Shortgrass Diverse Backyard Prairie
Shortgrass native prairie mix sized for small lots and yards.
A diverse shortgrass prairie mix scaled for backyards, small lots, and pocket prairies. Little bluestem and sideoats grama sit under a rich native forb component that stays under 3 feet tall through the season.
At a glance
- Seeding rate
- Covers ~10,000 sq ft per bag
- Coverage / sizes
- 10,000 sq ft bag and 1/2-acre bag available
- When to plant
- Dormant seed late fall through early spring.
- Site fit
- Backyards, small pastures, rain gardens, roadside strips.
Highlights
- Stays under ~3 ft — HOA-friendly height
- Native shortgrass matrix
- Diverse forb component for pollinators
- Sized for small-lot restoration
Common use cases
- — Backyard prairie conversion
- — Small pocket prairies
- — Roadside and driveway edge plantings
FAQ
Will this stay short enough for a suburban yard?
Yes — most species top out under 3 feet, which fits typical residential prairie plantings. Mow once a year in early spring to keep it tidy.
Recommended in these states
Shortgrass Diverse Backyard Prairie appears in our state guides for the regions below. Jump straight to this mix's card on the state guide.
Dormant seeding late October through March. Driftless slopes benefit from frost-seeding into thin snow cover.
Dormant November through March. Sandhills plantings need extra care with seeding depth — very shallow, and firm the seedbed hard.
Dormant late October through March. Frost seeding onto snow works well in the northeast pothole region.
Dormant late October through February. Spring seeding can work east of Salina but is risky west — soil moisture disappears fast.
Plant warm-season natives from February through April in most of Texas, or in late summer ahead of fall moisture in the Panhandle. Dormant winter seeding works in the northern Panhandle but is risky on the Gulf side, where warm spells trigger early germination.
Dormant seeding from December through mid-March is the most dependable approach on the eastern plains, letting seed sit until spring moisture arrives. Spring seeding in April and May works when soil moisture is adequate; avoid dry summer plantings.
Dormant seeding from late October through March is the standard across Montana — winter cold stratifies native seed and spring snowmelt drives germination. Early-spring seeding in April is a workable second option; summer seeding rarely succeeds.
February through April is the primary window for warm-season natives statewide. Late-winter dormant seeding works well in the Panhandle and northern tier; avoid seeding into summer heat.
Dormant seeding from late October through March is the standard, using winter to stratify seed and snowmelt to trigger germination. Spring seeding is possible in April on sites with stored soil moisture.
Related mixes
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