Some plants can creep into your meadow by means of underground rhizomes, while others have seeds that can blow in on the wind. Problem neighbors include Quackgrass, Smooth Bromegrass, Johnson Grass, Canada Goldenrod, Tall Goldenrod, Canada Thistle, Gray Dogwood, Sumac, Buckthorn, Tartarian and Japanese Honeysuckle, and Multiflora Rose, to name a few. If there is an old field next to your prairie, expect some incursion by unwanted visitors. To prevent this problem, maintain a mowed strip five to ten feet wide between the prairie and the old field, and mow the adjacent fields every summer in late July, before the plants go to seed. Short prairies are a good choice for around homes and buildings.
Tall prairies are best when planted on larger acreages, or in background situations.
You may want to plant some areas of both tall and short prairie to create two different landscape effects and habitat types. Beware that if you plant tall prairie to the west or north of your short prairie, the ripening seeds of the taller plants may be blown into the short prairie. Eventually your short prairie may become a tall grass prairie. For a prominent display of flowers, plant them with the shorter bunchgrasses, such as Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, and Side Oats Grama. Large, robust flowers should be planted with the tall prairie grasses.