Use of Temporary and Permanent Mixes - It is recommended that wetlands with their accompanying uplands be constructed and seeded with temporary seed mixtures that will last for 1-2 seasons.  This gives some flexibility and time in dealing with vegetation management (i.e., weed) issues and allows some time for the hydrology of the site to stabilize and be evaluated.  The permanent seed mixes, seedlings and/or pre-vegetated mats are then installed once the site has been assessed for possible weed and hydrologic problems and has "passed".  Because the upland permanent mixtures are designed to be planted into existing temporary mixes (living or stubble) they contain low cover crop percentages.  Cover crops in the upland mixes are oats/winter wheat and annual rye grass.  If upland mixes are not going to be seeded into stubble then it is recommended that additional oats or winter wheat be added at a rate of 20 lbs/acre.  In the wetlands mixes, the cover species are American Sloughgrass, Fowl Bluegrass and early successional sedges and rushes such as Fox Sedge and Green Bulrush.  The wetland mixes don't need additional cover species added if they are not seeded into temporary cover.

Sedge Meadow & Wet Meadow - Species that occur in these community types are essentially the same.  Dominance of sedges vs. grasses and composites is likely determined by soil type and moisture conditions.  Therefore, a single mix has been developed for use in establishing sedge meadows, wet meadows and wetland fringes with the assumption that species will establish and sort themselves out over a few years.

Wet Prairie - Wet prairie also contains many of the same species that are found in sedge meadows and wet meadows, however, there are some species that are unique to wet prairies.  Wet prairies also contain a number of species common to more mesic and even dry prairies such as Big Bluestem and Indiangrass.  This is simply testimony to the plasticity of many prairie species in what niches they are able to adapt to.