Conservation FAQ
What time of year should I plant my native grass mix?
Spring: Both warm and cool season grasses can be planted at this time.
At a minimum, soil temp should be 50 degrees.
Late Summer to Early Fall: Only cool season grasses can be planted at this time.
Dormant: Both warm and cool season grasses can be planted at this time.
Soil temps need to be at or below 40 degrees.
How deep should I plant my native grass mix?
No deeper than 1⁄2”. You would rather be too shallow than too deep
At what rate should I plant my native grass mix?
At least 20-40 seeds/sq ft depending on your location, growing conditions and goals.
What chemicals can I use on my native grass mix?
If you only have grasses in your mix, you can use Plateau® pre-emerge and any common broadleaf control herbicide post-emerge like 2,4-D, Milestone®, GrazonNext®, etc. (once grasses reach a 3-4 leaf stage). If you add flowers to your mix, you have to select flowers that are either Plateau® or Milestone® tolerant.
How should I plant my native grass mix?
Using a drill capable of seeding native grasses is preferred because you ensure better seed placement. You also can broadcast and drag in. If you broadcast the seed, use a seeding rate at least 50% higher than the drilling rate.
What is the best mix to use for wildlife?
Pheasant
Winter Cover: A mixture of at least 8 native grasses that is predominantly Big Bluestem, Indiangrass and Switchgrass.
Nesting Cover: A mixture of both grasses (predominantly cool-season) and flowers. There should be at least 15 species in the mix, with half being flowers. Flowers should make up at least 25% of mix by population. You can also create a Dense Nesting Cover (DNC) by mixing wheatgrasses, alfalfa and sweetclover.
Deer
Bedding Cover: A mixture of Big Bluestem, Indiangrass and Switchgrass, with the mix predominantly being Switchgrass.