As people are practicing social distancing there’s a terrific activity you can safely engage in: gardening!

While we’ve got about 6 weeks before the official end of the frost-free season (usually April 30th), it’s not quite time to put things into the soil. But it IS the perfect time to get seeds started so once it’s warm enough you can put started plants into your garden and not seeds!

If you’ve been considering converting part of your yard (probably mostly turf grass) to Minnesota native grasses and wildflowers, we have an extensive list of individual seeds as well as seed mixes that you can order from our online catalog – you don’t even have to leave your home to get your seeds! We even have seed mixes tailored to attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies.

And then you’ve have something to look forward to when May rolls around. Studies have shown that gardening has wonderful health benefits, plus you’ll be doing something positive for Minnesota’s natural environment by restoring some land to native vegetation..

The post It’s a Great Time to Get Your Minnesota Native Plant Seeds Started! first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.

Here are just a things corporate or other commercial property owners can realize when they convert at least part of their property to native plant landscaping.

• Reduced cost for maintenance. Native plants require very little in the way of care. They are naturally weed-resistant and since they’ve adapted to our climate conditions, watering is rarely required. Converting sections of turf grass to native grasses and wildflowers also means eliminating mowing expenses. And once the native restoration project is established, control of invasive species is minimal.
• Possible financial or tax incentives from local entities. Though it’s not widespread, there are programs in certain areas. Some of them are residential only, while others are for any parcel. For example, Eden Prairie has a landscaping rebate program for water conservation landscaping that includes at least 75% native species.
• Aesthetic benefits. Not every benefit is monetary. Native plant restoration projects result in areas that are attractive to wildlife. Imagine a corporate campus alive with song birds and butterflies! And since we use a mix of plants and grasses in projects, the color you’ll get is a mix instead of a monotone green.
• Environmental benefits. Eliminating the need for herbicides means you’ll be reducing your contribution to water pollution. In fact, if you opt for installation of rain gardens in wet areas, you can even help reduce pollution in water run-off.
• Happier employees. Here’s a benefit that can’t be underestimated: employee morale. Studies have shown that employees are happier and more productive when surrounded with a pleasant physical atmosphere.

Want to find out more about how corporate or other commercial property owners can benefit from native plant landscaping? Contact us today – we’d be happy to start with an evaluation of your property and then discuss our suggestions with you.

The post Just a Few Benefits Minnesota Commercial Property Owners Can Get from Native Plant Landscaping first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.

As a Minnesota native landscaping company with a passionate commitment to encourage natural habitat for threatened pollinators like bees, we were thrilled to see that the Minnesota legislature has allocated funds to enable those who own property to convert portions of their turf grass to bee-friendly areas. The program – called ‘Lawns to Legumes’ – took effect in May of 2019 and will help with the purchase of seed for native wildflowers and grasses.

Application for this current round of funding are due by February 28, 2020. Applications are available by clicking here.

Grants will cover between 75%-90% of the cost of conversion, depending on the area. One particular species of bee that is targeted by this program is the rusty patched bumblebee, currently threatened with extinction. It is hoped that the grants in this program will reverse that trend by providing much-needed food sources.

Our company specializes in restoration of land to native vegetation, and we can assist property owners in converting their property under this program. We also offer a variety of pollinator-friendly seeds in our online catalog or our retail Native Plant Center in Princeton for those who wish to do the work themselves. We even have complete seed kits designed for pollinator habitat through our “Sowing It Back Together” packages.

You can find out more about the grant program in this article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. And if you have questions about where to begin with a native plant restoration project, we’d be happy to help. Give us a call at 1-800-837-5986.

The post Minnesota Property Owners Can Convert Land to Bee-Friendly Native Plant Habitat with Funds from New State Program first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.

As a company who more or less pioneered wide-scale native plant restoration work in Minnesota, we’re really excited to announce that founder Ron Bowen will be one of the speakers at an upcoming live seminar presented by Halfmoon Education.

Ron planted his first Minnesota restored prairie in 1970, and it’s still thriving. The Dayton family, who owned the property located near Wayzata at the time, eventually donated it to the Minnesota DNR, and it is now known as the Wood-Rill Scientific and Natural Area.

Over the years Ron and those who have worked with him have acquired vast experiential knowledge in this field, and it is a privilege to have a forum like this to pass it on to others working in this industry as well as related ones.

Wonder how Ron got into the native landscaping business? Check out his backstory in an interview he gave to a St. Cloud radio station, discussing how our company got its start.

Restoration of Natural Areas Live Seminar

• Tuesday, March 23, 2020
• Holiday Inn, 2700 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan MN

Ron will be joined by two other speakers and will give an overview of restoration and natural habitat, including historical information on the vegetation existing in Minnesota and Wisconsin prior to settlement as well as discussions of the various types of ecosystems and key species. Project examples will be presented.

The seminar is designed for a variety of professions, including architects, engineers, landscaping contractors, arborists, and more. Continuing education credits may apply for some of these groups. Details are listed on the seminar site.

To find out specific information regarding the seminar, the speakers, and the agenda, you can visit the seminar’s web page by clicking here.

The post Our Native Landscaping Company Founder Ron Bowen to Speak at Restoration Seminar March 3rd first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.

We want to talk about natural meditation gardens. You may be familiar with the concept; some hospitals or other care centers (and some memorial chapels) have these soothing spots to relax and contemplate. But many of them use non-native plants, so we’d like to discuss how creating a spot like this using Minnesota native grasses, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs can benefit you personally.

Having a secluded spot outdoors allows you to disconnect from your busy life and re-connect with nature in a multi-sensory way. Anything that involves multiple senses can be incredibly recharging for the mind. And when that spot is planted with native species, it will attract wildlife such as birds, butterflies, and more that are actually native to the area. It’s much more harmonious than what can be produced imported and invasive species. Native plants create a natural environment that fits with the area.

Mental health experts will tell you that gardening is very therapeutic – good for the soul. And knowing you’ve created a spot that can foster threatened wildlife can be a very satisfying feeling.

If the idea of having a natural meditation garden composed of Minnesota native plants appeals to you, we’d love to work with you. We can design a restoration project that will incorporate a variety of native species that Mother Nature intended grow (and thrive) together. We can create a garden of sensory delights that will require very little on your part to maintain. You can just look forward to relaxing and recharging!

To find out more about our native Minnesota landscaping restoration services, please give us a call at 1-800-837-5986.

The post Creating a Meditation Garden with Minnesota Native Plants Can Recharge Your Soul first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.

It comes as no surprise to us that most of the people we talk to these days are concerned about climate change. It’s been our experience that Minnesotans have for the most part been interested in doing their part to protect the natural resources of our beautiful state. And their proactive interest extends far beyond our borders. But often the most beneficial activities begin on a local level. After all, for most of us that’s all we are capable of doing. And a good way to get started is to restore at least part of your property to native plants, shrubs, and trees.

As a Minnesota native landscaping restoration company, we’ve seen firsthand the damage man has done to our environment. But conversely, we’ve also seen some incredible recovery as a result of landscaping with Minnesota native species. Here are just a few examples:

1. Switching to native plants eliminates the need for chemicals like weed killers and fertilizers.
2. Native species have adapted themselves to our climate conditions, so for the most part watering isn’t required. We evaluate weather conditions in a particular area when we’re planning a landscape restoration project and choose species appropriate for those conditions. For example, if it is known for being dry, we use drought-resistant plants.
3. In the same way, native plants are much more tolerant of wide variations in temperature and will survive waves of excessive heat or cold.
4. Converting turf grass sections to native grasses and wildflowers cuts out the need for mowing. That means you avoid using fuel for mowers and weed whackers. Plus it makes for a much more peaceful environment!
5. Native species offer inviting habitat for wildlife to thrive, including threatened pollinator species.
6. Rain gardens and shoreline restoration help reduce the amount of polluting run-off that gets into our waters.

These are just a few of the ways that native landscaping can help address what’s happening to our land due to climate change. We CAN make a difference – one plot of land at a time. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help you restore part of your property to Minnesota native grasses, trees, shrubs, and wildflowers, please contact us.

The post Concerned About Climate Change? How Switching to Landscaping With Native Plants Can Help first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.

Fire has its benefits, and even Mother Nature makes use of it from time to time. While it might seem hard to accept, forest fires are a natural process that is necessary for a healthy ecosystem. And it’s one of the ways we make use of to clear out undesirable species and get rid of dead and decaying plant material.

The Benefits of Fire in Nature

Fires will often occur naturally as a result of a lightning strike when an area like a forest gets overgrown. As an area gets dense growth, sunlight diminishes and plant species dependent on that light for photosynthesis die back, leaving debris. Fire removes that undergrowth and burns up debris, and in turn provides nutrients to the soil. A more nourishing soil and more sunlight mean healthier plants, trees, and shrubs.

One Minnesota native species – the red pine (pinus resinosa, wrongly called the Norway pine) requires lots of sunlight for young seedlings to thrive. Once a forest fire has cleared away dense layers of pine needles and other debris, these young trees will flourish. And Nature has crafted this particular tree to be very fire resistant. Most invasive species are not so fire-hardy, which is why it’s one technique we use to clear them out.

Farmers have used this technique for centuries to prepare their fields. But we don’t recommend this practice for amateurs. Without the proper planning, equipment, and training, even a small fire can get out of control quickly. Our field crews who perform controlled burns are highly trained and work with state and local officials to obtain proper permits. We always have a water delivery system on site. And we coordinate our efforts with any nearby property owners to make sure they’re aware of what we’re doing.

We’ve done over 6,000 annual controlled burns very successfully, for property owners of all types – residential, agricultural, government and corporate. If you’d like a professional consultation to evaluate your property for a controlled burn, give us a call at 1-800- 837-5986.

The post About Controlled Burning in Our Minnesota Native Landscape Restoration Projects first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.

Although very little of what we’d call native prairie, savanna (grassland/mixed), or other type of natural, undisturbed land exists around our state, occasionally we hear of – or discover – a small section that has been untouched by human intervention like farming or home building. Those discoveries are like rare treasure for us. Finding a plot of land that is basically the same as it has been for centuries is almost like a prospector stumbling upon a never-worked vein of ore.

For one thing, these segments of natural land can be a source of native plant seed that we can then cultivate on one of our farm plots to produce more seed to be used for landscape restoration projects or for sale in our retail stores.  The possibility exists that the land may contain species of plants we haven’t been able to locate local specimens of before. And that is exciting.

What’s more, these little segments of land will contain a variety of native plants. When most farmers grow crops, it’s via what’s called monoculture – one type of plant.  As you drive through the countryside you’ll see it – acres and acres of wheat or corn, all the same. But Mother Nature doesn’t work like that.  Left alone, plants grow together and form communities.  You get a variety of plant species. 

When we identify an undisturbed section of land, we look for what we call ‘indicator plants.’  These plants help us to get an idea of what the history of that parcel of land might have been.  Particular groups of plant species will thrive under certain soil and moisture conditions.  So when we find one native plant species, we can safely assume that other plants that would normally grow in a community with that plant were also growing there. 

Once we’ve identified a virgin parcel of land, our next step is to protect and preserve it, so that it can remain in its natural state.

If you are a farmer or other rural landowner who believes you may have portions of your land that remain untouched by either tilling or cultivation, please contact us – we’d love to talk with you about preserving any natural prairie or other native landscape on your property. 

The post Why Our Minnesota Native Landscaping Company Still Hunts for Undisturbed Pockets of Land in Our Area first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.

One major advantage that you get from landscaping with Minnesota native plant species is their hardy resistance to our winter climate conditions. Plants that are native to other regions struggle during the severe cold and heavy snow. Without mulching and special care, they might not even return in the spring.

But plants native to this area will thrive despite the cold. They have adapted to grow in our winter conditions and will do so without the struggle other species would face. And when the weather warms up, they will emerge and thrive again, all without needing much in the way of human care.

And what’s more, they will provide some added benefits that non-native plant species won’t.

Certain native Minnesota species – such as the mountain ash – hold their berries all winter, providing some bright color as well as needed nutrition for birds and animals.

Tall grass prairies create shelter for wildlife. Stands of dry wildflowers with their seed heads poking up above the snow offer food for birds and and animals. Evergreen trees such as the balsam fir, red cedar and white pine also provide refuge for birds and small animals as well as food. Plus because their foliage remains year round, they also break up blowing snow.

So if you’re considering restoring part of your property with Minnesota native plant species, we’d like you to know that you’ll enjoy the benefits all year round. We’d love to start planning your restoration project now so your plants will be well established by next winter. Call us today at 1-800-837-5986 to speak with one of our design staff to get things going! We’ll evaluate your property and then give you a detailed plan with our recommendations as to particular plant, tree, and shrub species that will flourish in your area in every season.

The post There Are Benefits to Landscaping with Minnesota Native Plants Even in the Winter first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.

The easiest answer is, Any time is a good time to plan a native landscape restoration project. But more specific to this time of year is our preferred answer – right now! You see, now that winter is almost here, we’ve wrapped up our field work and are concentrating on indoor tasks such as sorting and packaging seeds. And project planning is a big part of our workdays this season as well.

Landscape restoration projects involve prep work before any plants can go in the ground. There are certain tasks that we prefer to do (or are easier) in the winter, such as buckthorn control. Excavation work and controlled burning both work well. And since we’ve finished harvesting our native seed for the year, we also have a good handle on the species that will be available to work with when planting season comes next spring. Or we can project what we might need for your project and make plans to acquire it before then or get seedlings going in our greenhouses. Plus knowing well in advance what we have coming as far as native landscape restoration projects allows us to manage our seasonal field crews better.

So if the snow has you thinking you should hold off any further discussion of landscaping projects for next spring, we’d love to meet with you right now and talk about what you have in mind. It’s a great time to get things going!

Prairie Restorations, Inc. is a Minnesota native landscaping restoration company, and we handle a variety of project installations, including residential, commercial, and institutional.

The post When Is the Right Time to Plan a Minnesota Native Landscaping Restoration Project? first appeared on Prairie Restoration Minnesota Landscaping Company | MN Native Plants Restoration.