Service Castro/ Hale/Lamb County 325-665-8790 Kristie.keys@ag.tamu.edu Across the Texas High Plains, native grasses play a critical role in conserv-ing water, discouraging invasion by unwanted plants, supporting wildlife, and maintaining healthy soils by rebuilding the natural hydrologic and nutrient cycles. Whether you’re restoring rangeland or converting marginal acres, selecting and establishing native species can lead to long-term success with fewer inputs than introduced plants. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife, the common grasses for our area (Texas High Plains) are: Western wheatgrass, Cane bluestem, Sideoats grama, Blue grama, Buffalograss, Ear muhly, New Mexico little bluestem.
Seed Selection
Species selection is one of the most important parts of the process. Start with the end in mind, i.e., what is the intended purpose? After determining the use, perform a deep dive into the species you have selected. Be sure it is suited for the climate conditions, moisture requirements, and you know it’s lifecycle (annual vs. perennial). Next, you’ll want to find good seed and understand the seed tag. Bamert Seed Company recently wrote an article on “How to Read a Native Seed Tag,” which can be found on their blog. Having a high percentage of PLS (pure live seed) and a low weed seed count are critical for establishment.
Establishment
Before any type of planting, it is recommended to test your soil. Although native grasses don’t typically need additional fertilizers, certain nutrients could be helpful in root establishment. Regardless of the type of seed you are planting, the top priority is good seedto- soil contact. Timing your planting can depend on the species you have chosen. Warm-season perennials should typically be planted after the last frost, or you can mimic nature and spread your seed during the winter and letting nature settle them into the soil, creating a bigger risk for uneven emergence. Planting can be done by broadcast spreading or drilling seed into the ground. Once planted, shallow watering is recommended during establishment, if able.