If you don't know exactly what you are looking for, tell us about your project below and we will make recommendations:

• Is your soil sandy, silt, clay, or loam? Sandy soils are dry because they don't hold water, silty soils have more intermediate drainage, and clay soils retain water and become sticky when wet. The term loamy soil is used for a combination of multiple soil types.

• How well does your site drain water? You can get a good idea of how well your site drains by looking for areas that dry out quickly or hold standing water after a heavy rain.

• Is your site sloped and if so, what direction does the slope face? Typically, north facing slopes are wet and cool, west and south facing slopes are dry and hot, and east facing slopes have a more moderate temperature and moisture level.

• How much sun does your site get? Most prairie plants need at least half a day of sun to thrive. If your site is more on the shady side, plan to plant savanna or woodland species.

• What is currently growing on your site? If there are already native species growing on your site, you may want to consider inter-seeding into the existing vegetation to enhance the site and protect the plants that are already there. If the site is overgrown with invasive species, plan on killing undesirable vegetation before planting. It is crucial to eliminate the competition if you are to have a successful restoration project.

• Are there any structures near your site? Prescribed burning is one of the best ways to manage your prairie. As a safety precaution, plan on positioning your prairie at least forty feet away from any burnable structures.

• How large is your site? Area can be calculated by multiplying the length times the width. There are 43,560 square feet in 1 acre. It's a good idea to estimate the area slightly larger than it actually is. It's much easier to plant a little extra seed than to run out.