Use garden tools for potted plants. Mainly the first few growing seasons require maintenance. A few inches of wet chopped leaf mulch choke weeds and support seedlings on small areas. Long term either burn after the third year, then every 3-6 years as needed or mow on same schedule, removing clippings. Practice patience and more patience.
Every native landscape is a work in progress.
The show is worth waiting for. Available in alternative formats upon request. An Ecological Perspective . University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.1995. The Prairie World .