A common question we get asked…. “Can I just toss some native grass seed/wildflower seed/meadow seed to fix this area of my property that is bare or only grows weeds? The answer, sadly, is “no”. At least not usually. For every random success of an unprepared area, there are many, many failures, and seed for these purposes is usually not cheap!
A vibrant, natural, native meadow, free of noxious weeds, subsisting on native soil and natural water, providing habitat and eye appeal, avoiding erosion..... it's a great way to use part of a large lot, or entire properties in our rural surrounding areas. Reestablishment of meadow/prairie/native in wildland areas, especially after overgrazing or disturbance by construction, is a common need. To be successful though, it takes some site planning, some preparation, choosing the right succession of plants, and an understanding of why disturbed or overused areas quickly become weedy and problematic.
First, understand that establishing a viable, self-sustaining, balanced meadow/prairie/native site or area is not easy or quick -- especially in altered, tilled, bulldozed, etc sites, as commonly happens with new construction.
Meadows have a natural progression of plants, shrubs, and eventually (in some areas), trees that establish in a pretty specific order — so putting a bunch of random seed down is usually not effective, as the natural progression of re-vegetation tends to favor the fastest and weediest plants first. These plants are the pioneers. They are usually annual, they establish and grow quickly from seed, and quickly smother everything else. Many of our worst invasives are exactly these sort of disturbed site pioneers, plants that have evolved to quickly overtake disturbed or bare soil.
Fast-growing annual and biennial weeds, as well as some weedy and often invasive perennials, quickly pioneer sites. As they grow and dieback every year, they add organic matter back to the upper levels of the soil, making conditions more favorable for succession plants. Many of these plants/weeds are adept at pulling specific nutrients from lower reaches of the soil, and in doing so, they actually help build soil, but in a way that will drive the well-ordered gardener crazy. This pioneer phase will add organic matter to the bare, disturbed soil, and establish some soil biology. This stage can go on for decades, if we are letting a meadow/native/prairie site establish without any real assistance.
The stage after these pioneers is mixed and still weedy, but with more durable native annuals and perennials beginning to establish. This is the stage most people seek, where a more diverse native mix of flowers, forbs, and now, small native shrubs begin to become more dominant. Native vegetation, in the succession cycle, will eventually outcompete disturbed area pioneers — but it can take Nature many years to arrive here.
That's why tilling can backfire, incidentally. Tilling will bring up all the buried and dormant seeds of fast-growing pioneer weeds, making the “weediness” problem worse rather than better.
Properly planning a meadow or prairie site means assessing your site, soil, drainage, and exposure to figure out what pioneer natives stand the best chance of establishment on your site.......it means aggressive management of annual weeds that are invasive (or they will dominate a site in a year or less).... it means picking a seed mix carefully, and understanding that the slow nature of natives means that seed mix can take 4-5 years of normal weather and precipitation to firmly establish and start taking over a site, and may require yearly reseeding. It means minimal mowing, and leaving all material except seeded noxious weeds on-site to begin building a meadow-type soil.
In other words, it is a lot more complex than buying seed, putting it down, and hoping for a good result.
Is it worth doing? Absolutely. Wildlife habitat, native beauty, eventual low inputs and upkeep, and very importantly, soil carbon sequestration are all the end result of a well-planned meadow or re-vegetation project. Our deep-rooted natives store a lot of carbon in the soil, once they are established. They are almost immune to drought. And they are adapted to our terrible soils.
Meadows/prairie/native are challenging but rewarding, and very achievable with guidance and planning. Have questions? Schedule some time with us and we can figure out how to turn your weed-fest back into wildlife habitat and natural beauty!