Using old prairie plants for mulch???

16 years ago

I 3 areas of native prarie plants that I was getting ready for spring and was wondering if cutting down the old growth and creating mulch out of it would be a good idea. Usually I just throw it out. But I thought there has to be a better way of utilizing it. Since I am in a suburb I can not do a control burn in the spring of my prairie plants. My neighbors would really start to hate me ;-> Any insights would be appreciated.

Comments (3)

joepyeweed
16 years ago
I just mow most of them down, using them mulching attachment on my mower. I leave the mulch in place.

The large tall plants, like cup plant, leave stalks that are like lumber. I do have to cut those down with a pruners or a hand saw...the mower can't mulch them. Those stalks go in my habitat brush pile.
jbcarr
16 years ago
agree- you may need a bushwhacker (rented) if you have a lot of large, thick plants. Mowing is supposed to be the best alternative to burning. If I were to burn up here, I would have the whole Roanoke Valley on fire in no time with the drought we have.
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dbc3
15 years ago
mowing is the alternative to burning, but you actually shouldn't leave too much "cover." To mimic burning, you need to rake up all the chopped up plants and leave the bare soil, at least every few years.

I have been using the mulch as soil prep in the areas I am just converting; eventually I'll just spread it in the woods. The seeds from sun-lovers won't grow there, and their bodies will feed the shade-lovers.