Q. I bought and planted some prairie seeds and it doesn't look like they've grown. Is this a failure?
A. Some native species require a period of cold moist stratification to germinate. This occurs naturally when seeds are planted in fall and can experience the effects of freezing and thawing. But if you're planting in spring, these species may not germinate at all the first season because they have not experienced a "wintering over". Don't worry, they will germinate the following year.
Q. I just saw an inexpensive Wildflower mix at a local discount store. Why do Prairie Moon mixes cost more?
A. Many inexpensive "Wildflower" mixes are made up of mostly non-native species that produce an abundance of seed under ideal conditions. These "show and go" mixes usually look colorful for 1 year because of all the annuals. Watch out for the ones that also contain especially aggressive weedy species like Queen Anne´s Lace, Dame´s Rocket, and Shasta Daisy.
Prairie Moons mixes contain a blend of flowers and grasses that are native to the Midwest and the Northeast. These perennial species are more expensive to produce but can give you a planting that will last a lifetime.
| Q. I live in Canada. Can I receive your seeds and plants?
A. We do not ship plants to Canada, but seeds are available to Canadian customers. Please be aware that seeds are occassionaly held up at Customs. We send most orders* with the US Post Office with no insurance and are unable to track them. Prepayment in U.S. funds required. Postal shipping & handling charges for Canadian seed shipments are:
For SEED ORDERS $50.00 and under $15.00.
For SEED ORDERS over $50.00 add 30% of the total seed cost.
* Orders that are particulary heavy or expensive may require us to send UPS Ground - if so, we will contact you with a shipping estimate.
Q. Do you have instructions for planting your seed mixes for small areas?
A. Yes. Click on the 'Seed Planting Guidlines' (tractor picture) to the far left of our website. "Planting Instructions for Hand Sowing" pdf file is in the upper right corner.
Q. What does PLS stand for?
A. PLS literally means Pure Live Seed. We sell some seed on a PLS basis which means you are only paying for the actual live seed and none of the chaff or dead seed. If you order an ounce of seed PLS then you will receive a larger bulk amount which contains one ounce of live seed. Note: Although we still sell the majority of our seed on a "bulk" basis, lots of our seed is tested for purity and germination. Our minimum PLS percentage for the bulk seed is 70%. Most species test out higher than this.
Q. I´m just starting and don´t know what seed mix to order. Can you help?
A. The most important first step to consider is site preparation.
A good start would be to read the section called "Establishing a Native Plant Community Using Seed' in the back of our catalog or download it from our website (left side, tractor picture "Seed Planting Guidelines").
If you´re able to take the necessary steps and spend time preparing your site for planting, you are well on the way to having a successful planting. This section will also help you determine which mix is best suited to your site. Call us anytime at our toll-free number for free advice: 866-417-8156
|
|
