Sod ...but it's Prairie!

Earlier this year the Polk County Water Resources team asked us to help with a special project.  They were hoping to try a new prairie sod product they had learned about by webinar.  There was a small drainage easement near Ankeny that was a likely candidate for this project, and the neighboring homeowners had been fighting weeds and water issues for several years while trying to maintain the space.

Before - First Look
Messy drainage easement from the outlet

Many suburban developments have a drainage easement that runs along the back property edges.  A lot of homeowners can have issues with poor turf grass quality and drainage issues in these areas, especially if the grading is variable at installation or settling over time.  These issues usually get worse as you get closer to the end.

With steady Spring rains delaying cutting, a communication mix-up and surprise shipping date, the schedule was in a bit of a kerfuffle, but we rearranged our plate and things turned out ok.  Pfew!

The existing sod was cut and removed, using it to patch in some rougher spots along the neighboring lot.  Looking at these pictures is a reminder of how much turfgrass there was.  

Those rolls were heavy too!

Pallets of the new sod arrive at the job site.  The plants were well rooted into the mat material.  Even though it seemed shallow, there were many species (guessing the deeper-rooted ones) were seedlings mixed in with the taller grasses, sedges and quick growing black-eyed susans.  Our little dump trailer has moved a lot of material over the years!

Native Prairie Sod, delivered and untarped

The Prairie Sod was installed and pinned, with extra pins and rock armor near the storm drain outlet.  We also rearranged the boulders to make mowing easier for the homeowner around the outlet.

Native Prairie Sod

And why would it not rain during the installation?  Rain days hit us hard when our projects are typically right in "the line of fire", or flooding in our case.

Eventually it dried out enough for work to continue!  Time to rearrange the boulders...

This, along with the sod laid at the Public Works facility, will be a good test case for the water resource team to assess feasibility of using native sod in stormwater projects.  It provides instant coverage, many good-sized plants from day one, a few early bloomers in flower, with others soon to follow.  It has lots of water flow down and across the site, typical clay soil and full sun.

After - Prairie Sod

I could see us using this for similar products in the future as it seems like a great solution for large projects, new construction and commercial parking or neighborhood detention basins.  I also imagine, at least on some of our projects, we might design an intentional planting of selected natives as a border and to lead the eye into the "wilder" look of prairie sod like this.

After - Overlooking the easement from above the stormwater outlet

Pollinator Week 2024

Happy National Pollinator Week!  June 17-23, 2024!

A Zebra Swallowtail butterfly visited our job site last week.  We have seen a few butterflies fluttering around this year, but not a lot. No Monarchs yet... There has been a good variety and a lot more bees though.  Bees and wasps have been visiting our flowers at home for a while now, too.  They are beautiful to watch, but also very important parts of our ecosystem!

Did you know that pollinators, like bees, butterflies, bats, birds, and more, are estimated to play a key role in one of every three bites of food we eat?  Everything from berries to melons, apples and tomatoes, pumpkins, alfalfa that dairy and beef cows eat, even coffee rely on pollinators for pollination.

The Power of Pollinators on YouTube

You can BEE a friend to pollinators this week and throughout the year, Pollinator Week is for everyone!

Here are some ways you can help:

1. Plant a pollinator-friendly garden using native flowers, providing water and avoiding pesticides.

We can Help You, Help Them!  Contact Us!

2. Support your local beekeepers and farmers by buying local honey, produce and meat.

Honey by Hand,

The Watershed Mitigation Farm at Cherry Glen Farm and

The Holton Homestead

3. Provide nesting habitat and materials for butterflies, native bees, bats and hummingbirds.

Buy a Bat House using this LINK

Do Butterfly Houses Work?    What about hummingbird boxes?

4. Support pollinator conservation actions in your hometown, like Plant.Grow.Fly, and get kids involved!

5. Tag your social media #PollinatorWeek and share with others about pollinators and how they can help.

Parking Pad to Garden Transformation

These new homeowners had an idea for their backyard, and it didn't include the existing gravel parking lot.

They also had significant yard damage from a geothermal system, that was not repaired the way they had expected.

The goal was for a natural, relaxing space filled with as many edible and ecological benefiting elements as possible.

We began with three main goals- a garden, a patio and a fence.  Garden beds were high on the priority list for clean growing fresh produce!  A relaxing patio for their firepit, surrounded by a natural environment using some of their existing plants and lots of new natives.  A future fence was planned to separate the new space from alley noise and traffic.

 

Many edible plants were hoped for both in the garden area and even around the yard.  We put in as many perennial and edible plants as practical for this space.  Rhubarb, asparagus, berries and even an apple tree.

Initial site work involved removing the gravel and breaking up the compaction of years of traffic.  We left a circle of the existing pad for the base of the new paver patio.

 

A keyhole style bed maximizes growing space on a smaller overall footprint.  

Raised frame beds allowed us to bring in a fresh mix of clean soil to grow in.

We added compost to the remaining planting areas to add organic matter, build soil structure and workability, as well as encourage soil life.

With a limited space and south facing wall, this was a perfect space to espalier an apple tree.  The downspout from the garage allowed us to capture rainwater for use right by the garden.

Companion plants were included in this tree guild -

    Yarrow to attract beneficial insects

    Clover for nitrogen fixing action

    Chives to protect the trunk from rabbits

    Other herbs for their antimicrobial benefits

A decorative Japanese Maple was the focal point for the back corner with an Asian palette, a Serviceberry up front for a native edible shrub and multiple species of native woodland and savanna plants along the neighboring garage.  Bee Balm is great addition against the patio as it repels mosquitoes and feeds beneficial pollinators, and dwarf varieties soften the edge from lower to higher plantings.  Narrow evergreens will frame the future access gate and provide shades of green in the winter.

Great work on the patio from Ben's crew at Beemer Landscaping

We had just completed another project where a large amount of sod was removed.  So, after leveling the damage to the side yard we were able to upcycle it here instead of only reseeding.

The stepper path was re-laid through the damaged lawn area, using the existing pieces and we were able to match extras we needed.  The path was also extended from the back sidewalk to the patio area and gate.  

Finally, everything was mulched and finished.  A few weeks of garden care during their vacation, and then an additional Redbud tree for more afternoon shade.  It was all ready for the privacy fence install.

Paver patio backed by a Japanese maple

Raised bed garden behind the existing hedge

Pollinator friendly prairie natives benefit the garden too

A little taste of Eden in the heart of our city.  If you like this project or our others, we'd love it if you shared it with your friends!

This visitor couldn't wait for us to be done :)

Swallowtail butterfly getting a drink

No Mow - New Construction

Another large project was started in the previous season incorporating stormwater best management practices into a full native planting that includes basically the entire property.  

The home was built for a gentleman that wanted to be very responsible and not contribute to ANY stormwater runoff, erosion and flooding.

Woodland & savanna styled plantings in the front incorporated a walking path, some native shrubs and smaller trees.  Several invasive burning bushes were taken out.   A rain garden captures the front down spouts as well as most of the driveway runoff.

Front yard #Before

Front yard - planted and mulched

The front Rain Garden was full after a storm in the night but had drained by early afternoon.

Prairie party out back!

To get the back yard looking good, designed plantings of established plants and a large rain garden up closer to the house and deck.   

The deck provides prime viewing of the eventual prairie habitat, as well as access to the paths through it.

Prairie with rain garden view from the deck

Further back targeted native seedings were planned to reduce the initial budget.  To accomplish this, 8000 square feet of yard was tilled and "Solarized" for several weeks to kill the grass and shallow weed seed bank.

Solarizing 8000sf of yard

Around September, we removed the plastic sheeting and planted an oat cover crop to hold soil and keep weeds at bay.  Prior to the cover crop seeding, we pulled and flamed the remaining weeds that took advantage of tears in the plastic caused by curious deer.

We left a ~6' strip of mowed turf lawn on the South edge to be good neighbors.  We put in some sod around the areas damaged by the construction and existing lawn behind.  The neighbors to the North were fine with the savanna and prairie plantings coming up to their fence.  They had somewhat similar plans for their backyard.  

The entire foundation area was edged with river rock for ease of maintenance and access.

This last season we returned for maintenance help and vacation weeding.  The homeowner was doing a great job keeping the seeding mowed to a height where the perennials can grow roots, yet aggressive annual weeds were kept from going to seed.  These steps are very important when establishing a new native planting from seed.

The nearer plantings really grew this last summer!

We are excited to continue watching this project grow and grow!