This is especially true if a site has well-established perennial noxious weeds. A full year or longer will be required to properly prepare such a site for planting. Good candidates for seeding to prairie meadows include areas presently in turf, cornfields, soybean fields, and alfalfa fields. Beware of residual herbicides that may have been applied to agricultural fields. Always check the herbicide history of the past two to three years, and test the soil for residual herbicide activity if in doubt.
Every plant is adapted to a certain set of growing conditions.
Some will grow only in well-drained sandy or gravelly soils, while others prefer heavy clay. Some require moist soils, while other demand dry growing conditions. A few species can grow in almost any soil, be it dry sand, rich loam, or damp clay. A prairie meadow is very different from a garden - in a meadow the plants are essentially on their own. The plants of the meadow will have to fight it out with the weeds in the first few years as they become established.