Seeds & Cuttings for Native Plants

Research Your Material

• Know a plant before you collect it. Research to find the fastest and easiest ways to propagate new ones. Some plants cannot be vegetatively propagated (by leaf or root cutting) and others take a lot of work and time to grow from seed. Find out where the plant likes to grow and where to collect it. The best place to collect material is your own property, since collecting native plants from the wild can violate laws and harm the environment. Many plants are protected because they are rare or endangered. Contact your local forest service for information.

Collect Correctly

• Proper storage and handling of material is key. Seeds should be collected in a paper bag to ensure proper drying, then cleaned and stored in a manner specific to the plant you are handling. When collecting from the wild, never strip all the berries or seeds from the plant or remove it by its roots. Cuttings should be kept cool and moist until they can be treated with rooting hormone (the chemicals that induce roots) and placed in potting mix.

Proper Seeding

• Native plant seeds generally tend to need more drainage than other seeds. Mimic the conditions the seeds would fall into. For example, if a plant grows naturally in pine straw with sand, your media should be well drained, with sand mixed in. On average, mix your bottom layers of peat with pine bark soil conditioner, then spread a thin layer of peat over the top to sow your seeds into. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of peat and water. Cover the flats with a clear plastic lid or layer of plastic wrap to help retain moisture. When the seeds begin to germinate, remove the cover and maintain moisture levels with a spray bottle.

Proper Cutting

• Cutting refers to taking part of a plant, dipping it in root hormone and keeping it moist until it develops its own roots. Such material will be taken from the branch tips or roots, depending on the plant. They must be handled with care from the beginning. Keep them cool and moist, with no direct light. Harvest in plastic bags with a moist towel inside, and store them in a cooler until they can be processed. When taking your cuttings, look for new growth that has hardened off slightly. Ensure that the leaves have opened fully and do not wilt immediately, and that the stem can bend at a 45-degree angle, but no more, without breaking. Don't take cuttings from flowering stems, because they won't produce good roots. Finally, make a fresh diagonal cut on the stem, remove all but three leaf nodes, and dip immediately into a rooting hormone. Stick the cutting into a peat-pine bark mixture and mist immediately with a spray bottle. Maintain moisture until roots grow by storing in a humidity chamber -- a clear plastic bag or a flat with a lid -- and misting regularly.

Care for Plants

• After the seeds have sprouted or the cuttings have rooted, you can begin feeding them with a half dose of fertilizer. When the plants have developed good root systems, you can transplant them into your garden. Fertilize and water them regularly until they are established.