Restoring the Tallgrass Prairie: An Illustrated Manual for Iowa and the Upper Midwest

7. Maintenance

Maintenance Postseeding Management Water the soil for three weeks after planting for good germination. Water one-half-inch deep during seed establishment if rain does not provide this within a week. Ifyou can water thoroughly right after planting, by all means do so. Irrigation beyond three weeks may stimulate weed growth. Sandy soil may need watering more frequently. Nature's 'Green and Soil Alive! contain a natural blend of soil enzymes and activators that work together to improve the quality of your soil without fertilizers. They stimulate the existing beneficial microorganisms in the soil, helping to break down organic matter and improving the moisture retention and texture of the soil. They attach to your garden hose and can be applied directly to your wildflower area after seeding. Mow when weeds grow above the seedlings at a height of 10 to 12 inches, shading by 50 to 70 percent. Mowing above the seedlings will need to be done perhaps twenty-one to thirty days after the seeding date. Organic farmers do this to avoid using herbicides. Native perennials are growing roots the first year, and the aboveground growth is small. On the first mowing cut back to 2 to 4 inches with either a sickle or rotary shredder. Keep 47 the plot mowed to about 6 to 8 inches until late September. The height you set the mower will be determined by the height of the prairie plants. The blade must clear the height of the desired seedling. Set it 2 to 8 inches above them, maintaining the understory of native plants and removing the overstory of weeds. The preferred method is the flail mower. A rotary mower is better than a sickle-bar mower, as it produces smaller cuttings, reducing the chance of smothering the grass or forb seedlings. The cuttings will settle in to form a fine mulch. Do not allow any weeds to set seeds. Foxtail and other weeds can completely smother out the native seedlings. Continue this process as needed during the first year. A lawnmower at its highest setting can be used on smaller areas when large equipment is not available. Do not leave clippings bunched up in piles. In a total stand of wildflowers, foxtail and other grasses can be treated with Ornamec Grass Herbicide. It does not control broad-leaf weeds or sedges and will not harm wildflowers, but it will kill native grasses. Do not use herbicides for broad-leaf weeds unless no forb species have been planted. Pure grass stands may be sprayed with broad-leafweed killers such as 2,4-D at a rate of 2/3 pint to 1 quart per acre without damage to grasses. Broad-leaf weed killers do not kill foxtail or other cool-season grasses, so mowing may still be required. Atrazine can also be used on warm-season grass stands to kill cool-season grasses; however, it is believed that some warm-season grasses may be adversely affected. This postseeding weed control is. the most important part of a successful establishment, especially in a dry year according to Carl Kurtz. Since 2,4-D kills the worms and the birds that feed on them, organic farmers prefer not to use it. As stated before, do not use 2,4-D or Atrazine with wildflowers. Ifbromegrass or quack grass develop heavily, prairie grasses will have little advantage and seeding may have to be redone. In management of restorations and reconstructions that have not been allowed natural burning, one must use Roundup with caution. Though Roundup has been strongly advocated as the herbicide of preference for spot application, some recommend not using Roundup because of the possible destruction of the understory by wind drift. It is possible to lose some of the native plants along with the undesirables, and thus organic means should be strongly considered. A light covering of weed-free straw is beneficial. Mulch with oats, wheat, or grain free of perennial grasses. Do not use baled hay. As mentioned earlier , this is especially important with purple prairie clover, lead plant, and butterfly weed to prevent frost heaving. 48 Maintenance Inexperienced restorationists almost always are convinced they have a failure the first year. The top growth amounts to a narrow, straight leaf with the grasses until late summer. At the end of the first year prairie annuals such as black-eyed Susans will be dominant. The planting will look messy because the prairie...