How to Harvest Warm Season Grass Seed

Warm season grasses are those that mature and go to seed during the warm seasons of the year, i.e., summer into early fall. Two dominant grasses in tallgrass prairie are big bluestem and Indian grass. These grasses are well adapted for their habitat. They have extensive root networks reaching over 10 feet underground to anchor them in place and tap into deep water sources. Many of these grasses are pollinated by the wind. Collection will not be hard; rather navigation through the habitat may be difficult as some warm season grasses can grow over 8 feet tall.

Things You'll Need

• Garden gloves
• Pruning shears
• Paper bags
• Marker or pen

Instructions

1. Identify areas for collection. If you are collecting prairie grass seed, collection will either be taking place in restored habitat or native prairie. Monitor the area to learn when grasses have gone to seed. With some grasses, there may be a short window for collection, especially if windy or rainy conditions displace seeds.

2. Contact landowners or appropriate state or federal agencies for any necessary permissions or permits. Some areas may also contain threatened or endangered species. Access to these places may be restricted or off limits. Find out before you head out if collection is allowed.

3. Clean all tools and supplies prior to collection. To prevent contamination of samples, always begin with clean supplies. Rinsing and drying of tools should be sufficient.

4. Label paper bags with the location, date and plant species in permanent ink or marker. Always use paper bags for collecting seed to prevent mold and fungus. Noting location on the bag is important for later planting of the collected seed. Warm season grasses will do best if planted in areas with like conditions.

5. Use a separate bag for each species. Since warm season grasses can vary in size, it is important to know what species is being collected for future plantings.

6. Collect a representative plant specimen for the seed you are collecting. Always collect an intact specimen in case the label becomes unreadable. This will help you later identify the collected seed. Pruning shears may be helpful.

7. While wearing gloves, draw your hand over the spikelet at the top of the grass. Seeds will easily come off the plant. Place them into the labeled paper bag, taking care to remove as much seed from your glove as possible.

8. Move to different areas within the collection site so as not to deplete seed stock from a single area. Many bird species rely on the nutrient-rich seeds for fall and winter food. Continue collection until the bag is nearly full.

9. Turn in seed for processing. Like other seed crops, warm season grasses must be processed to retain the viable seed stock. Contact your state Department of Natural Resources or local agricultural extension office for more information.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants when collecting warm season grass seed.

• Ticks, especially deer ticks which carry Lyme disease, are active during this time. Do not collect seeds unless you have applied a tick repellent.

References

• Wildlife Management Techniques Manual; "Collection and Field Preservation of Biological Materials"; Gary A. Wobeser, Terry R. Spraker, and V.L. Harms; September 1980
• "Ecology and Field Biology;" Robert Leo Smith; 1990
• University of Illinois Extension

Resources

• Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
• Virginia Tech--Grass Identification