Planting and Care Instructions

Follow these 7 steps for successful planting of your native plants:

A person using a shovel to dig a hole in the ground surrounded by purple flowers and dirt.

Dig a hole a litter bigger than the pot

A gardening trowel stuck in the ground with a black plastic pot containing a green plant, and a garden hoe lying nearby in the soil with small purple flowers and green plants growing around.

Fill the hole with water and let it soak into the ground

A person planting a small green plant in the soil outdoors.

Mix the removed dirt with compost in a 50/50 ratio

Person holding a spherical object in an outdoor setting with plants and soil.

Carefully remove the plant from the pot and gently rough up the roots so that some are free

Person holding a freshly dug root vegetable, possibly a celeriac or similar, with soil and another plant nearby.
Person planting or tending to small plants or seedlings in soil outdoors.

If you have it, rub a small amount of a mycorrhizal inoculant directly onto the roots (you can buy what we use at WinterCreek Nursery in our sales office). If you don’t have this, it’s ok - your plants will still live

Place the plant in the hole so that the crown of the plant is about 1 inch below the level of the surrounding dirt - this will help with moisture accumulation

Person watering a hole in the ground with a garden hose in a garden or outdoor area.

Fill the hole in with the dirt/compost mixture and water to remove air pockets and ensure the roots have good contact with soil

Care Instructions for Plant Giveaways

Did you get a free plant at Earth Day, from Pollinator Pathways, or at a WaterWise event? Click below for specific care instructions:

Great Basis Sagebrush

  • Water deeply 3x per week for the first two months. It will root quickly and within a month, roots will be deeper than you can dig. After the first two months, you can reduce water to 1x per week for the remainder of the season. Next season you can reduce water to 1x per month or not at all.

A series of six plants for wetter conditions

  • This six pack contains

    • Golden Rod (Solidago canadesnsis)

    • Douglas’ Aster (Symphyotrichum douglasii)

    • Barbatus Penstemon (Penstemon barbatus)

    • Mountain Hollyhock (Illiamna ribularis)

    After planting water 3x per week for 2 months. Then reduce water to 1x per week for the rest of the season. Next season you can water 1-2x per month.

A series of 6 plants for dryland conditions

  • This sixpack contains:

    • Common Yarrow (Achillea millifolium)

    • Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoense)

    • Munro’s Globemallow (Sphaeralcea munroana)

    • Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata)

    After planting water deeply 2x per week for 2 months. Then reduce water to 1x per week for the rest of the season. Next year you can water 1x per month.