I'll definitely do that next time! In the meantime, is there any way to deter the weeds that are sure to crop up next spring? I have to say the word (Preen), but would that be an option?

All "weeds" are wild flowers. Many flowers can be "weeds" depending on where they are and whether you want them there. A "weed" is a plant you do not want growing where you do not want if growing.

Queen Ann's Lace, Flax, Milkweed, Mulleins (Verbascum), and many others many people consider "weeds" as they do many native plants that many of our beneficial insects have evolved with.

However, know that not all generic "wild Flower" mixes are what you really want since they may include invasive plants for your area. Penn State Cooperative Extension Service will be able to provide a good list of "wild flowers" for you.

kimmq is kimmsr

Can I use Preen on the area to kill the weed seeds? That's really what I want to know.

No, you can't use Preen if you want your annual seeds to sprout. It works by inhibiting the seeds sprouting ability. You can only use it around shrubs and flowers that are already a plant. By the way I looked up mullein pictures and I like them. If you don't, just chop the ones down before they flower. I would add flowers in individual packets. There are a lot of companies that carry native wildflower seeds. I like Bakers Creek for vegetables and flowers.

When weeds are still delicate, easily damaged sprouts, you can scuffle them with a rake or hoe to kill them.

The notion of a patch of wildflowers with no undesirable plants invading is a lovely, romantic one, but pure folly. Whether you have expensive store-bought cultivars, or a from-seed bed of wildflowers, there will be unwanted sprouts. A wildflower mix can be very difficult to use if you don't recognize the sprouts of the plants listed on the package (so you're able to pull any other sprouts that show up.) It's also unlikely that the same timing and conditions will cause all types of seeds in a mix to sprout. Extremely rare is the report of success with all plants listed on a wildflower seed pack.

Buying a few packs of seeds that I know will grow well in the conditions I have, (sowing them at the time prescribed on the package,) and using patches of them instead of mixing seeds & scattering more randomly, has been much more rewarding for me, in the realm of growing from seed.

I think my main issue was that I'd planted perennial seeds, which take a year to come up. I only planted wildflower seeds to have something to look at in the meantime. The wildflower mix was supposed to be annual. It wasn't. I would have never, ever planted the mix had I thought it would come up year after year.

"perennial seeds, which take a year to come up.." That isn't the case. Perennial seeds can come up as quickly as annuals, or more slowly, depending on the species. They may or may not flower in their first year (probably not). Then they will flower in their second year and for many years thereafter. If your perennials have not come up after a year it is likely that many never will. However, you may get some of them appearing next year after a winter chill. Unless you are very good at plant id you will not be able to tell which seedlings coming up next year are perennials and which are annuals.

Thanks everyone. What I did was turn over the soil (it's been warm here) and weeded. The area was wall to wall weeds. Since Sunday, I have not touched the area, nor do I plan to. Is that the best course of action to take--do nothing more until spring? Or is there anything else I might do?

By digging the plot over you have probably lost any perennials which might have been growing amongst the unwanted annuals. Your winter would have killed off the annuals and then you could have dealt with their seedlings in the Spring. Now I would just leave it all alone and see what appears next year. If you post pictures on the Name That Plant Forum in the Spring people can tell you what you have coming up.

A good plan. Thank you.

You could have used a pre emergent growth suppressor. You could have used a mulch, newspaper or cardboard covered with shredded leaves, wood chips. compost, etc.

kimmq is kimmsr