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Re: Putting in CRP 25

I sent what's below to Mary, but will send it to the list so people can
correct it as needed.  I should have added that growing numbers of local NRCS
people are knowledgable about prairie plantings, and I hope their knowledge
will be
more reflected in CRP rules as time goes on.  (Especially when it comes to
marginal riparian pastures!)

Cindy

***

Hi Mary --

I think one thing to consider is how you want to define "success."   Some
landowners define CRP success as "good enough to get my CRP payments when the
planting is inspected."  That kind of success, in this area at least, is not
difficult to achieve.  

On the other hand, if you want a planting that looks and behaves as much as
possible like a native prairie, here are some ideas that apply in central
Iowa.  You can decide if they are relevant to your situation and apply where
you
are.

1.  Visit local prairie reconstructions and CRP plantings (public and
private) if possible, to see what you like, and ask how the land managers did
what
they did and how they manage the plantings.  Then consider how to apply that
knowledge to your own planting.

Here in Iowa, the CRP rules either require or used to require so much
warm-season grass seed that the resulting plantings tend to be very
grass-heavy.  And
I've heard complaints that the small amount of forb seed in a typical CP-25
mix isn't enough to compete well with the grasses. 

If you want a good-quality planting by typical prairie reconstruction
standards (which include diversity and lots of flowers), it helps to minimize
the
amount of warm season grass seed and maximize the amount of diverse forb seed,
to
the extent that one's budget and CRP rules allow.  Keep in mind that the
national CRP program was not designed to be a prairie reconstruction program,
and
that is reflected in the rules.  It helps to add more forb species and larger
amounts of forb seed than the typical CP-25 mix includes.

2.  I freely admit to being biased, but I dislike cultivar seed, and so do
most of the prairie people I know.   We try to use local-origin (collected or
descended from local prairie remnants) and  non-cultivar (not bred to be named
varieties) prairie seed when we can.  And we try to plant species that are
native to the area we are planting (rather than species that are native to
other
parts of Iowa but not central Iowa, for example).   Many cultivar grasses were
bred to be aggressive enough to stand up to heavy grazing, and that
contributes to the grass-heaviness of many CRP plantings. 

There are some low-cost CP-25 prairie seed mixes available in some states
that meet CRP standards, but don't result in high-quality prairie plantings by
prairie reconstruction standards.  Again, it partly depends on how you decide
to
define "success."   There are many dealers and sources of seed for prairie 
plantings, and many choices that can be made re CRP plantings.   

3.  We try to keep plantings mowed short (just a few inches tall)  during the
entire first growing season, and often into the second growing season.  It
doesn't hurt the prairie plants, and it does hurt the weed competition, which
really helps the planting.  I hear occasionally that it's important not to mow
too short during the first growing season, but that advice, around here,
usually comes from people who don't have prairie experience.  Mowing too short
during the first year is not a problem in this area.  The problem is keeping
the
planting mowed, period.   Annual weeds grow fast.

4.  It's very important, especially with small forb seed, not to plant too
deep.  If a drill is used, it needs to be set properly.    Broadcasting seed
onto untilled  fall soybean stubble can work very well, because winter weather
works the seed into the soil surface, and broadcasting can result in a more
natural non-row look.  Fall broadcasting is increasingly popular as a prairie
planting technique.  But some NRCS offices want to see evidence of drill
rows. 
It's sometimes possible to drill some seed and broadcast the rest.

5.  For future management, it's helpful to plan ahead so you'll be able to do
prescribed burns.  That includes trying to site tree plantings in locations
where they won't make burning overly difficult.  Some people learn the hard
way
that surrounding a prairie planting with rows of trees and shrubs, for
example, not only makes controlled burns difficult, but means that tree and
shrub
seeds will keep blowing into the prairie and causing woody invasion problems.

6.  Try to learn which weed species in your area are weenies that will
decline over time, and which weeds are serious invaders that need to be dealt
with
before they spread.  Weed problems are different in prairie plantings than
they
are in rowcropped ground, and weed problems are different in the Omaha area
than they are in central Iowa.  Finding and talking to knowledgeable prairie
people in your area is one of the best ways to get weed information.   

7.  Knowledgable local prairie people, who know the local soils, prairie
species, weather, weeds, challenges, and NRCS offices, can provide many other
invaluable tips.  I'll bet there are some in the Omaha area who could provide
much
more useful advice than I have.  Good luck!

Cindy

Cindy Hildebrand
grantridge@aol.com
Ames, IA  50010

"Observed an Eclips of the Moon. I had no other glass to assist me in this
observation but a small refracting telescope belonging to my sextant,
which...enabled me to define the edge of the moon's immage with much more
precision that
I could have done with the natural eye."  (Meriwether Lewis)

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