and varied wild flower species suited to our climate provides a flowering period from spring through to autumn creating a colourful environment whilst providing a vital habitat for wildlife.
Golf Courses:
Golf Courses can provide excellent habitats for wild flowers as part of a low maintenance scheme which can improve the biodiversity on the course.
Highways, Embankments and Verges:
Road highways are also very important locations to establish wild flowers as they provide areas for insects and wildlife while requiring low maintenance compared to 100% grass swards.
Agricultural land:
Farmers and land owners are now being encouraged to establish field margins and new areas of wild flowers which will help populations of butterflies, bees and other insects increase. This also provides habitats for game birds and other wildlife our Cornfield annual produces a brilliant display of flowers in the first summer following sowing.
80/20% Ratio
Idealseed supply either 100% Wildflower mixtures or most popularly 80% Grasses and 20% Wildflower mixtures. Such a mixture is called a “nurse crop” and usually takes the form of an open growing non-competitive grass seed mixture. Given the correct future maintenance, this nurse crop will gradually form a smaller and smaller contingent of the sward, being replaced by the wildflowers as they establish and mature. If, however, the seed is being sown on a small area, perhaps in a garden where weed control will not be a problem as it can be carried out manually, then the cover crop can be omitted, and 100% wildflower mixture sown.
The seeds in your mixture will have originated from a wild flower production field. This seed will have been multiplied in single species plots from seed sourced in the wild. From seeding to harvesting it can take two growing seasons before a seed crop is produced. Once harvested, the seed is cleaned to remove the inert matter and provide high purity seed.
PREPARATION and ESTABLISHMENT of Wildflowers
Remove all existing weeds, if necessary, use weed killer, but only sow four weeks after applying.
If the area has been overgrown with weeds for several years, it is important to reduce the number of weed seeds in the soil, it may be necessary therefore to allow time for the first flush of weeds to germinate then remove before attempting to sow any wildflowers.
Wildflowers prefer a poor soil “sub-soil” with low nutrients, so remember not to apply fertiliser.
- Once the weeds have been removed prepare soil to a fine tilth for sowing your wildflowers.
- Try not to disturb the soil any further as this may bring more weed seeds to the surface.
- Choose a wildflower mixture suitable for your soil conditions, if uncertain, remember to think what your soil is like during the growing period from March – October (most soils during the winter can be heavy and wet), not sure GIVE US A CALL.
- Sowing times can be any time during the period end-March – end October the ideal time being autumn but avoid the hot summer months.
- Sow seed at 5g/ m2, it should not be necessary to rake the seed over as the light helps germination on many species.
- To assist sowing, it’s advisable to mix the wildflower seed in the bag prior to sowing, small seed will always travel to the bottom of the bag.). This will help distribute the seed mixture.
- The nurse grasses will appear within 7 – 10 days; the wildflowers may vary depending upon species – some may take only a few weeks, while others can take several months.
- Cornfield Annuals flower the same year if sown during the spring or the previous autumn.
- Perennial wildflowers will establish during the first year of sowing and flower in year two.
So, in conclusion: –
Can we afford not to invest in the most important asset we can give back to nature which also provides nitrogen fixing characteristics.
GRASS – CLOVER & WILDFLOWERS
CALL or EMAIL now!! idealseed.co.uk
Billy Nimmo
M.D – Idealseed
Experto crede