MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION
Maintenance
Table of Contents
NEW PLANTINGS
The first three years are the critical maintenance period. The grasses will grow quickly, but the
forbs more slowly. Don't be discouraged by the apparently slow growth of the prairie forbs.
They slowly spread their roots into the soil, and only after two or more years of root growth do
they make appreciable top growth. This process is essential to their hardiness, guaranteeing
drought resistance and plant nutrition.
During the first three years, keep the prairie diligently weeded. Learn what the prairie plant
seedlings look like to avoid pulling them with the weeds. If many weeds appear right after
planting, mow the prairie at a height of 5 to 8 inches about 30 days after the seeding date.
About every three or four years, your prairie will benefit from mowing or burning, to control
thatch and weeds and open up the soil surface. If the prairie is near buildings, or if burning is not
permitted in your area, mow it to a height of 5 to 8 inches. Before mowing, rake off any thatch
that has accumulated on the ground.
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Of all garden tasks, mulching is the biggest bargain. Mulches limit the growth of weeds by
discouraging them from taking root or, for those that do, by depriving them of the sunlight they
need to survive. By shielding the soil from the sun, wind, and other elements, mulches reduce
evaporation of water and limit temperature extremes, conserving water and keeping your plant
roots moist and healthy. Serving as a buffer, they even protect against heavy rains that could
compact or erode soil. And an attractive covering of mulch unifies and neatens your beds and
shows off your plants.
Use mulches that are appropriate to your plants and habitat. An enormous benefit of organic
mulches is that they help keep the soil fertile by adding nutrients as they break down. Choose
acidic pine needles in forest habitats, cooling straw in warm areas, attractive shredded bark and
shredded leaves wherever organic mulches are suitable, or nutrient-laden compost, depending on
the conditions of your region. The essential feature of mulch is a coarse, loose texture that will
let water drain through it.
Use organic mulches liberally, spreading them in layers 2 to 4 inches deep around your plants in
midspring and again in late fall. Keep mulch an inch or two away from any plant crowns or
stems to avoid rot.
Among the inorganic mulches, which have the advantage of being long-lasting gravel is the most
suitable for wildflower gardens. Black plastic sheeting or porous landscape fabric, while
appropriate for other types of gardens, will prevent your flowers from propagating by seed and
aren't in keeping with the spirit of wildflower gardening.
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In any habitat, pull perennial weeds early before they develop stubborn roots or spread, and
you'll weed far less often. One hour spent weeding in spring saves many hours later in the
season. Weed when the soil is moist--such as after a good rain--because damp soil releases the
roots more easily.
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By choosing species native to Indiana you should not need watering. When rainfall falls below
normal, however, watering infrequently but slowly and deeply will satisfy the needs of most
wildflowers--and defeat many weeds in the process. Use a drip-irrigation or soaker-hose system
that seeps water into the soil over a period of hours. Your aim is to get an inch or so of water
into the soil once a week.
The best time to water is in the morning of a sunny day, when leaves can dry quickly. A regular
source of water is especially critical in spring, when seedlings are sprouting and perennials are
coming out of dormancy; keep the soil moist, but not soggy, until the plants are under way.
Afterward, consider watering after any week without rain. If plants look wilted or dull and the
top 2 inches of soil are dry, it's time to give them a drink.
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Top-dressing your established wildflower garden with organic matter such as composted yard
waste or well-rotted manure is all the fertilizing you will have to do. Spread a couple of inches
of the organic matter and, using a spading fork, work it into the top few inches of soil around
each plant once a year.
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Most experienced wildflower gardeners extend the blooming season of many of their summer-
flowering plants by deadheading, or removing spent blossoms before they have a chance to go to
seed. This makes the plant try again to produce a crop of seeds by putting forth new flowers.
Leave a few blooms in place to develop into seed heads; these will produce new plants next
season, provide a feast for birds, and make a show of winter interest.
Any time you deadhead, pinch, or otherwise trim plants in your garden, compost the waste,
unless it is diseased. Be careful about composting plant debris that is decaying on the ground,
since it can attract disease organisms and infect your compost.
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Where it is permitted, burning is preferable to mowing. Both burning and mowing remove thatch
and thin excess growth, but burning also leaves a nutrient-rich layer of ash on the soil surface.
Your first burn (or mowing) should be in the third or fourth year after planting. Don't plan to
burn the entire prairie in one year; a method of burning half the are on year ad half the next will
make it easier to control the burn and will better protect any small wildlife that has taken up
residence in the prairie.
Plan your burn or mowing for early spring (April is best in many areas). This timing will kill
most exotic weeds before they set seed for the year, and allow the sun to warm the soil, giving
the warm-season grasses and forbs a head start on growth for the season. Choose a calm day for
burning, or one with only a gentle breeze. Establish a firebreak by knocking down vegetation
around the edge of the burn and wetting it thoroughly. Knock down all other upright growth in
the parry area with a rake. Have on hand several rakes, a water hose, and a "fire-slapper" of
some type. This can be a snow shovel, or a custom-made tool consisting of a broad strip of
rubber tire attached to a pole. Begin the burn at the downwind edge of the prairie, and let it burn
upwind until it has burned the thatch and most of the vegetation. You will be surprised at how
quickly and evenly your garden will regrow after the burning.
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During your garden's first spring, mow at a height above your seedlings to cut the tops off any
weeds that are taller than they are; this will keep the weds from going to seed. Shorter weds
should be hand pulled. After that, control both weeds and woody invaders by mowing in the fall,
after all of your desired plants have set seed.
Use a rotary power mower if you can set the blades at least 4 inches off the ground--this is
necessary to keep from cutting the crowns of your perennial wildflowers. Make sure the blades
are sharp, since dull blades tear the plants and leave them vulnerable to disease. If your mower
can't be set high enough, use a power weed cutter or a scythe instead. Run the mower's engine at
its highest speed to minimize stalling in the thick vegetation. Walk slowly as you cut,
overlapping your previous swath so that you don't leave unattractive ridges of unclipped grass
and stems. Because leaving a heavy blanket of long clippings on the ground may hinder the next
years growth, collect and remove most of them. Your mower may be equipped with a bag;
otherwise, use a wide leaf rake. If you keep a compost pile, make sure it is hot enough to kill any
disease organisms before you add the clippings to it. Otherwise throw them in the garbage.
Mowing will also scatter desirable wildflower seeds, many of which will sprout the next spring.
If your meadow is mature and you don't mind losing some seed, you may delay mowing until
late winter and let the birds feel on the seed heads. In this case, the vegetation may be so matted
that you'll that you'll have to cut it with a scythe or a weed eater.
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The Time Life Complete Gardener "Wildflowers" Eds. Hebb, Robert S. And Oxley, F. M. (1995)
Alexander, Virginia
Landscaping with Wildflowers and Native Plants, William H. W. Wilson, Chevron Chemical
Company (1984)
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Indiana Wildflower Guide
xtasy.lib.indiana.edu/dliup1/maintenance.html
November 8,1997
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