There are many ways to get more information about prairie strips. This website, www.prairiestrips.org, is a good place to start for these items: Read more about FAQ: How do I find more information about prairie strips?
Read more about FAQ: When is the best time of year to plant prairie strips?
The number of types of prairie plants sown (“species richness”) and the amount of each type that is present in seed mixes is a management decision. How the plants will function and the seed mix costs are two primary considerations.
While this is still an active area of research, there are a few guiding principles we can draw upon to try to maximize water quality gains.
Read more about FAQ: How does the placement of prairie strips affect water quality gains?
As water moves downslope in a field and encounters the prairie strips, there will be greater resistance to flow and the surface runoff water will slow down. When this water slows, some of the material it is carrying will be deposited. This generally occurs a few feet into the leading edge of the strip or immediately upslope of the strip.
Read more about FAQ: How do I take care of my prairie strips?
Most prairie plants will not become weeds in crop fields where annual crops are grown and subjected to conventional weed management practices.
Read more about FAQ: Will the prairie strips make my crops more weedy?
Spray drift definitely can harm the prairie strips in the first several years as the young plants are establishing, but mature prairie plants are more resilient. Mature perennial plants have deep root systems with substantial stored energy reserves, which tend to allow them to bounce back from incidental drift.
Read more about FAQ: Will crop spray drift kill the plants in the prairie strips?
Driving on prairie strips will create disturbance and could disrupt the native plant community. Many invasive weeds are more tolerant to disturbance than prairie plants, and driving on the strips could create an environment where weeds can out-compete the prairie plants. Disturbed areas also may reduce the prairie diversity to only a few native species.
Read more about FAQ: Will driving on the strips kill the prairie plants?
Prairie strips could serve as a source of hay if harvested later in the summer, but the plant species composition may shift. Managers may find it difficult to maintain a diversity of grass and forb species.
