Creating and Maintaining a Prairie

This booklet was designed to help you plan, implement, and manage native plantings on your property whether that is a small residential yard or multiple acres. Review the booklet below or download a pdf copy.  Print copies are available at the Hamilton County SWCD via a Clean Water Indiana grant.

​​Click the zoom button (magnifying glass with+) or full page icon (empty box) to enlarge the booklet.

Download a PDF copy of the booklet here

Additional resources:

Section 1 - Where to Create a Prairie

Indiana 811
​Finding easements on your property: Hamilton County Recorder's Office
Hamilton County SWCD Soil Testing
Erosion control blanket info sheet
Sourcing native plants and the ​​Grow Indiana Natives Buy Native Directory

Section 2 - How to Create a Prairie

Seed mix help

• Tallgrass Prairie Center- Designing Seed Mixes
• USFW Webinar - Designing Seed Mixes for Native Habitat
• Pheasants Forever Indiana - Robert Suseland, [email protected] 
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Indiana 
  • NRCS Hamilton and Boone Counties - Angie Garrison, ​765-482-6355 or [email protected]
• Your reputable seed supplier should be able to help you design or select an appropriate seed mix and recommend and supply the appropriate cover crop seed

Sourcing seed & plants
SWCD native plant and seed supplier list (not all inclusive)
​Grow Indiana Natives Buy Native Directory

Cover crops

• Going Native: A prairie restoration guide for Minnesota landowners - page 31
• See NRCS contact info above.​
  
  

Seeding
Seed Fillers and Carriers for Planting Native Warm-Season Grasses and Forbs from Purdue University
Calibrating a No-till Drill for Conservation Plantings from Purdue University - online guide and video
​Seedling ID Guide for Native Prairie Plants from NRCS
Interseeding Wildflowers to Diversity Grasslands for Pollinators from the Xerces Society

Example timelines
Example preparation and planting timelines - coming soon!
​
Pheasants Forever Guides
Converting Hay to Native Prairie of Pollinator Habitat - Pheasants Forever
Converting Lawn to Native Prairie or Pollinator Habitat - Pheasants Forever
​Converting Pasture to Native Prairie or Pollinator Habitat - Pheasants Forever

Signage for your planting:
Check your local SWCD - Hamilton County has signage available here. 
Indiana Native Plant Society Grow Indiana Natives program - Certify your native garden/planting
Indiana Wildlife Federation
Xerces Society

Section 3 - Management

Prairie Nursery - Management of Prairie Meadows Guide
DOW Integrating Herbicides in Prairie Management Technical Guide
Herbicide Use in Natural Areas - A Guide for Volunteer Land Stewards
​White River Alliance Guide to Common Weeds

Section 4 - Common Issues & Mistakes

See booklet and additional resources provided in other sections to avoid common mistakes. 

Additional Resources

Project Wingspan Pollinator Habitat Technical Training Workshop Series
On demand, free workshop series accessible here.

• Workshop 1: Native Pollinator Ecology and Biology and other Grassland Species of Concern
• Workshop 2: Building Scientific Understanding to Guide Native Pollinator Habitat Restoration Practices
• Workshop 3: Restoration Project Planning, Native Plant Materials, and Site Preparation
•  Workshop 4: Project Implementation
•  Workshop 5: Habitat Management and Monitoring

Selecting native plants:
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Database- Find native plants that fit any location or need.
Pollinator Partnership EcoRegion Planting Guides
Prairie Nursery Plant Finder
​Indiana Native Plant Society Plant Finder for Pollinators
INPS Landscape Worthy Natives
Purdue Extension - Recommended Indiana Native Plants for Attracting Pollinators
​Native Plants for The Small Yard - Design tips with 9 layouts and plant selection

Managing Pests:
Solving Your Pest Problem Without Harming Pollinators-- Pollinator.org
Protecting Bees from Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Your Yard  -- Xerces.org

​The Hamilton County Invasives Partnership is a coalition whose mission is to mobilize land stewards to manage and eliminate invasive species in Hamilton County.

SWCDs interested in a digital copy of this resource for production of their own version should visit this page.