Purchase a diverse mix of high quality, local origin seed. One exception is our Partial Shade Mixture, which only needs 4 hours of sun. Planting a prairie-style border. As prairie borders are planted on mass a number of the plants should support themselves. Plants can reach heights of 15 to 60 cm (6 to 24 inches), making them great to use in your borders. Eustoma flower in the summer with double bell shaped flowers of purple, pink, or cream, atop an upright stem. Get a true native variety, such as pale purple coneflower with drooping petals or a yellow Ozark coneflower, for long-lasting blooms and more drought tolerance. We suggest using seed, but potted or bare-root plants, available from most native plant nurseries, offer a viable way to establish wildflowers in small plantings, or to add interesting species into a seeding. Prairie smoke Planting Normal planting dates for Minnesota range from October 15 to freeze-up and May 15 to July 1. Many wildflower seeds need a period of cold, moist conditions before they germinate. The size and location of your planting project will determine which method is best. Most prairie flowers require full sun, at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. Weed control must begin before planting. Fall planting is often used for this reason. Tips For Choosing A Site For Your Wildflower Planting. While plants become established, the common annual weeds in your area will undoubtedly share space in your garden or prairie planting. With the addition of ornamental grasses, you can enjoy an area inspired by the prairies. Choose a sunny spot with 6+ hours of sun. When planting seeds in warmer climates with intense summertime heat, it's best to plant your wildflowers in early spring. Prairie Dropseed Photo by Vision Pictures/Monrovia (Sporobolus heterolepis) Little prairie dropseed charms as a textural accent, but don't let that fool you—this grass is tough as nails. This interpretation of prairie planting is closer to the traditional perennial border, which has always used prairie plants such as phlox, golden rod (Solidago), Monarda and asters. Ideal in smaller areas Prairie planting is a great choice if you’re short on time and don’t want to be deadheading and weeding every other night. 1. Planted in full sun, the tall, translucent flowers bloom from summer until fall, smelling faintly of … I tend to find the flowering interest also lasts longer. ; Seed Man's Planting Tip: A minimum of 6 hours of sunlight is necessary for wildflowers to grow. This sturdy plant helped launch fresh interest in prairie flowers and has been hybridized into a rainbow of new colors. The prairie smoke wildflower (Geum triflorum) is a plant of many uses.It works well in a garden setting or in a prairie or meadow-like environment. Eustoma exaltatum - Catchfly Prairie Gentian by Marlin Harm; creative commons. Your soil is probably already perfect for wildflowers! Why prairie planting is low maintenance. Advantages. However, columbine, blazing star, aster, bergamot and mallow will grow in partial shade. Spring planted flower seed should be The standard approach for establishing a prairie plot of any size is to plant seeds of various prairie grasses and wildflowers. Tall and spectacular, award-winning Queen of the Prairie 'Venusta' (Filipendula Rubra) is a splendid herbaceous perennial with large, elegant sprays of small deep pink flowers borne on leafy stems well above the foliage from early to late summer. This will allow young perennial wildflowers to establish without excessive heat, making for stronger and longer-lived plants, and annual wildflowers will bloom before intense heat arrives. Spraying, smothering, tilling and hand weeding are ways to control competitive vegetation. Grasses, especially Miscanthus and Hakonechloa, feature prominently in Petra Pelz’s prairie garden, providing both the informal structure and the movement Petra loves.“They sway with the slightest of breezes,” she says, “giving an impression of lightness and playfulness. Using grasses in prairie planting. Full sun is a must.