ESTABLISHING NATIVE GRASSES AND FORBS FROM SEED
The following recommendations are intended to provide general guidance for establishing a native planting by seed.
Native Grass and Forb Mixes
The seed mixes offered consist of a diverse mixture of warm-season native grasses, cool-season native grasses, native forbs (wildflowers) and annual or short term cover crops. Diverse plantings are more resistant to drought, floods, and pathogens than monotypic or low diversity plantings. The inclusion of a diverse mixture of forbs is greatly beneficial to wildlife and the forbs occupy niches that would otherwise be occupied by weeds such as Canada thistle, musk thistle, bull thistle and sow thistle. The native legumes also fix nitrogen, which is made available to other plants in the system through fungal interactions between plants. Cool-season native grasses tend to establish quickly and will decrease over time on sites where warm-season species would normally dominate. Warm-season native grasses tend to be slower to establish, but are extremely hardy and long-lived. Warm-season grasses also tend to stay standing over the winter and provide the best snow filtering capabilities and wildlife habitat. In addition to planting a large diversity of species, we recommend using local ecotype plant materials.
Cover/Nurse Crops
Cover crops are used to establish a quick, temporary cover for soils to reduce competition from weeds and reduce erosion while the slower germinating grasses and forbs are taking hold. ReGreen (a hybrid cross between slender wheat grass and winter wheat) is included in the seed mix as a temporary cover crop (ReGreen will persist for up to three years).
Fertilizer
Fertilizers are not usually needed for native grass and forb plantings. Most soils already contain a sufficient amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for the native grasses and forbs to establish. In the case of planting in infertile soils, it is recommended that a soil test be taken to determine any deficiencies in the soil. Adding nutrients when not needed may lead to excessive weed growth.
Temporary Erosion Control
It is usually a good idea to protect a new seeding by covering it with a straw mulch or an erosion control blanket of some kind. In general, slopes that are 3:1 and gentler should be mulched with weed free straw mulch following seeding. Mulching should attempt to cover 90% of the exposed soil surface. This generally requires about 2 tons per acre of straw mulch or 100 lbs. per 1,000 square feet, which is about three square straw bales. NOTE: Mulches derived from pasture hay containing reed canary grass, smooth brome and other introduced forage species may contain enough seed of those species to ruin your native grass and forb planting.
On slopes that are steeper than 3:1 it is recommended that the seeding be covered with an erosion-control blanket (composed of straw or wood-fiber, held together by photodegradable or biodegradable netting, and held in place by biodegradable stakes). Straw or wood-fiber erosion-control blankets will last up to 10 months.
If seeding is being done in a ditch or swale that will receive moderate water flows for periods of time, it is recommended that a straw/coconut blanket be used to cover it, which will last up to 24 months. Also, consider utilizing a series of "check dams" to slow the flow of water and reduce the chance for flushing seed away. Check dams can consist of wood-fiber sediment logs, placed perpendicular to the water flow and staked to the ground. Other more severe situations such as very steep slopes and/or channels exposed to high water velocities will require more specialized treatments that are not covered in this guide.
Season of Planting
The season of planting for native grass and forb mixtures runs from spring to early summer and from fall until the ground freezes.
Planting Methods
Broadcast Seeding into Bare Soil
Broadcast Seeding into Areas with Existing Vegetation
Maintenance of Native Prairie
Early Maintenance
Long Term Maintenance & Invasive Species
