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0.18 Rough (or Button) Blazing Star 3' D MD M 0.13 Showy Tick Trefoil 5' MD M MW 0.06 Butterflyweed 2' D MD M aggressive species From Prairie Moon Nursery: Growing Your Prairie Planting Time: "Fall planting in the Upper Midwest begins in mid-October. Native grass seed sown earlier may germinate in ten days in unseasonably warm weather. If this occurs, seedlings may be winter-killed." The roundabout was planted before Sept. 20th; we won’t know until next year if the native grass survives. From the UofM Extension course Ecological Restoration: Vegetation Management for Restored Ecosystems: "Land managers often use management practices that simulate natural disturbance events to promote native vegetation or reduce invasive species. There can be negative consequences in the natural community if these practices are used too frequently, too infrequently, or if they are timed poorly." "Mowing is used as a substitute for prescribed burning in prairies where burning is not practical for safety or logistical reasons. The response of vegetation to burning vs mowing is often quite different, so mowing should only be chosen when burning is not an option." "Knowing how the timing of a prescribed burn will affect both desirable and undesirable vegetation is important to achieving the goals of a prescribed burn. Generally, spring burns will set back cool season grasses and forbs and fall burns will set back woody vegetation. You can also use burns in the summer to increase the vigor and presence of forbs vs grasses in a prairie. Often, prescribed burns are scheduled in early spring, regardless of objectives, because they are easy to manage. However, it is important to consider the likely consequences of always burning a prairie at the same time. This table shows the seasonal effects of fires for several prairie species: From Prairie Moon Nursery: Establishing a Native Seed Mix YEAR 2: FIRST GROWING SEASON Most sites need maintenance mowings to keep weeds from going to seed and to allow light to penetrate the ground encouraging growth of the majority of the slow-growing natives. You may get some blooms this year, most likely annuals like Black-eyed Susan or Partridge Pea, but you must sacrifice these native flowers if you want the other species to establish. Keep the area cut to 4-6″ this year. Don’t pull the weeds! This will disturb the root systems of the nearby natives trying to establish. YEAR 3: SECOND GROWING SEASON This may or may not be the year you start enjoying the fruits of your labor. You may need to mow once yet this year. Be patient, although some species may reach flowering stages in year 3, some could take 4 years or more.