Yellow Rattle Seed
Full description
This yellow flowering annual is semi-parasitic on some grasses and is often sown in an attempt to weaken very vigorous grass growth. It does not thrive in all grassland situations, but where it is happy it will thrive.
The ground should be prepared by cutting the grass sward to about 5 cm and exposing patches of soil by raking or harrowing. The seed should be sown at a rate of half to one gram per square metre in the autumn or early winter as it needs a period of cold to germinate. The grass can continue to be cut, if desired until late February, but then should not be cut from March through to the end of July, to allow the flowers to set seed so that fresh plants grow the following year.