Ideal planting times are late September through early October or April through mid-May. For best results, remove all of the existing vegetation and prepare a seedbed. Before digging or tilling, you may want to apply a nonselective herbicide that contains glyphosate to kill perennial weeds that may be difficult to eliminate otherwise. You can seed within seven days after using this chemical. If you want to plant the native black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), you can do this by gathering seed (eyes) from wild plants, crumbling the "eyes," and scattering the fragments. If you plant the seed in the fall, you may want to cover the seedbed lightly with straw to reduce erosion. Black-eyed Susans will probably outcompete most of the weeds that emerge with them, but some weeding may be required for best results. Black-eyed Susans are annuals or short-lived perennials, so although reseeding will occur, the patch will not sustain itself indefinitely. If you want to maintain native vegetation on the berm, consider sowing seed of prairie grasses and other wildflowers along with the Susans.

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