FAQ's & How To's

Yes, you can interseed flowers into an existing prairie or grassland, but it is much harder than adding them at the original planting. New wildflower seedlings need light, bare soil contact, moisture, and time. Established grasses already have roots, height, thatch, and a head start. That makes it difficult for tiny forb seedlings to survive. The best approach is to create a window before seeding. A fall burn followed by fall seeding is often a strong strategy because it removes thatch, exposes soil, and lets the new seed experience winter stratification. After that, the site may need to be mowed the next growing season almost like a new planting, especially if grass regrowth or annual weeds begin shading the seedlings. Even with careful preparation, there are no guarantees. Species selection matters. Interseeding is not the place to rely only on delicate, slow, expensive flowers with low seedling vigor. Competitive, affordable forbs that can be seeded at higher rates are usually better candidates. Black-eyed Susan, foxglove beardtongue, wild bergamot, gray-headed coneflower, Maximilian sunflower, and similar species may have a better chance than very conservative prairie plants. The goal is to use species that can fight their way into an established stand. Interseeding can be worth trying, but it is not a shortcut for saving money upfront. If you are planning a new prairie and thinking about planting cheap grass now and adding flowers later, do not do that. The flowers are usually the expensive and difficult part, and they establish best when planted with the original mix. If budget is the issue, it is often better to wait, save, and plant the diverse mix correctly the first time. For an existing grass-heavy prairie, interseeding takes disturbance, seed, follow-up maintenance, and patience. It can work, but it should be approached as a restoration effort, not a quick sprinkle of wildflower seed.