Prairie Maintenance-Mowing FAQ's

• What is the purpose of mowing?
• When should an area be mowed? How high should plants be after mowing?

What is the purpose of mowing?

• Provides an adequate substitute for burning for long-term, annual, or biennial maintenance.
• Controlling annual and biennial weeds and preventing weeds from producing seed in 1st and 2nd years.
• Stimulates growth by removing the previous year's vegetation.
• Controls cool season grasses* and weeds when performed in mid-spring.

*Cool season grasses do most of their growing during cool weather in spring and early summer (Prairie Dropseed and Junegrass).

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When should an area be mowed? How high should plants be after mowing?

First Year of Seeding

Approximately once a month during the spring and summer to a height of 4"-6" when the majority of weeds are in flower or when the weeds reach a height of 8"-12".

Maintain the vegetation at 8"-10" at the end of first growing season!

• Protects the young prairie plants over winter.
• Holds snow as insulation.
• Plant stems protect soil from rapid temperature fluctuations that cause frost-heaving.

Second Year

• Mow to the ground in the spring
• Rake off the cuttings.
• If biennial weeds are a problem, mow again to approx. 12" when weeds are in full flower (before they make seed!).

Third Year and Beyond

• Mow to the ground in mid-spring when cool season grasses are 5"-6" tall (when Sugar Maple buds break).
• Rake mowings immediately to expose soil.
• Exposed soil encourages soil warming and prairie plant growth.

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