What is a suggested prairie-grass mixture that could be used to seed a small acreage?
A. The prairie grasses recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service for eastern Colorado are: Slender wheatgrass, 0 to 10% of the mixture; western wheatgrass, 20 to 45%; sideoats grama, 20 to 40%; blue grama, 10 to 25%; green needlegrass 5 to 30%; prairie sandreed, 10 to 30%; sand bluestem, 20 to 35%; little bluestem, 0 to 10%. Seed dealers can help design a mix for a specific site using these species as a framework. The final species mix might depend on seed availability and price. It is best to avoid generic “dryland grass” mixes, even though they are often cheaper. Paying a little extra for high-quality seed of the desired species is usually a good investment. Proper seedbed preparation and planting the seed with a grass drill will greatly improve the chances of success, and any type of irrigation will help with grass establishment. A sprinkler that puts out small drops of water would be the best irrigation method, but if this is not possib
