Long Term Maintenance of a Native Prairie
Burning or mowing your prairie on a regular basis helps ensure the continued health of your prairie. If you are able to burn (be sure you contact the DNR or your local fire department about regulations) it should be done every 3 to 5 years, alternating between fall and spring burnings. If burning is not an option you can mow your prairie to height of 6 inches. Do not mow if the plants are taller than 1 foot. Remove the mowed material to expose soils to the sun to encourage growth. Rotational burning/mowing of one-half or one-third of your prairie each year is recommended to preserve over-wintering habitat for wildlife and to maintain diversity within the planting.
Common Invasive Species
The following is a list of common invasive species that might pop up in your prairie plantings. You should familiarize yourself with as many as possible. Those at the bottom of the list tend to be a larger problem and special attention should be given to them.
Common invaders in large numbers but persist only under disturbance. These should be controlled through mowing. Often found at the beginning of restorations but greatly reduced in numbers as the planting matures.
| Abutilon theophrasti | Velvetleaf |
| Amaranthus retroflexus | Pigweed |
| Ambrosia artemesifolia | Common Ragweed |
| Ambrosia trifida | Giant Ragweed |
| Berteroa incana | Hoary Alyssum |
| Brassica nigra | Black Mustard |
| Capsella bursa-pastoris | Shepard's Purse |
| Chenopodium album | Lambsquarters |
| Conyza canadensis | Horseweed |
| Euphorbia maculate | Spotted Spurge |
| Lepidium virginicum | Common Peppergrass |
| Rumex crispus | Curly Dock |
| Tragopogon major | Goatsbeard |
| Alopecurus carolinianus | Annual Foxtail |
| Digitaria sanguinalis | Hairy Crabgrass |
| Panicum capillare | Witchgrass |
Persistent invaders, sometimes unfavorably competitive:
You may be able to control with mowing and burning but should be watched carefully. May require spot spraying with herbicide or hand-pulling.
| Agrostis alba | Redtop Grass |
| Bromus spp. | Brome Grass |
| Cichorium intybus | Chicory |
| Cirsium vulgare | Bull Thistle |
| Echinochloa crusgalli | Barnyard Grass |
| Medicago spp. | Alfalfa and Black Medic |
| Poa spp. | Kentucky
and Canada Bluegrass |
| Taraxacum officinale | Dandelion |
Persistent invaders, may smother out other plants and may have allelopathic effects:
These species should be watched carefully and should be treated with herbicide or hand-pulled.
| Agropyron repens | Quackgrass |
| Arctium minus | Burdock |
| Carduis acanthoides | Welted Thistle |
| Cirsium arvense | Canada Thistle |
| Convolvulus spp. | Bindweeds |
| Daucus carota | Queen Anne's Lace |
| Euphorbia esula | Leafy Spurge |
| Melilotus spp. | Sweet Clovers (Yellow and White) |
| Pastinaca sativa | Wild Parsnip |
| Phalaris arundinacea | Reed Canary Grass |
| Sanchus arvensis | Sow Thistle |
| Trifolium pretense | Red Clover |
