New Hampton Educational Prairie
Happenings and Timeline
Spring 2008- New Hampton Educational Prairie planting established
Summer of 2008- NHEP was mowed several times and weeded-roots of the prairie plants are
establishing themselves, hopefully have a few plants bloom
10/30/08- 5th grade science classes visit the prairie and identified:
Partridge Pea
Illinois Bundle Flower
Blackeyed Susans
Sideoats Grama
June 2009- Mowed to cut down on weeds and promote root growth in native plants
August 2009- Weed Eater used to trim down "non-native" prairie plants.
Evidence of: Illinois Bundle Flower, Partridge Pea, Black Eyed Susans, Side Oats Grama,
Little Bluetem, Western Wheat Grass, Purple Prairie Clover
October 2009- 5th graders are currently collecting information and working on the Prairie Plant Guide
October 19, 2009- 5th grade classes took a walking trip to the prairie and identified:
Big Bluestem, Side Oats Grama, Partridge Pea, Little Bluestem, Western Wheat Grass,
Indian Grass, Gray Headed Coneflower, Black Eyed Susan, and a lot of insects.
July 2010- Weed Eater used to trim down a few sections of "non-native" plants. White Prairie Clover was present for the first time.
September 29, 2010- 5th Grade classes too a walking trip to the prairie and identified:
Big Blue Stem, Side Oats Grama, Partridge Pea, Little Bluestem, Western Wheat Grass,
Indian Grass, Gray Headed Coneflower, Black Eyed Susan, Illinois Bundle Flower
Spring 2011- Attempted first prairie burn with the help of the Chickasaw County Conservation. Unfortunately not enough fuel down below, so we are going to try and mow it 3 times this summer/fall to build up some under layers and try to burn it again next spring.
September 2011- 5th Grade classes walked out to the prairie and identified plants.
October 2011- Mowed the prairie down to prepare for a spring burn.
Spring 2011- Planned on burning prairie, but the plants hadn't grown enough this spring to burn, so postponed burn to next fall.
April 27, 2012- 5th Graders went out and planted approximately 30 plant seedlings they had started in the classroom. They also over-seeded the entire prairie with all 14 variations of plants originally seeded in the prairie.
August 2012- Mowed to help eliminate invasive plants (especially thistles).
November 9- 5th graders walked out to the prairie, still short with the August mowing, but were able to identify- Coneflowers, Blackeyed Susans, Indian Grass, Little Bluestem.
Future Plans-
Spring of 2014 hoping for a prairie burn.
Prairie Plant Q&A from the Iowa Department of Transportation
Go to Prairie Plant Guide / Home
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