|
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 |
|

|
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.
|