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| Clearing
the Land
When you finally decide where you want to establish your prairie, it is time to prepare the site. All of the weeds and weed seed that may be growing on this land must be cleared or killed off before you can begin to think about seeding out a prairie full of wildflowers and grasses. |
| Theory:
If you were to seed out in early spring, prairie wildflowers and grasses may have to compete with weeds that are also germinating at the same time. The weeds are much faster growing than the prairie grasses, so competition is pretty stiff and your prairie will have a tuff time establishing properly. |
There are several possible methods for for
clearing the land.
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| Soil
Considerations For Your Prairie
Loam soils are ideal for establishing a prairie. Loam is easy to work with and holds enough nutrients and moisture to sustain proper germination and growth of prairie grasses and wildflowers. Clay soils are ok for the prairie, but the soil is can compact and is sometimes hard to work with. Sandy soils are not good to plant in because they do not hold moisture and nutrients well. Organic compost can be used to amend clay and sandy soils in a small area. The organic matter provides for better workability and less compaction for clay soils. In sandy soils, the organic compost serves as a moisture and nutrient amendment. For a large area, a soil building crop can be planted in the spring and tilled under in the fall. Important!
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