How to Grow Grasses on the Prairie | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House landscape designer Jenn Nawada partners with an ecologist in Cheyenne, Wyoming to learn about different types of prairie grasses and how to care for them.
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Time: 4-5 hours

Cost: $100

Skill Level: Moderate

Tools List for Growing Prairie Grasses:
Herbicide sprayer
Seeder

Shopping List:
Selective herbicide
Native grass species
Snow fence
Livestock fence
Livestock fence posts
Zip ties

Steps:
1. Identify areas that have grasses that are invasive or non-native that are harmful to the area. Some non-natives, like alfalfa, are not harmful. Grasses like cheat grass, which is short and flat with red tips, are harmful for the environment and can cause massive wildfires.
2. To eliminate invasive or non-native grasses, spray a selective herbicide. Wait a few weeks for the invasives to die out, and then introduce native grasses.
3. To plant native grasses, rent a seeder and fill it with a seed mix of native grasses. Drive the seeder around a select area close to the property that will make it easier to maintain. The seeder will drill a groove in the ground, drop some seeds in the ground, and then drag the soil over the grooves to keep the seeds from blowing away.
4. To irrigate the grass, install a snow fence to slow the wind and keep the snow on top of the grass. Identify the direction of the prevailing winds to determine where to install the fence.
5. To install the fence, hammer the livestock fence posts into the ground and secure the livestock fencing to the post using ties that come with the fencing.
6. Using zip ties, secure the snow fencing to the livestock fencing.
7. Once the new grass is established, don’t mow it. Allow the grass to grow naturally.

Resources:
Jenn learned that the local conservation district can rent many of the tools required for treating a planting a yard with prairie grasses. Some of these tools can be rented from home centers, as well.

Expert assistance with this segment was provided by the Laramie County Conservation District (lccdnet.org/ ), the University of Wyoming Extension (wyoextension.org/laramiecounty/agriculture-hort… ), Nawada Landscape Design (nawadalandscapedesign.com/ ), and Wanda Manley.

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How to Grow Grasses on the Prairie | Ask This Old House
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