When to Plant Prairie Seeds

Planting Time

• The best time to sow prairie seeds outdoors is after the last frost, but before summer's high temperatures, according to the University of Minnesota. Growers can also sow seeds in the fall before the first freeze; plants will develop the following spring.

Site Preparation

• The Ohio Prairie Association warns that you cannot simply sow seeds and expect a prairie to develop. Few prairie plants grow solely from seeds in the wild; most reproduction is vegetative, through structures such as rhizomes. The first step in establishing a prairie is removal of growing or dormant vegetation and existing weed seeds from the soil. Then, sow seeds in firm, untilled soil that has moderate moisture and fertility.

Collecting Seeds

• Finding a source of prairie plant seeds can be difficult, because demand is increasing. Although seed collecting is economical and easy, there are serious issues to keep in mind, such as plant conservation ethics. Some people never collect any rare seeds, to help avoid the plant's extinction. In most states, it is illegal to collect seeds from the wild. The University of Minnesota recommends collecting seeds in areas where native plants will be destroyed or development is soon to occur.