What should I expect Year 3?

If there is enough plant duff/thatch to carry a fire, consider a prescribed burn between March 15th - April 15th. Prescribed burns are a useful tool for tall grass prairie ecosystems because they remove the plant debris and stimulate growth of new wildflowers and warm season grasses. Always use extreme caution when doing prescribed burns as they can burn very quickly and can be unpredictable. If you are not experienced, please do not perform a prescribed burn on your own because there are several organizations and companies that can provide the personnel/equipment to conduct burns safely.

If a prescribed burn is not an option, plan on mowing your native planting to a height of 6 inches and removing the plant duff/thatch in the early spring. If that plant debris layer is not removed, it could cause poor plant growth or possibly smother any newly emerging natives. You can spot treat any invasive or unwanted weeds as needed with spot mowing or particular herbicides depending on the weed species.