Wisconsin Classic Prairie - Pollinator Garden

This community contains the following species: 

• Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
• Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
• Western Sunflower Helianthus occidentalis
• Slender Beardtongue Penstemon gracilis
• Sweet Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia subtomentosa
• Brown-eyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
• Biennial Guara Gaura biennis
• Purple Lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis
• Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
• Spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis
• Early Goldenrod Solidago juncaea
• Smooth Blue Aster Symphyotrichum laeve
• Calico Aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum
• New England Aster Symphyotrichyum novae
• Yellow Coneflower Ratibida pinnata
• Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
• Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
• Hoary Vervain Verbena stricta
• Wild Golden Glow Rudbeckia laciniata
• Orange Coneflower Rudbeckia fulgida
• Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium
• Prairie Alumroot Heuchera richardsonii

Small Bundles will include at least 8 of the above species; Medium will include at least 11 of the above species; Large will include at least 15 of the above species. See distribution chart below for more specifics. Substitutions of species not on this list but appropriate for the plant community may be made. 

Sun: Direct Sun. At least 6 hours a day. 

Soil: Dry to Medium Moisture. 

Classic Wisconsin Prairie will thrive with appropriate site characteristics throughout much of Wisconsin. 

Seed Mix add on, $12: includes Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), Silky Wild Rye (Elymus villosus), Canada Wild Rye (Elymus canadensis), and Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

Root Care Instructions

• open box immediately upon arrival and inspect the plants
• plants must be kept in a cool, dark space prior to planting
• until planted, care must be taken to prevent roots from drying out while still allowing air circulation
• plant the roots within 7 days of receiving

Why Bare-Root Plants? 

• Bare root plants allow for you to jumpstart your native pollinator garden as the roots have one year of stored energy and will grow more quickly and more robustly than a seedling plant. 
• Bare root plants can more easily outcompete weeds, especially in the first years. 
• Bare root plants make weeding easier as they are larger and more robust than seedling weeds. 
• Bare root plants are less bulky and expensive compared with potted plants. 

How To Install Your New Wisconsin Classic Prairie

Pick a site in direct sunlight, such as the east or south side of home, and away from big shade trees. This plant community may still thrive with 6 hours of direct sunlight. If you want to keep all weeds out of the planting, avoid sites with persistent, perennial weeds. 

Remove existing vegetation in the intended planting site. If lawn sod, rototilling once or twice prior to planting should be sufficient. 

Design the plant layout of your garden, considering plant type, flower color, and bloom time. Use authoritative online resources such as Flora of Wisconsin https://wisflora.herbarium.wisc.edu/

Plant bare root plants so that no part of the root is left above the soil. Growing buds should be slightly below (one quarter inch) soil level. Most plants will have dried vegetation remaining, and this can be used to determine the planting depth for the plant. (Heavy mulch is not recommended for this plant community.)