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.

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, rsuseland@pheasantsforever.org 
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Indiana - Find your local contact here
  • NRCS Hamilton and Boone Counties - Angie Garrison, ​765-482-6355 or angela.garrison@usda.gov
• 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
NRCS Seeding Pollinator Plots handout
​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

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.