Native Perennials
Native prairie seeds will grow into perennial grasses and wildflowers that will come back each spring for many years. As perennials, the forbs especially may grow slowly the first year and may take two, three or more years to fully mature. Be patient. Your beautiful prairie plants will reward you in time.

Soil Preparation
Like any garden, a well-prepared seed bed makes a big difference. Remove any large debris like rocks and branches. Kill and remove any grass sod. Till and rake the soil until an even surface is achieved.

Germination
Many prairie seeds will germinate more readily if they are subjected to a cool damp period, called stratification. Place the seeds in a plastic bag containing damp (not wet) sand, sawdust, peat moss, or cracked corn and place in the refrigerator for 30 days. (Be sure to label bags if planting individual species.) Remove from refrigerator and plant as normal.

Planting Seeds
Planting native seeds is very similar to planting other types of seed. Small seeds are planted very shallow and large seeds are planted deeper. A good rule of thumb is to plant the seed the same depth as the seeds thickness. For example, a 1/16 thick seed is planted 1/16 deep. Feel free to contact us for planting rates. We usually recommend about 8 lbs. of grass and forb mix per acre.

Watering
After seeds are sown, water them only enough to keep the surface damp, not wet, or you may damage the seeds. Periodic watering for early establishment in dry years will benefit seedling growth.

Care
Once plants are established they will require minimal maintenance. Remove any large noxious weeds, especially if they flower and set seed. If weeds become a problem you can mow your prairie during the first two years to a height of 10-12 inches. This will benefit your sun-loving plants by allowing more sunshine to reach them.

Transplanting plugs
Prairie plugs should be planted in the evening, about two hours before sunset, when frost is no longer likely. Dig your holes as deep or deeper than the roots of the plugs. The soil should be packed lightly around the roots. Keep the plants well watered (soil surface damp) for the first two weeks. We recommend planting 1-2 plants per square foot depending on size of the mature plant species.

Restoration
If you are attempting a small- or large-scale, high-quality restoration, or if have any questions, please write or call us for more details at 952-447-1919 or e-mail us at slrn@appliedeco.com. Well be happy to share our experiences with you!