You are always welcome to contact our office and come out to witness our bi-annual prairie grass burn.  Prairie grass and wildflower facts:

• Did you know that when the office was first built in 2000, a wildlife biologist was selected to hand pick and hand-broadcast plant over 30 species of native prairie grasses and flowers to our 1/3 of an acre back hillside along the Zumbro River? 
• Three goals were accomplished with this planting:
  • First was the establishment of a beautiful native bed of grasses and flowers along the city’s pedestrian river trail.
  • Second was a preservation tool of the species. The seeds can be harvested in the fall for other similar plantings.
  • Third is our dominant grass – Little Blue Stem. Little Blue was chosen for its root proliferation. Its root network will grow approximately one foot per year for the first approximately 7 – 8 years. It has now matured and is “mother nature’s retaining wall” holding the soil on this rather steep incline on our back hillside.
• The field mice love their home, but the overflying hawks have a hard time finding lunch!
• The prairie burn is typically mid-April and is considered a “pre-emergent” burn. Literally there is a scald to the overlying canopy of prior year stalks and remnant plant product. Some newly emerged undesirable weeds may also be scorched. However, the native grass and flowers have not yet emerged. When they do after this bi-annual burn, they are exceptionally beautiful and flourish that same season.
• You can see from the photo library that the professional team wet-lines the borders, caries full extinguishing gear and monitors the burn from first match to last ember soak. Within weeks the scalded hillside will recover with a new green bedding.
• The best time to broadcast new seeds in sparse regions is in January and February on the snow surface. The seeds will follow the melt into the ground. Planting in April through September is just more lunch for the birds!
• Come and enjoy the varying flowers and grass bloom, typically in late June to late August.

Mother Nature has provided rich and solid vegetation. Your teeth and gums were also designed as such. Careful attention by you and our team will retain this solid foundation for a lifetime. Come and experience Zumbro View Dental for yourself.

Prairie Burning