What is a prairie?

Prairies consist of a vast number of specialized plants that interact with the soil, wildlife, insects, and each other. The organisms form a complex and diverse relationship. Unfortunately, these prairie habitats were nearly eradicated because their rich soils were valuable to farmers. Although we cannot reclaim all these prairies, we can improve some that have been degraded by overgrazing and introduction of European weeds. We also do complete restorations in areas that are currently mowed lawns or agricultural fields.

When planting a prairie, you must be patient. Prairie plants grow extremely deep roots and thus are very drought and fire resistant. However, in the first couple of seasons, the weeds who put their energy in above ground growth will appear to be dominating. Prairie plants begin to weed out non-desirable species in the second and third year. Their dense root growth holds the soil and doesn't allow weeds to enter or survive.

Seeding a prairie with native perennial plants is not the same as using a "meadow in the can" wild flower mix that can be purchased at local garden centers or hardware stores. These mixes usually contain plants of European origin and put up an impressive display the first year, but don't out compete the weeds and will require weeding and re-seeding every year to keep them looking nice. Some of these wild flowers are, in fact, considered noxious weeds in Wisconsin and can escape into surrounding areas.

Guidelines to establishing a prairie:

1. Site selection
• Choose a location with at least 90% sun throughout the day.
• Size – at least ¼ acre is a good start. Bigger is better, resulting in more diversity that is characteristic of a high quality prairie.
• Soil type – any soil will grow native plants; however, try to match plant species to soil type. Native plants are generally quite adaptable within a range of soil types.
• Moisture availability – here again; if your site is wet, medium, or dry, select plants accordingly.
2. Site preparation
• Eliminate weeds – level sites can be tilled shallow (no more than 2”) throughout a growing season if weeds are persistent. An alternative would be to use herbicides, especially if the site is erosion prone. Roundup® applied at two (2) quarts per acre is usually effective.
• Seed/soil contact – The soil should be worked to a fine texture to assure intimate seed soil contact. Be sure to leave the soil firm. Erosion prone sites can be seeded with a no-till drill if available.
3. Seed Selection
• Avoid non-native flowers and grasses, i.e. Dames Rocket, Shasta Daisy, and Queen Anne's lace.
• Shop for local geno-types within 50 miles.
• Mix should contain the following:
• Two to three nurse species, i.e. Flax, Annual Rye, oats.
• Two to six pioneers for speedy colonization of disturbed area to stabilize soil, i.e. Wild Rye, Black-Eyed Susan, Bergamont, Evening Primrose.
• Six to ten early succession forbes or grasses, i.e. Yellow Cone Flower, Bee Balm, Stiff Goldenrod, New England Aster.
• Twenty to thirty site specific native plants.
4. Seeding
• Whether you plant by hand or use a drill is determined by the size of your site to be planted. Generally ½ acre and larger would be drilled in. Drills with the native seed box and “picking fingers” work best for the fluffy nature of native grasses and forbes.
• When you seed by hand, divide your seed supply in half and set one-half aside. Mix with a filler of sand, sawdust, or vermiculite. Use four times the volume of filler to seed. Spread the first ½ of this mixture evenly over the entire site walking lengthwise. Now take the other half that you set aside and seed it walking crossways. For smaller sites, rake it lightly and roll to assure good seed to soil contact. On larger sites, a drag and cultipacker will work. Seed should not be more than ¼” deep.
• Smaller areas can be hand seeded whereas large scale restorations are seeded more efficiently using the No-till seeder, which is designed specifically for planting the fluffy native seeds.
  
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5.  
   Mulching
• Mulching is an option on small sites to hold moisture and stabilize the soil. If you choose to mulch, be sure it is weed free or you could re-introduce weeds that you have just spent a year eliminating. Mulch lightly as some seeds need light to germinate.
6. Prairie Maintenance
• First year – mow every 2 – 3 weeks throughout the growing season at a height of 4” – 5”.
• Second year – 1 or 2 mowings at 6” – 12” early in season, if necessary.
• After two years, the prairie should be burned annually for several years to become well established. A well-timed burn can work wonders to help control problem weeds.
• Native prairie plants put 2/3 of their growth into their root systems the first year.  Therefore, it takes a trained eye to see these plants the first year or two.  Anything growing in the prairie that's 6" tall in this time frame is probably a weed.  That's why mowing is so critical in not letting the weeds go to seed.
• Prairie plants put 2/3 of their growth into their root systems during the first growing season and you won't be able to detect much growth above ground.  It is critical to keep weeds mowed as mentioned above so sunlight reaches these very small plants.
  
• A well-established prairie should be burned at 3 – 5 year intervals, including some fall burns. Try to burn only 1/3 of the prairie each year to preserve insects and winter cover for wild life.
• If you are planning to do a spring burn, then you should be mowing your firebreaks the summer before the burn.