Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between a “Meadow in a Can” which I can find at my local nursery and a native seed mix from a natives only nursery?

Well the Meadow in a can is usually full of mostly non native annuals and biennial flowers. That is why these jump out of the gate and usually bloom the most during the first year. There are usually no grasses or long lasting native perennial component in these mixes and that is why they are usually invaded by weeds and become failures.
Some Meadow in a can mixes actually contain invasive species which should actually be called “Biological pollution in a can”. The most likely culprit is Dames Rocket Hesperis matronalis which will persist and spread to outlying natural areas displacing native vegetation.

A diverse native seed mix should contain between 2-6 species of graminoids, and 12-30 species of wildflowers. Almost all of the mix will be long lived perennial plant material. The grasses are a necessary component because they form a matrix of roots that hold the community of plants together, and help to keep out weeds. The grasses in their dormant state also provide fuel for prescribed burning when applicable. The diverse wildflowers will fill the various microclimates and niches and will form a mosaic of color during the summer and fall months. The diversity adds to the richness of the food and shelter provided for wildlife.

2. What are invasive species and why are they such a problem?

Invasive plant species are ones that self propagate into natural areas and out compete native vegetation. The reason they are such a problem is because they do not have natural defenses that keep them in check. A healthy ecosystem has a series of natural checks and balances which help to maintain biodiversity. An invasive plant species defies the checks and balances of a natural system which has evolved over thousands of years. In a short time this can wreak havoc on an entire ecosystem.

In the case of Bush Honeysuckle it will take over the understory of a forest community.
Once the Bush Honeysuckle is established it will exude allelopathic chemicals which keep native seeds from germinating. This coupled with the extreme shade it produces will kill most of the native grasses and wildflowers that hold our soil in place. The canopy trees will not be able to regenerate so you have the slow death of the entire forest community.
This is just one example of many!

3. How long does a seeded prairie take to become established?

The short answer would be up to three years, but here is a more detailed answer.

Long lived perennial prairie seedlings exert most of their energy the first year into growing roots without much top growth. Some seedlings will not grow more than 4” tall the first season. That is why it is necessary to cut back annual weeds which grow above and shade out the 1st year prairie plants. Usually the blooms will be limited to a very few native annuals which may be included in your mix.

Usually the second season of a seeded prairie will have some limited number of species like annuals, biennials and the quicker establishing perennials flower and look attractive.
There will still be some weed pressure and the prairie is still in a state of “establishing”.

The third year should bring quite a lot of wildflower diversity, and provide a rotating color scheme from early summer to autumn. The native grasses should have formed a matrix throughout the planting and should provide fuel in the dormant season if prescribed burning is a management tool.

4. Do native plant communities need “low maintenance” or “no maintenance”?

A lot of people have the misunderstanding that created native plant communities need “no maintenance”, while the truth is that they are “low maintenance” when compared to traditional landscapes. Most maintenance activities are periodic mowings, spot treatment w/herbicides, hand pulling and prescribed burning (not required). Naturalized landscapes do not receive pre-emergent herbicide treatment, fertilization, insecticides, regular mowing or additional irrigation. So the main focus of maintenance activities is weed management and controlling woody vegetation.

5. Is it necessary to use herbicides to control invasive species?

In the case of a small residential lot with a minor outbreak a lot can be accomplished with judicious hand weeding, digging etc. It is important to replant with native plants in the areas where the invasive species were removed and the soil was disturbed.

On larger tracts of land it is necessary to use herbicide to accomplish management goals on invasive plant species. Most woody invasive plants when cut will send up a multitude of sprouts and grow at an even faster pace than before. Attempting to dig up large woody invasive plants is extremely harmful ecologically in terms of soil erosion and disturbance.

After cutting, apply herbicide only to the cut stump. This will introduce the active ingredient into the vascular system of the target species, while not damaging any native vegetation. TThis method and others allow land managers to help maintain healthy native ecosystems.