Prairie On Winnipeg

Ready to give growing native plants from seed a try? Here are some tips for seeding, put together with help from our friends at Prairie Originals!
Seeding Instructions

  • When selecting an area to seed, choose or prepare a spot in your garden or yard that is bare soil where there will be little competition for sunlight with other plants or weeds. The seed will need good soil contact to germinate and grow. All of the seed harvested from our sites should do well in full sun/part shade and low to medium moisture areas.
  • If planting a seed mix, seeding can be done from late Apr-July or from Oct-Nov before the snow falls. If seeding in the spring, some seeds will germinate immediately and some will wait until the following spring. If seeding individual species, see the plant list below for specific germination requirements.
  • Planting a prairie patch from seed requires a little bit of patience. In the first year the plants will remain quite small while they are establishing their roots and they will require regular watering and keeping weeds down around them. In the second year watering should only be required during long dry spells. After that, prairie plants require very little maintenance! Blooms should start to appear in years 2 and 3.
  • Stratify means to give a cold, moist treatment. This can be done naturally by direct seeding in the ground in late fall (Oct-Nov) or early spring (Mar-Apr) and allowing the seed to go through the snow melt and begin sprouting when the time is just right. Or you can begin the process indoors by wrapping a single layer of seeds in a moist paper towel (squeeze moisture out until no drips fall to avoid mold growth) and place the paper towel in a sealed plastic bag or container in the fridge for 6 weeks.
  • Scarify means to rub with coarse sandpaper to gently break the seed coat before planting.

Share your prairie progress photos on social media by tagging us and using #PrairieOnWinnipeg in the comments. We’d love to see!

Happy seeding!
Helpful Videos

Outdoor Seeding
Indoor Seeding
Seed Stratification
Seed Scarification
Seed Harvesting Pt. 1
Seed Harvesting Pt. 2
Germination Requirements​
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  • Alumroot - Do not cover seed.
  • Awned Wheatgrass - Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Big Bluestem - Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Black Eyed Susan – Do not cover seed – needs light to germinate.
  • Blue Grama - Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Blue Vervain – Do not cover seed. Stratify for six weeks.
  • Canada Wild Rye – Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Coneflower – Do not cover seed – needs light to germinate.
  • Cutleaf Anemone - Stratify for six weeks.
  • False Sunflower – Stratify for six weeks. Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Gaillardia – Do not cover seed.
  • Giant Hyssop – Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Giant Wild Rye - Stratify for six weeks.
  • Golden Alexander - Stratify for three months. Germinates in 12-21 days at 6 - 12 °C.
  • Green Needle Grass - Stratify for six weeks. 
  • Harebell - Do not cover seed.
  • Heartleaf Alexander - Stratify for three months. Germinates in 12-18 days at 6 - 12 °C.
  • Helenium – Do not cover seed. Stratify for six weeks.
  • Joe Pye - Stratify for six weeks.
  • Little Bluestem – Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Many Flowered Aster – Do not cover seed.
  • Meadow Blazing Star - Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Narrowleaf Sunflower - Stratify for six weeks.
  • New England Aster – Do not cover seed.
  • Pearly Everlasting - Do not cover seed. Stratify for six weeks.
  • Pink Onion - Germinate at 23 °C, takes about 35 days to germinate.
  • Prairie Dropseed - Stratify for six weeks.
  • Purple Prairie Clover – Scarify seed. Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Sheep Fescue – Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Showy Goldenrod – Do not cover seed. Stratify for six weeks.
  • Side Oats Grama – Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Smooth Aster – Do not cover seed.
  • Sorghastrum - Stratify for six weeks. 
  • Stiff Goldenrod – Do not cover seed.
  • Swamp Milkweed – Stratify for six weeks. Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Three Flowered Aven - Stratify for six weeks and germinate outdoors in early spring, or seed in fall. Slow growing.
  • Upland White Aster – Do not cover seed.
  • Western Silvery Aster - Do not cover seed.
  • Whorled Milkweed - Stratify for six weeks.
  • Wild Bergamot – Cover seed to a depth of 2-4x the thickness of the seed.
  • Wild Columbine - Stratify for six weeks, takes 35-45 days to germinate.
  • Wild Flax - Stratify for two weeks.
  • Yarrow – Do not cover seed – needs light to germinate.


Pollinator Mix 2022 includes:
  • Heartleaf Alexander
  • Purple Prairie Clover
  • Giant Hyssop
  • Blue Vervain
  • Coneflower
  • ​Yarrow


Aster + Goldenrod Mix 2022 includes:
  • Upland White Aster
  • New England Aster
  • Many Flowered Aster
  • Smooth Aster
  • Stiff Goldenrod
  • Showy Goldenrod