Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District
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  • Home
  • About
    • About >
      • Staff & Supervisors >
        • Supervisor- Nominee Info Sheets
    • Donate/Affiliate Membership
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Newsletter >
      • News articles
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Strategic Plan
    • Contractor List
  • Programs & Services
    • Ag Stewardship/INfield Advantage >
      • Agriculture Resources
    • Drainage
    • Financial Assistance/Cost Share Programs
    • Invasive Species >
      • Invasive Trade In Program
      • Hamilton County Invasives Partnership
    • Map Resources
    • Native Plant Sale
    • Native Tree Sale
    • Rain Barrel Info & Sales >
      • Noblesville Rain Barrel Program
    • Rule 5 Submission
    • Soil Is Alive: Soil Health Trailer
    • Soil Maps & Surveys
    • Soil Testing
    • Stony Creek Feasibility Study
    • Photo Contest
    • Well Capping
    • Well Water Testing
    • Report a Polluter
    • Tool Loan Program
    • Video Resources
  • Urban Conservation
    • Backyard Conservation
    • Urban Agriculture >
      • Donate Your Vegetables
      • Garden Resources
    • Creating and Maintaining a Prairie
    • Restoring HOA Native Landscapes
    • Stormwater Landscape Maintenance Training
    • Rain Garden Info
    • Seed pack
    • Tree Info
    • Where to buy native plants & seed
  • Events
    • Workshops & Events
    • Rain on Main
    • Sustainability Workshop
    • Past events & recordings
  • Online Store

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
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​The Hamilton County Invasives Partnership is a coalition whose mission is to mobilize land stewards to manage and eliminate invasive species in Hamilton County.
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SWCDs interested in a digital copy of this resource for production of their own version should visit this page.
Your SWCD

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soil.water@hamiltoncounty.in.gov
317.773.2181
1717 Pleasant St. Suite 100
Noblesville, IN 46060
Established in 1968
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