Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Schoolyard Prairie
Sod removal:
• sod cutter / backhoe
• solarization
• dig repeatedly
• herbicide
Site Prep – Topsoil added
Site Prep – Pathway defined
Site Prep – Leveling planting area
Ready for planting
Raised Pathway – Crushed concrete base
Packed pathway – Decomposed granite gravel surface
Planting Arrangement
- Containerized plants
Planting – start from inside
Top Layer – Add mulch!
Ready for Seed Planting
Mix seed with fine mulch or sand
Spread the seed! Plant native
seed, supplement with wild
collected seed
Walk over area carefully to ensure
seed – soil contact. Don’t bury
seed
October 2007
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008 Prairies Need SUN!
Remove woody species as they appear
June 2009
October 2009
October 2010
October 2010
Maintenance
First Season:
Monitor regularly – weekly or once/month
Know your plants – both natives & undesirables
Remove undesirables before they produce seed
Water to establish deep root systems
Monitor regularly, know your plants
(notebook, digital scrapbook, powerpoint)
Recognize seedlings when they come up
Water gently, don’t let soil dry out completely once sprouts appear
Water until seedlings get established, as needed
Schedule regular workdays
Make sure all volunteers can recognize desired plants!
Compost trimmings or
use as mulch around the
garden
‘Weed Dragon’ in use
www.weeddragon.com
Minimize pathways - Paths allow access, but also can introduce weeds
Eliminate undesirables regularly, don’t let them become overwhelming
Second season and beyond
• Water during drought
• Weed regularly
Over-seed in late
fall 2nd Year &
beyond
Involve your Students!
Lifetime Learning…
Enjoy your efforts!
RESOURCES
Native American Seed
800-728-4043
www.seedsource.com
Chris LaChance
WaterSmart Program Coordinator
Texas Sea Grant / Texas AgriLife Extension Service
281-218-0721
c-lachance@tamu.edu
Sheila Brown
Habitat Curriculum Specialist
Environmental Institute of Houston
University of Houston – Clear Lake campus
281-283-3946
BrownSM@uhcl.edu
Ron Jones
Wildlife Biologist, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
281-286-8282
Ron_jones@fws.gov