The Use of Native Plants for Revegetation along West Virginia ...

cost more than $5.00 per pound of pure live seed (Ernst Conservation Seed, 2005). The harsh
environment found on roadsides tends to inhibit the successful establishment of the
competitively disadvantaged natives. Roadsides are typically seeded with aggressive species at
high rates. Once established, they form an almost impenetrable ground cover that makes the
establishment of native species nearly impossible
2.3. Revegetation Techniques
Cool season grasses begin growth in early spring and are generally highly productive in the
spring and early summer and again in the fall. Late spring and early summer warm season grass
plantings often fail due to dry soil conditions and competition from cool season grasses and
broadleaf weeds. Since both soil moisture and weed competition are affected by planting date,
early planting may take advantage of a larger amount and more even distribution of rainfall.
Some warm season grasses, such as Switchgrass, have large percentages of dormant seed, so
early planting may increase germination by exposing the seeds to cool moist conditions in the
seedbed. A study conducted in eastern Nebraska found that early plantings, especially those
done in March, produced Switchgrass seedlings that were more advanced developmentally and
had greater shoot and adventitious root biomass than later plantings performed in May. May
plantings did not catch up developmentally until July and never caught up in biomass (Smart and
Moser, 1997). Other research suggests seeding Big Bluestem, Indiangrass, and Switchgrass in
mid-April to mid-May to maximize emergence percentage and reduce the risk of high
temperature and moisture stress, although successful stand establishment could be achieved with
later seeding dates provided there is ample precipitation after seeding (Hsu and Nelson, 1986;
Vassey et al., 1985).
It has been suggested that the addition of fertilizer does not greatly benefit native species
plants, but rather it encourages the growth of invasives. An Australian study found that the
addition of nutrients to low fertility soils is a critical prerequisite for invasion by non-native
plants (Lake et al., 2004). Swan et al. (1993) found soil amendments were not needed to obtain
good establishment of natives on Tennessee roadsides. A study looking at non-native invasive,
non-native non-invasive, native invasive, and native non-invasive plant species response to
additional nutrients also found this to be true. There was a strong biomass response to additional
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