UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Tired of mowing your lawn every weekend? Homeowners keen on attracting wildlife and maintaining native plants can stop clipping the grass and let their yards grow into meadows or prairies, says a wildlife expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

"In the United States there are more than 24 million acres of lawn surrounding homes," says Margaret Brittingham, associate professor of wildlife resources in the School of Forest Resources. "As suburban development spreads into open and forested land, more native vegetation and wildlife habitat is lost."

Although lawns have benefits of their own, Brittingham says the short, clipped expanse and reliance on just a few plant species make grassy lawns a hostile and sterile environment for most wildlife.

"Lawns have very little food available to animals and very few places to hide or nest," Brittingham explains.

To create your own home meadow or prairie, Brittingham suggests planning how much lawn to retain. "You should decide how much lawn to dedicate for a play area for children and whether or not to maintain the front lawn," she says.

Brittingham says the terms "meadow" and "prairie" can be used interchangeably. Both contain a mixture of native grasses and wildflowers, although prairies usually have a higher percentage of grasses. "Prairies also are dominated by warm-season grasses, whereas meadows have grasses that grow well in the spring and early summer when temperatures are cool," she says.

Brittingham says prairies and meadows can be divided into two types: annual and perennial.

--Annual Meadow. An annual meadow will grow rapidly, providing lush growth and color immediately. Many of the "meadow mix" packages available at garden centers are annual mixes. However, to maintain colors and species mixture, an annual meadow must be replanted each year. "These mixes often have non-native plant species, which can spread to nearby fields," Brittingham says.

--Perennial Prairie. Perennial plants and prairie grasses require more time to take hold because many perennials have deep root systems and direct most of their early growth energy into root growth. "By the third year, a perennial meadow will be fully established," Brittingham says.

Brittingham says that prairies and meadows can be nearly maintenance free, requiring occasional weeding and mowing once a year. She recommends researching what types of plants to choose to create a visually pleasing meadow.

--Plants to Avoid. Bull thistle, Canada thistle, crown vetch, dame's rocket, nodding thistle, purple loosestrife and Queen Anne's lace.

--Pennsylvania Native Wildflowers. Black-eyed Susan, blazing-star, butterfly weed, cardinal flower, common milkweed, gray-headed or purple coneflower, goldenrod, New England aster, obedient plant, Queen-of-the-prairie, sundrop and wild geranium.

--Native grasses. Big bluestem and switchgrass grow from 4- to 7-feet high. Indian grass and little bluestem will grow 2- to 3-feet high. Brittingham explains homeowners will spend more time on maintenance in the first years of meadow growth.

--1st Year, Mow to Control Weeds. In the first year when plants are small, homeowners must mow often enough to prevent weeds from growing to more than 8-inches high. "Mowing prevents the weeds from developing seedheads," Brittingham says. "At the end of the growing season, stop mowing to give the young plants winter protection."

--2nd Year, Mow in Spring. In the second growing season, any vegetation left over winter should be mowed before the start of the growing season. "Watch for invading weeds and pull them out or cut them at ground level," she says.

--3rd Year. Brittingham says homeowners should mow the meadow in late winter or early spring before growth cycles begin.

Brittingham urges all homeowners to research local municipal ordinances that might restrict or outlaw natural landscapes. If local laws conflict with your landscape plan, apply for a variance.

"You can start with smaller plantings in the back yard and expand out," she says. "Share your plan with neighbors to show the benefits of natural meadows. Most objections will come because your property does not resemble a perfect suburban law. But once neighbors see the final result, they may follow your lead."

###

EDITORS: For more information, contact Margaret Brittingham at 814-863-8442.

Contacts: John Wall jtw3@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-865-1068 fax