Meadow Making on a Small Scale Urban Meadow How To
Troy Springer, Springer Environmental
How do we define an urban meadow?
• Less than 50K square feet
• Very often less than 2000 square feet
• Functions like an ecosystem
• Plants born, live their lives, reproduce, die, and the cycle repeats
• Provides more services to people than strictly wildlife and habitat preservation
• Has stricter aesthetic value and taste preferences
• Must confirm to other land use criteria
Characteristics of Urban Meadow
• Has a wide range of formality and ecosystem value.
• Often incorporated in existing traditional landscape settings.
• May contain strictly herbaceous wildflowers and grasses, but may also include woody shrubs and trees.
Site Prep
What Components go into the Meadow?
• Look for clues which show what kind of conditions you are dealing with.
• Use a high percentage of plants that are indigenous to the region and suited for the conditions.
• Manage diversity throughout the landscape.
• Learn what plants are very adaptable, and what plants require a small conditions window.
• Have a high percentage of grasses.
Fall Y’all!
What is the Best Mulch?
• Pine straw out performs other mulches in allowing water absorption
• Reflects less heat upwards towards plants
• Looks better when a thin layer is required
• A thin layer is required if regeneration is the goal, or the meadow was built from seed
• Helps keep seed from drifting
• Keeps soil temperature from getting too hot
Maintenance
• Meadow is not complete when initially planted.
• Maintenance become part of the development process.
• The first year is the hardest.
• Meadow starts functioning properly after 3 years.
• Good meadow hygiene will allow the site to establish faster.
• Timing is everything.
