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Salvaging Plants
All Year Round

 Salvaging of plants is typically discontinued during our drier summer months. Most plants will die from the shock of digging at this time of the year. Instead, we focus on maintaining the plants we've got in holding at the Bellarmine and Meadow Park facilities. We have weeding parties on a bi-monthly basis, complete with snacks and refreshments. These events will be announced at least one week in advance of their occurrence. With the return of seasonal rainfall in October (and possibly on unusual occasions throughout the summer) we reassemble to dig plants in the wild where volunteers can both help the NPSA and help themselves to high quality native plants.

 

 

Helpful Plant Salvaging Resources

 

Prairie Plant Seedling Photos (PDF - 3.6MB)

Native Plant Reference Book List (PDF)

Propagation by Hardwood Cuttings (PDF)

 

Washington State University
Gardening in Western Washington -
Native Plants
(Identifying, Propagating & Landscaping)

 

 

Salvaging Garry Oak Seedlings

salvage how-to's

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Grow Your Own Native Landscape: A Guide to Identifying, Propagating & Landscaping with Western Washington Native Plants

Go to this site for download of 1999 revision (PDF)
[January 2013 is tentative release of another revision.]

Working with native plants can have many great advantages for gardeners. A large part of this clearly organized guide is devoted to descriptions of native plants. Accompanied by simple black and white line drawings, each description contains information about the plant's habitat, advantages or disadvantages of using this plant, and methods of propagation. Other sections of the book contain information about how to decide what native plants would be best for your yard, detailed instructions for propagating and salvaging native plants, and an important section on problem aquatic and terrestrial plants.

 From:  Washington State University
Pages / Length: 118

Revision Date: 1999-06-01

Publication Date: 1996-02-01


 

preparing for plant salvaging

 

WHAT TO BRING/WEAR: Since the possibility of cold rain is significant during the wet salvage season (Oct through Mar), it's a good idea to bring rain gear with a wide-brimmed hat. Especially in the wet northwest, we ALWAYS recommend wearing layers of non-cotton clothes  - you'll stay warmer,  even if you do get wet.  Heavy, closed-toe shoes are a good idea to protect your toes from errant shovels and twisted ankles.

 

Don't forget to bring containers and drop clothes in/on which to transport the plants you dig! Plastic milk or bread crates, plastic pots and tote boxes are all good. Plastic bags ~will~ work, but can suffocate your plants when sealed, especially if you don't replant what you have salvaged immediately.

 

WHAT TO DIG: Look for plants that are no taller than your shoulders (or shorter). Other than ferns, AVOID evergreen plants since they typically don't survive salvaging even in the winter months. This is often because their leaves dry out easily, and their roots are not only hard to find, but don't readily grow back. ALWAYS aim to KEEP the SOIL around your salvaged plant's roots INTACT rather than exposing plant roots to the air.

 

replanting what you salvage

 

WHERE TO PLANT IT: Be thinking about re-installing whatever you salvage BEFORE air and soil temperatures freeze. Until you plant, be sure to keep your plants in cool shade, while keeping the roots and the soil moist (but NOT wet!). SOME AIR in the soil is instrumental to root survival, but so is minimal disturbance.

ALSO be sure to notice the environment from which you salvaged your plants.

            - Was it a sunny or shady location?

            - Was the soil wet, dry or mucky, sloped, flat, or buried under a healthful layer of forest moss and duff?

            - Was the plant growing from a rotten stump?

            - How close are the plants that you have salvaged growing together with other plants?

            - To what height and width will the plant I have salvaged eventually grow?

BECOME AWARE of these habitat details and then COPY or emulate them as best as you can. You'll have much greater success with the survival of your plantings.

 

ADD TO YOUR FINISHED PLANTINGS:

            - 1" - 2" of organic compost (any composted product that is fully decomposed, and which releases nutrients SLOWLY), then

            - 4"- 6" of woody mulch (arborists wood chips are MUCH better than bark chips). Place it AROUND your planting holes but not up to their stems, and barely over the roots to avoid rot and suffocation. Mulch enhances survival AND provides beneficial weed control, temperature moderation, improved water-holding, slow release fertility... the benefits are almost endless.

 

CARING FOR YOUR PLANTS: You've now put a lot of sweat equity into your plantings... To further ensure plant survival, you will want to water your new plantings periodically through the entire first, and possibly through the second growing season, to keep plant roots moist, but not wet. Drip irrigation systems may be the way to go if you cannot personally apply water on a regular basis.

 

Although I don't recommend fertilizing newly salvaged materials, SLOW release fertility (as provided by composted mulch or other organic debris) is much better for your installations than fast-release sources (including fresh manures and ALL quick-release synthetics). AVOIDING the use of fast-release fertilizers is actually one of our objectives, in part because they don't enhance soil mycorrhizal associations like slow-release organics do. As important, these chemicals quickly find their way into drinking water sources and salmon habitat with deadening effects.