For landowners who hope to see relatively quick results for their efforts, creating grasslands can be satisfying because the vegetation establishes in one to three years. But proper planning is essential to obtain the most diverse, mature grassland in the least amount of time.

What type of grassland should you develop? There are three types of grasslands you can create:

Table 3.3 "Grassland Plant Combinations Primarily for Upland Wildlife Habitat"

Table 3.4 "Native and Non-native grasslands Species: Advantages and Disadvantages"

Table 3.5 "Grassland Seeding Dates for Illinois"

The following sections explain how to choose which grassland or combination is right for you and your site and how to establish them.

What to Plant

Whether you create cool-season or native warm-season grassy cover, there are numerous plant combinations you can use, depending on your objectives and your site conditions. Table 3.3 lists common combinations and planting rates for particular sites, along with wildlife species that prefer each combination. Because cool-season and warm-season plants have such different growing requirements, it is important not to mix plants from the two categories in a planting. Always plant cool-season and warm-season plants separately.

The best combinations for providing optimum wildlife habitat in the native warm-season category are the forb-grass mixtures. Grass-only covers may be used as shown, but including forbs will elevate the value of a grassland to wildlife considerably. There are an infinite number of forbs that may be used; which ones you choose is determined by your site conditions and your budget. Consult publications listed in "Suggested Reading" at the end of the chapter for more information.

The pros and cons of establishing and maintaining native vs. non-native grasslands are summarized in Table 3.4. If you have several acres, one option might be to develop a combination of types, based on site conditions, budget, and management considerations. However, prairie can comprise 100% of your acreage if it contains a good mix of grasses and forbs. Determine your management objectives in considering the proportions of each type of grassy cover. Since cool-season cover is usually less diverse, consider including a small native prairie or an old field as a companion patch on a portion of your land. Since old fields don't provide nesting and winter cover as adequately as cool- and warm-season Grasslands consider complementing a large old field by planting one or the other.

Establishing native warm-season prairie warrants a special mention. While many of us have experienced planting bluegrass or brome and seeing an almost immediate profusion of seedlings, this is not what happens with native prairie grasses and forbs. Patience is paramount in establishing these native grasslands. One of the characteristics that allowed the prairie to thrive in Illinois' extreme climate is the deep roots of the individual plants. The roots of grasses such as big bluestem and Indian grass often penetrate twelve to fifteen feet into the soil. When a seedling of one of these species emerges, it may remain very small above the ground for the first two years while it does most of its growing below the ground, developing its network of roots. Or an individual plant may develop two or three tall grass blades and a single, stunted seed head the first year and not start to spread laterally until the second or third year. Prairie forbs, too, may not bloom for two to four years after germination.

This should not discourage any landowner from establishing prairie. If your goal is to establish wildlife habitat that contains native prairie grasses and forbs, do it! But it is important to be aware of prairie plants' growing habits. Don't judge your sparse planting after the first year as a failure. Be patient.

Where to Plant

Since more than 60% of the land now known as Illinois was once prairie, if you live in the northern two-thirds of the state there's a good chance your site was historically prairie or savanna. If your land is flat and contains the rich, black soil of northern, central, or south central Illinois, it was probably prairie. While grasslands were primarily an upland community, there was also prairie in many Illinois floodplain areas. For instance, cordgrass marsh as well as prairie composed of mesic species like big bluestem and switchgrass existed on the floodplains of most major Illinois rivers. Some of the sandy soil regions contained prairie. And many of the steep south- or west-facing bluffs along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers contained hill prairie.

Much of the southern fifth of Illinois, especially the Shawnee Hills, was originally forested, as were many bottomland areas and deep ravines throughout the state. So these types of sites wouldn't be particularly suited to grasslands. Some of the hills in western and northwestern Illinois were also largely forested. Refer to chapter 9 to learn about determining a site's historical plant community. Cool season grasses, warm-season prairie grasses, and old fields will all grow well on historic grassland sites.

Establishment Methods

To successfully establish cool- and warm-season Grasslands follow this sequence of steps: assure proper soil fertility and pH, prepare a good seedbed, seed at the proper dates, use the proper seeding method, and control aggressive weeds.

Soil tests and fertility. Consult your phone directory or local farm agency for details on soil testing. Here is a summary of suggestions for grassland establishment: Take one soil sample (about eight inches deep) for every three to five acres. Based on the test results, make these amendments if needed before or during seedbed preparation:

Nitrogen is not needed for native grasses during the first two years of establishment, and it is actually detrimental because it spurs growth of weeds that compete with the small grass seedlings. If nitrogen is necessary, do not apply it until the third year after planting a native grassland.

Site preparation. On non-erodible sites with heavy sod, prepare a good seedbed by plowing or using other deep tillage, then destroy new weed seedlings as needed with tillage or contact herbicides until you are ready to plant. On erodible sites, perform all tillage on the contour and leave sufficient surface residue to protect soil. No-till seeding is also an option; it may be preferable on certain sites, such as those that are highly erodible or ones where no-till cropping was used previously and disturbing the soil through plowing would create an onslaught of annual weeds. Check with your local Soil and Water Conservation District office or Illinois Department of Natural Resources biologist if you need advice on site preparation.

Seeding dates. It is essential to follow these seeding guidelines; otherwise the seed won't sprout, or the seedlings that sprout won't survive. Table 3.5 shows the range of seeding dates by species and geographic location.

Seeding methods. Good seed-to-soil contact is essential. Place seed 1/16-inch to 1/4-inch deep with a grassland drill or grain drill with press wheels. A broadcast clover seeder may also be used. If you broadcast the seed, roll or culti-mulch (with the tines up) before and after seeding. It is extremely important not to plant seed too deep.

The fluffy seeds of Indian grass and bluestems usually cannot be planted with a conventional drill. A special prairie grass drill is required, and even then it is sometimes necessary to go over the field several times, with periodic stops to feed the seed through the planting tubes. These seeds can be efficiently broadcast by hand on small areas.

Seed may also be mixed and spread with a carrier such as wheat or oats or a dry fertilizer. When using a fertilizer spreader, set it at half rate and go over the field twice, the second time between the previous tire tracks. If mixed with oats or wheat, the grasses may be seeded through a standard grain drill. Use the minimum amount of "carrier" possible. Aggressively control wheat or oat competition by repeated mowing during the first weeks of the establishment period. Mow the wheat and oats before they form seed heads.

Weed control. Control of competing nondesirable grasses and broadleafs is very important to newly established grasslands. Clip weeds above grass seedlings before they grow one foot tall or threaten to shade the new stand. Use a rotary mower; sickle bar cuttings can smother new seedlings. Rake clippings, and remove them if possible to avoid smothering. For warm-season prairie plantings, mowing beyond June is recommended only when tall weeds such as giant ragweed or goldenrod threaten the planting.

Spot spraying of noxious weeds such as musk thistle and Johnson grass can be effective. Herbicides may be used for other problem plants, but you must be extremely careful not to spray adjacent plants or you may eliminate the very grasses or prairie flowers you are working to establish. Johnson grass, a non-native warm-season grass, is present on your site, plant only forbs or legumes until the Johnson grass is eradicated-and be aware that this might take two or three years. Burning does not eradicate Johnson grass-in fact, it responds well to fire.

With careful planning and conscientious establishment procedures, your grassland should provide excellent habitat within two to four years.