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When To Plant Prairiegrasses
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Warm-season native grass seeds germinate at a minimum soil temperature of 60 degrees -- usually around April 1 to May 15 depending on location -- which allows weed treatment for seeding into a clean seedbed.
Dormant seeding is possible by seeding in the very late fall, after the soil is too cold for the seed to germinate. In the Midwest, this is usually around November 1.
In years of adequate rainfall, or if irrigation is available, stands may be established as late as Aug. 1 in the Midwest. WSGs should have at least 60 days of growth before a frost to protect them from winter injury.
Dormant seeding in late fall offers natural stratification in the soil over winter and also reduces spring workload. This method often fails, however, because of weed competition during early spring. Late spring/early summer planting allows weed problems to be eliminated prior to planting, leading to more successful seedings. Weedy perennials can be eradicated in the fall, but any seeds in the ground will germinate in the spring. In most cases, a late spring planting is recommended for WSGs.
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