The Journey Continues: The Prairie Emerges

Patience is a difficult practice. We've been used to seeing hard red winter wheat seeds sown in December quickly emerge and mature, changing from a beautiful blue-green in March to the golden waves ready for harvest in May. We have seen sorghum sudan grass leap from the fields to heights of six or seven feet for a crop of hay. But the perennial native grasses do not behave in such a way. They require patience.

Will Newman, a local wildlife biologist who works with Quails Forever, walked the fields with us back in the early spring, when only a few of the grasses we planted were poking their heads through the red-brown sandy loam. In the first year, he told us, these grasses will spend much of their energy putting down deep roots. They "go deep." In the second year, the plants will spread out and become a bit larger. They "creep." And in the third year, the tall switch grass and others will reach their heights of six to nine feet, with roots twice that length.

Drawn by Heidi Natura, Conservation Research Institute

They "leap." Will said not to worry about the field until August or September, when the warm weather grasses would become more visible.

Well, it is August 1. Melinda and I walked through a portion of the field today, as we often do. The grasses in the field closest to our home show abundant signs of "prairie life." Many of the seeds we put in the ground in January are making themselves known. Blue-green clumps of Little Bluestem are standing their ground. Yellow Partridge Pea bushes are attracting bees and wasps. A stand of Sideoats Grama already has a seed head. One tall grass, that we think is Indian Grass is showing its seed head as well. This is one we really hoped would establish itself. White Prairie Clover has been scattered over the field all summer, as have other flowers we planted –– Coreopsis, Basket Flowers, Lemon Bee Balm, and others. We've seen coneflower plants across the field for a while. Their broad leaves are easily identifiable. But today we saw one blooming for the first time. Love Grass has grown up in places and formed its airy head. We won't be able to clearly identify many of the grasses that are emerging until they become more mature. But they are everywhere!

Maximillian Sunflower

Little Bluestem

Coneflower

White Prairie Clover

Maximillian Sunflower

Indian Grass

Coneflower

Earlier this week Jamie Killian, the Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist who has been working with us on the project came for a visit while we were gone and took a few photographs. She emailed us later: "The prairie looks great to me. I saw several species that were in the seed mix. I like the little bluestem."

Meanwhile, we learn what we can and marvel at what is happening. Three years seems like a long time. Note the three "prairie blogs" on the right. The photos there are beautiful and the content is always inspiring.