Roadside Revegetation

IMPLEMENTATION GUIDES
You can get a rough idea of how many seeds should be acquired by using the seed tests
and a nursery factor of 30 percent. If the nursery requests significantly more seeds, then it is
appropriate to inquire why more seeds are needed.
Starter Plants – Most large container stocktypes are started by moving smaller plants into
larger containers or into bareroot growing beds. This practice is called transplanting, and it
produces quality plants with large, fibrous, healthy root systems and large stems. Starter plants
are typically grown from seeds or cuttings into small plants and then transplanted. In some
cases, wildlings can be salvaged from the construction site and brought back to the nursery
for transplanting. When ordering large containers, it should be specified that there will be at
least one, and sometimes two, transplanting operations. Growing starter plants large enough
for transplanting usually takes a year. They are then transplanted, usually in the spring or fall,
and grown for another year or two. If seedlings or rooted cuttings are available from other
sources, these can be sent directly to the nursery for transplanting, which would decrease
production time by a year.
Rooted Cuttings – Rooted cuttings (Figure 10-84) can be shipped directly from the nursery
for outplanting or serve as starter plant material for transplanting into larger containers. One
big advantage of this stocktype is that cuttings can be collected each year, whereas seeds
may be more difficult to procure. While cuttings of most species are derived from stems or
branches, some species like, quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) must be started from roots.
Rooted cutting production is discussed in detail in Section 10.2.5, Nursery Cutting Production.
Develop Growing Contract
All nurseries experience weather extremes, insect or disease losses, equipment failures, and
other production problems that can severely decrease the quantity and quality of the stock.
Therefore, it is a good strategy to reduce these inherent risks by growing plants at more than
one nursery. In doing this, you will begin to see the strengths and weaknesses of each nursery.
Future ordering can use this information to decide where to grow each species.
Nursery Selection – The western United States has an abundance of nurseries that grow native
plants, but few will offer plants from source identified plant materials specific to your project.
Obtaining genetically appropriate plants will require finding nurseries willing to grow seedlings
from specified genetic material. A current list of native plant nurseries can be found in the
Plant Materials Directory (see Section 10.2.6.6, Obtain Seeds or Other Starter Plant Materials).
When considering a nursery for plant production, there are some basic factors to consider:
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Proximity. Is the nursery close enough to visit occasionally?
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Service. Is the staff easy to contact? Do they promptly return phone calls or e-mails?
Are they friendly and helpful?
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Expertise. Are they knowledgeable in restoration and revegetation?
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Years in business. Has the nursery been in business for at least 3 years?
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Seedling quality. Is the overall seedling quality high?
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Seedling quantities. Are the orders regularly met or do they consistently run short?
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Price. Are prices competitive?
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Willingness. Will the nursery try new things?
Figure 10-84 | Rooted cuttings
Rooted cuttings are the quickest and
easiest way to produce some woody
plants, such as cottonwoods and willows.
If there are doubts about one or more of these factors, you might consider growing at another
nursery. Ultimately, the selection comes down to personal experience with nurseries and
word- of-mouth from other revegetation specialists.
Seedling Orders– A plant production contract must detail the information you have developed
in previous sections of this chapter:
Roadside Revegetation: An Integrated Approach to Establishing Native Plants and Pollinator Habitat
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