Nurseries must be able to ensure the buyer that the agreed upon number of plants will be produced to the buyer’s specification and on schedule. 

Seeds for many species of native plants need pre-treatment including cold stratification prior to germination. Refrigerated cold stratification is required for the consistent and uniform germination necessary for contract growing, especially for nurseries located at lower elevations.  Natural stratification, using the winter sowing method where seeds are sown in containers in the fall and left outside during the winter, will not provide the consistent germination required for contract nursery production.

Ben More Mountain Nursey propagates native plants from seeds by sowing seeds into small-diameter, stabilized plugs for the establishment phase.  Seeds are cold stratified by refrigerating either the mini-stabilized plugs after sowing or using the baggy method prior to sowing in mini-plugs. After seedlings emerge, the mini plugs are potted up into the final growth containers.  Ben More Mountain Nursey also conducts baseline germination testing during propagation to manage the propagation process.