Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds will be participating in numerous presentations and events this spring. Many aspects about native plants will be covered during our presentations to help you learn more about growing and using native plants on your land and in your garden!
You can also purchase native seeds and native potted plants from us directly in May by visiting our booth at the Jackson County Master Gardeners Spring Fair.
Come learn more at one of the following presentations and events.
Seeds of Spring
Saturday, March 16, 2019
The Josephine County Master Gardeners host the annual Seeds of Spring Seminar each year in March at the Rogue Community College Redwood Campus in Grants Pass.
Suzie Savoie from Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds will be presenting on the topic:
Native plants support more biodiversity than non-native plants. Bring a little bit of wild nature into your garden with tips about the best native plants to grow and how to propagate them.
The OSU Extension Land Steward Program and Tree School Rogue present this annual, one-day conference at the Rogue Community College Redwood Campus in Grants Pass
Suzie Savoie from Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds will be presenting on the topic:
“Growing Native Plants from Seed: Seed Collection, Cleaning & Propagation”
Learn the tricks of the trade to propagate your favorite native plants from seed. This class will present basic skills for successful seed collection, cleaning and propagation to grow native plants for land stewardship, biodiversity, habitat restoration, native plant conservation and pollinators. Native plant seeds have a reputation as being difficult to grow, but with some basic skills and a willingness to experiment you can propagate beautiful native plants from seed. Topics will include ethical native seed collection techniques, seed cleaning with basic home supplies, seed germination requirements for specific species, growing native plants in containers, and direct seeding techniques. Information presented in this class will be tailored to landowners and land stewardship in the Klamath-Siskiyou region.
40th annual Jackson County Master Gardener Spring Garden Fair at the Jackson County EXPO.
Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds will have a booth at the fair with a large selection of native plants and native seed packets for sale. Come see us at our booth!
Suzie will also give a presentation during the fair, “Grow Your Own Native Plants,” at 1pm on Saturday.
We will also be presenting on native plant propagation for the Applegate Garden Club on March 28th at the Ruch Library, and guiding a native plant walk on Mount Ashland for the OSU Klamath-Siskiyou Ecoregion Master Naturalist Course on June 16th. Stay tuned for more events this summer!
Native plant species have different seed germination requirements. Grow your own native plants from seed using Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seed’s updated and detailed Seed Germination Chart. With seed germination information for 167 species listed on the chart, you will have the information you need to grow beautiful native plants!
Want to grow native horsemint (Agastache urticifolia) for pollinators? Our Seed Germination Chart can help!
Go from this:
Horsemint (Agastache urticifolia) seed
Horsemint (Agastache urticifolia) seedlings
Horsemint (Agastache urticifolia) nursery plants
To this:
Horsemint (Agastache urticifolia) in the Siskiyou Mountains
Horsemint (Agastache urticifolia)
Horsemint (Agastache urticifolia) with parnassian butterfly
With many years of native seed collection and propagation, and lots of experimentation, trial and error, and research, we have developed a handySeed Germination Chartas an easy, go-to reference for native seed germination for native plant species that grow in the Klamath-Siskiyou region.
Although our individual seed packets come with seed germination instructions written on the back of the packet, having a chart with the seed germination requirements for many species is a helpful reference when planning a seeding project. Growing native plants is a lot easier when you know the specific seed germination needs for individual species.
Click on the link below to view or download the 5-page chart with 167 species!
Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds provides seeds for native plant research at universities, botanical gardens, commercial nurseries, non-profits, and other professional fields; however, our largest customer base is composed of those who are propagating native plants in a home or homestead nursery on a small scale. Many have never grown native plants from seed before, but we’re here to help everyone succeed at growing the native plants they love from the wild. Grow Native, Grow Wild!
Basic Seeding Methods for the Native Home Nursery
When it comes to growing native plants on a small scale or in a home or homestead nursery, there are many methods one can take to propagate the seeds purchased from Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds. Small scale, DIY native plant propagation can be a fun and productive way to add native plants in your landscaping, or to increase native plant diversity on your land. Whether you want to grow a couple plants, or hundreds of plants, the methods we highlight may help your project succeed!
Large, commercial native plant nurseries utilize high-tech equipment to propagate native plants: soil mixers, seed flat fillers, seeding machines, dibblers, conveyor belts, misters, fertilizer injectors, walk-in refrigerators, seedling heat mats, etc. Even without all this equipment, however, home nurseries can still grow some amazing plants! Using simple methods you can grow like the pros in an efficient and inexpensive way. Home nurseries can use available containers already on hand to propagate native seed, or can purchase or reuse specialized containers specific for the species you are growing. From a tablespoon of seed placed in a single gallon-sized pot, to a dozen seed trays or a few seed flats, any size seed project will get you on your way to growing native plants.
The native home nursery can use bulk soil from soil suppliers, or readily available bags of soil from nursery supply stores or garden centers. Keep in mind that many very drought tolerant native plants will need extra drainage in the soil mix in order to prevent the roots from rotting. Adding extra perlite or pumice to the mix can give you the extra drainage needed to successfully grow native drought tolerant plants in containers.
Many of you may have developed your own tried and true methods over the years that work well for you. Everyone does things a little different and these ideas are just the tip of the iceberg — there’s always so many more exciting ideas out there! Experimentation is the key to successful native plant propagation.
Nurseries can use a lot of plastic, and with serious issues with plastic pollution around the world, it’s best to clean and reuse as many nursery supplies as possible. While growing native plants for the benefit of nature, we should be very conscious of the amount of garbage produced. If you need to purchase new containers or seed starting trays and other nursery supplies, Stuewe & Sons in Tangent, Oregon is a good place to find what you need.
The following seed sowing methods and options should be taken after learning the specific seed germination requirements for the species you are growing. Each product page we feature has seed germination requirements listed below the species description. Our seed packets also come with seed germination requirements right on the packets. For more information about seed germination please check out the links on our Seed Propagation page on our website.
Sowing Many Seeds in Single Containers
Heartleaf milkweed (Asclepias cordifolia) seedings in a large band pot.
Oregon checkermallow (Sidalcea oregana) seeded into a one gallon pot.
This method uses a single container to grow many seedlings for transplanting. Any size container will work, depending on the plant species. Seed is sprinkled onto the soil medium with the expectation that many seedlings will emerge within the single container. The seed should be lightly covered with sieved potting soil, perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss, poultry grit or nursery grit, depending on the species. The general rule of thumb is to cover seeds twice as deep as the seed is wide. Very small seeds and those that require light to germinate should remain uncovered on the soil surface.
Transplanting is normally done when two to three true leaves have developed. Transplanting involves “pricking out” the seedlings after loosening the soil medium around them. This method works well for species with fibrous root systems that are easy to transplant, but is not recommended for taprooted species that can be more difficult to transplant.
Pros: Sowing many seeds into single containers and “pricking out” transplants saves space in the nursery and is less work up front. Many plants can be grown from seed originally sown into only a single container.
Cons: If seed is sown too thickly dense seedlings can be susceptible to “damping off” and other diseases. Transplanting and “pricking out” can be laborious and time intensive.
Label your containers as you sow seed in them. It’s good to put the seed source information on the labels, along with the sowing date and any other relevant information you want to keep track of.
Seed Trays
Lomatium californicum seed tray
Lomatium californicum seedlings
There are many types of seed starting trays, with varying size cells and soil capacities. Starting seeds in seed trays is probably the most familiar method of native seed propagation. In this method either a single seed or several seeds are sown into individual cells within the seed tray. If several seedlings emerge within a single cell they can all be retained for a fuller plug, or they can be cut and thinned to a single seedling. Placing more than one seed per cell ensures at least one seed germinates in each cell.
The seed should be lightly covered with sieved potting soil, perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss, poultry grit or nursery grit, depending on the species. The general rule of thumb is to cover seeds twice as deep as the seed is wide. Very small seeds and those that require light to germinate should remain uncovered on the soil surface.
Transplanting is normally done when two to three true leaves have developed.
Pros: Each plug can be easily removed individually and transplanted into a larger container. Damage to roots is unlikely during transplanting if done with care.
Cons: Seed trays can take up a lot of space in the nursery. Some taprooted species may require deep seed trays to prevent transplant shock and/or root deformation. Most seed trays are 2.5″-3″ deep, but taprooted species may do better in deeper trays, like 5″ deep.
Oregon checkermallow (Sidalcea oregana) seedlings in a seed tray
Broadleaf lupine (Lupinus latifolius) seedlings in seed tray
Seed Flats
Utilizing seed flats is similar to sowing seeds into individual containers, however, flats are generally larger and more shallow. Seed is sprinkled onto the soil medium with the expectation that many seedlings will emerge within the seed flat. The seed should be lightly covered with sieved potting soil, perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss, poultry grit or nursery grit, depending on the species. The general rule of thumb is to cover seeds twice as deep as the seed is wide. Very small seeds and those that require light to germinate should remain uncovered on the soil surface.
Transplanting is normally done when two to three true leaves have developed. Transplanting involves “pricking out” the seedlings after loosening the soil medium around them in the seed flat. This method works well for species with fibrous root systems that are easy to transplant, and is not recommended for taprooted species that can be more difficult to transplant, but experimentation is always good.
Pros: Sowing many seeds into seed flats and “pricking out” transplants saves space in the nursery and is less work up front. Many plants can be grown from seed originally sown into a single seed flat.
Cons: If seed is sown too thickly dense seedlings can be susceptible to “damping off” and other diseases. Transplanting and “pricking out” can be laborious and time intensive.
Small Pots
Horsemint seedings in 4″ pots
Tray of 4″ pots for seeding
Much like a many-celled seed tray, placing many small pots into a tray and sowing seeds in them can also be a good way to grow individual plants without crowding. Any size small container can be used for this method. Do you have a lot of 4″ pots around from purchasing plants from nurseries or from veggie starts? Put them to use growing native plants!
Sow one to a few seeds per individual small container. The seed should be lightly covered with sieved potting soil, perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss, poultry grit or nursery grit, depending on the species. The general rule of thumb is to cover seeds twice as deep as the seed is wide. Very small seeds and those that require light to germinate should remain uncovered on the soil surface.
Pros: Small plants can be grown directly into a container that can then be transplanted directly into the ground or upsized into a larger container. Root damage and transplant shock are minimized.
Cons: More soil is needed upfront to germinate seeds in individual small containers. This method takes up more space for germinating seeds than seed trays.
Pony Packs
Seeding pony packs with native seeds
People that buy vegetable starts in the spring end up with a lot of extra pony packs that can then be reused to grow native plants.
In this method either a single seed or several seeds are sown into individual cells within the pony pack. If several seedlings emerge within a single cell they can all be retained for a fuller plug, or they can be cut and thinned to a single seedling. Placing more than one seed per cell ensures at least one seed germinates in each cell.
The seed should be lightly covered with sieved potting soil, perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss, poultry grit or nursery grit, depending on the species. The general rule of thumb is to cover seeds twice as deep as the seed is wide. Very small seeds and those that require light to germinate should remain uncovered on the soil surface.
Transplanting is normally done when two to three true leaves have developed.
Pros: Each plug from a pony pack can be easily removed individually and transplanted into a larger container. Damage to roots is unlikely during transplanting if done with care.
Cons: Pony packs may be too shallow for some taprooted species that require deeper seed trays to prevent transplant shock and/or root deformation.
Most home nurseries don’t have tubes on hand, however, if you find yourself with tubes you’ve bought from other nurseries, or were given tubes by someone to reuse, they are a great way to grow species that require a deep container, like taprooted species, or other species that are difficult to transplant.
In this method either a single seed or several seeds are sown into individual tubes. If several seedlings emerge within a single tube they can all be retained for a fuller plug, or they can be cut and thinned to a single seedling. Placing more than one seed per tube ensures at least one seed germinates in each tube.
The seed should be lightly covered with sieved potting soil, perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss, poultry grit or nursery grit, depending on the species. The general rule of thumb is to cover seeds twice as deep as the seed is wide. Very small seeds and those that require light to germinate should remain uncovered on the soil surface.
Pros: Great for taprooted species that need a deeper container for taproot growth. Individual plants can be grown in each tube, witch can then be easily planted in the ground or transplanted into a larger container when ready. Damage to roots is unlikely during transplanting if done with care.
Cons: Tubes require special trays to hold them, which can take up a lot of space in the nursery. Tubes and their trays can be expensive to purchase brand new.
Ellepots or Jiffypots
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) seedlings planted as germinates growing in Ellepots.
Silver lupine (Lupinus albifrons) seedlings in ellepots
Ellepots and Jiffypots are examples of premade miniplugs or small-volume, mostly biodegradable containers that you can purchase for starting seeds. Products like these have fully or mostly biodegradable wrappers and the entire plug can be transplanted, eliminating transplant shock and preserving healthy root structure. Take note that not all products like these are eco-friendly. Jiffy pellets (a type of Jiffy pot) have nylon mesh that is photo degradable that can break down in several years, but it is still a plastic product.
In this method either a single seed or several seeds are sown into Ellepots or Jiffypots. If several seedlings emerge within a single pot they can all be retained for a fuller plug, or they can be cut and thinned to a single seedling. Placing more than one seed per pot ensures at least one seed germinates in each pot.
The seed should be lightly covered with sieved potting soil, perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss, poultry grit or nursery grit, depending on the species. The general rule of thumb is to cover seeds twice as deep as the seed is wide. Very small seeds and those that require light to germinate should remain uncovered on the soil surface.
Pros: Ellepots and Jiffypots come premade and are easy to work with. After roots fill out the pots the entire pot can be transplanted without transplant shock.
Cons: Special trays may be required to hold Ellepots or Jiffypots, and the product is expensive and needs to be shipped to you unless you can purchase them at a local nursery supply stores. This method isn’t for everyone and a small trial run should be made before investing heavily in Ellepots or Jiffypots. Also, make sure the soil mix is right for the species you will be growing. Jiffy pellets are primarily composed of peat moss, which is beneficial for some species but not for others.
Sowing seeds vs. germinates (i.e. sowing sprouts)
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) seedlings planted as germinates growing in Ellepots.
Chokecherry seeds germinating in cold-moist stratification
Chokecherry seed in cold-moist stratification, wrapped in cheesecloth and kept in cold-moist conditions in peat moss.
Depending on the species being grown, some people prefer to germinate seed prior to sowing the seed. Seed germination requirements are followed to trigger seed germination and then germinates are individually planted into containers. This ensures that each container will have a viable plant, without the risk of germination failure, wasting less soil and creating a more uniform planting. This method is definitely not necessary, but it may be worth a try if you are unsure about the germination success of a certain seed lot, and you just want to be sure each container has a viable, germinating seed.
Pros: There is a higher seedling establishment rate and less soil wasted on “blanks” or seed that doesn’t germinate.
Cons: It is more work up front to germinate seeds ahead of sowing.
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) germinates after cold-moist stratification
Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) berries can be strung and dried for natural holiday decorations. Garlands and strings of red madrone berries are perfect for a Christmas tree or an eco-friendly necklace gifted under the tree.
Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds provides specialized native plant seed packets sourced straight from nature. We wildcraft (i.e. collect from the wild) native plant seeds from naturally occurring native plant communities on privately owned land and on public land under seed collection permits. Our focus on small seed lots helps us meet our high standards for sustainable and ethical seed collection. Due to natural fluctuations in seed production and our inconsistent ability to reach far-flung plant populations at just the right time for seed collection, our product inventory will vary throughout the year. We travel far and wide, and sometimes hike long distances throughout the Klamath-Siskiyou region to bring you the species you are looking for! Our small-scale, ecologically sustainable native seed packets are a product of an intimate knowledge of the land and many miles on hiking trails to get to the right location where we can sustainably collect small amounts of seed for our retail seed packets. In this blog post we want to highlight a few of the recent additions to our inventory, which now includes over 150 species! We are constantly updating our inventory, so check back occasionally to see if we have something new, or if we have a species in stock that we had been out of, that you just can’t live without!
New Products
Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii)
Bumble bee on Bolander’s sunflower-Helianthus bolanderi
Bolander’s sunflower (Helianthus bolanderi)
Scarlet fritillary (Fritillaria recurva)
Yellowleaf iris (Iris chrysophylla)
Blackcap raspberry (Rubus leucodermis)
Yellowleaf iris (Iris chrysophylla) and Blackcap raspberry (Rubus leucodermis)
Brown dogwood (Cornus glabrata)
Oregon whitetop aster (Sericocarpus oregonensis)
Brown dogwood (Cornus glabrata) and Oregon whitetop aster (Sericocarpus oregonensis)
Give the gift of native seeds this holiday season!
Are you looking for a unique, eco-friendly holiday gift for a nature-lover you know? Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds offers Gift Certificates that are available in any amount. Or you can purchase native seed packets to package and gift directly yourself.
Native seeds given as holiday gifts can be planted right away in order to achieve cold-moist stratification over the winter for springtime seed germination!
To order a gift certificate just send us an email at klamathsiskiyou@gmail.com
Native plant seeds are used for various applications. Many people use native seeds for growing plants for landscaping and native plant gardens, while others who own or manage land will use native seeds for habitat restoration projects. If you own or manage land you may have a goal of increasing native plant composition and diversity — using native seeds is a great way to achieve that goal! Seed germination is greatly improved if seeds have direct contact with the soil and there is limited competition from non-native plants and heavy thatch, so site preparation is one of the most important aspects of a successful native seed project. Site preparation can be achieved through various techniques, including solarization, tilling, herbicide use, or fire.
Solarization, using clear greenhouse or black plastic to heat the soil and kill existing vegetation and non-native seeds in the soil seedbank, is a good choice for small areas but can be difficult to pull off on a large scale. It is a non-toxic method and is worth trying if other other site prep techniques are not possible.
Tilling can work under certain situations but generally triggers germination of non-native plant seeds in the soil seedbank that thrive on soil disturbance. If tilling, try to only till the top 1″ of the soil to limit soil disturbance. The least amount of soil disturbance the better. Sometimes simply raking thatch back to the point where bare mineral soil is exposed can be all you need to sow native seeds and have successful seed germination.
Herbicide use is commonly used by restoration practitioners to kill off existing vegetation and replace it with native plants using native seeds. Although this method is effective, it is controversial for all the obvious reasons associated with herbicide use and we don’t use this method ourselves.
Fall 2018
Fall 2018
The site preparation technique we will feature is using fire to prepare a site for native seeds. The Klamath-Siskiyou region is a fire-adapted ecosystem where over millennia plant seeds have evolved to germinate profusely following a fire in order to recolonize the site. Fire naturally prepares a site by eliminating thatch and creating a mineral-rich seed bed of ash and bare soil, perfect conditions for seed germination.
Although federal land managers and large land conservancies do seeding projects following large prescribed fire projects, private landowners can create the same effects on a very small scale using simple techniques. If you have land that you have performed homesite defensible space work on and you have some burn piles to burn, turn those burn pile sites into small seed projects. After the burn pile has fully cooled down and is completely out you can sow the area with native seeds. Seeds are best sown in the fall in order to achieve cold-stratification requirements. A burn pile that was a small circle of ash and charcoal can turn into a profusion of native plants and wildflowers that will spread over time.
Native seedlings and plants growing from seed in burn pile sites.
Native plants growing from seed in a burn pile site
Native plants growing from seed in a burn pile site
Here at Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds (KSNS) we spend a lot of time photographing flowers and plants during the growing season; however, this time of year, as plants go dormant and we clean and package seeds for sale, we focus on taking pictures of the seeds themselves in order to help people get to know native plants on a more intimate level. Getting to know the seeds of native plants helps deepen the understanding of a plant’s lifecycle, growing habit, and reproduction.
As you sow native plant seeds this fall and winter take the time to closely observe the structure of the seeds you are planting. Aren’t they amazing? The color, texture, smell, and shape of a seed is as fascinating as the plants that emerge from them. Below is a selection of photos we would like to share that features a wide variety of seeds from native plants of the Klamath-Siskiyou region. Enjoy!
Want to support bird populations in your yard or on your land? Plant native plants!
New research has shown that the prevalence of non-native landscape and garden plants reduces the population of insectivorous birds. Because most birds rely on insects for food for themselves and their young, and because many insects are unable to use non-native plants, birds are less prevalent in areas with high percentages of non-native plants.
The research has shown that the threshold for habitat is 70%. That is, if a yard contains at least 70% native plants it will provide enough insects for food for viable populations of birds.
Yellow warbler Photo: Frank Lospalluto
As humans alter landscapes and transform native plant communities into developments with non-native plant landscaping and gardens, there is less and less habitat for insects, and less and less habitat for birds and many other native species. Plant biodiversity is important for insects like pollinators, as well as for all wildlife, including birds that need native plants in order to sustain healthy populations. Even in areas where human infrastructure dominates, planting native plants is vital to support local food webs.
Although the newly published research has been done by researchers associated with the University of Delaware, the implications are far reaching and applicable to the western U.S. as well.
Although it seems counterintuitive, many native species have seed that germinates in the fall. Seeds respond to fall rain or dew set that moistens the soil and triggers fall germination. This strategy enables these species to overwinter as a small rosette of leaves, ready to bolt and flower as soon as the weather warms in the spring. These cool season species get a jump start on growth in the fall in order to be more established before blooming.
In order to help these species achieve fall germination the seeds must be sown outside around the time of the first fall rain. The warm fall soil temperatures and rain trigger seed germination. For some species it is important to have them sown before the first significant fall rain comes, as this enables the seed to have enough moisture to germinate before the temperatures turn really cold.
Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds offers seed for the following annual species of wildflowers with seed that can germinate in the fall.
Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds will be participating in numerous presentations and events this spring. Many aspects about native plants will be covered during our presentations to help you learn more about growing and using native plants on your land and in your garden! 
Seeds of Spring
We will also be presenting on native plant propagation for the Applegate Garden Club on March 28th at the Ruch Library, and guiding a native plant walk on Mount Ashland for the OSU Klamath-Siskiyou Ecoregion Master Naturalist Course on June 16th. Stay tuned for more events this summer!
The native home nursery can use bulk soil from soil suppliers, or readily available bags of soil from nursery supply stores or garden centers. Keep in mind that many very drought tolerant native plants will need extra drainage in the soil mix in order to prevent the roots from rotting. Adding extra perlite or pumice to the mix can give you the extra drainage needed to successfully grow native drought tolerant plants in containers.
