We’re converting 12 acres of out‑of‑play to no‑irrigation fine fescue and little bluestem on sandy soils in central Nebraska to better tie the corridors into the prairie and cut total water about 25% over two seasons. For those who’ve done similar, what edge treatments and seasonal routines kept it reading designed and playable — say a 3–4 ft clean collar, a late‑winter mow, or a biennial burn — without creeping back into high inputs?