All You Need to Know About Plugs

Have you ever heard the term "plug" used when chatting with a Satinflower Team member? Plugs are seedlings that are started by seed and grown in a cell filled with soil. It's the first container stage of the plants' lifecycle at the nursery after a species is sown by seed. At the nursery, we start most of our plants in plugs and then plant them to larger pot sizes as they develop. Sometimes, we make plugs available for general sales. We also custom-grow plugs for a variety of restoration projects.  Our plugs are sold in blocks of fifty (fifty cells in a tray). Plugs can be grown to various depths and sizes; ours are star-shaped 4.5" deep plugs and hold 142 cc in volume.

Advantages

The cost of plugs depends on the species, but typically forbs/gramanoids are $3/plug. Thus, they are economical for planting over larger areas and have a suite of other advantages, like being easier to transport and taking less time to plant. In sensitive sites where planting larger pots may not be feasible (e.g. shallow, rocky soil), they can be advantageous because of their small size (smaller holes needed).

Timing and Maturity

Plugs are sown by seed in fall and/or spring  and usually take 3 months to a year or more before becoming available. Timing to maturation depends on the species. Some species sprout soon after sowing and become available quickly, while others stay dormant through winter and sprout in spring, taking longer to mature. We ensure that our plugs are fully rooted and healthy before sale.  We grow our plugs outdoors without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers. These approaches help ensure outplanting success and reduce transplant shock.

Planting Approaches and Densities

Planting plugs requires a small hand trowel or hori-hori knife. Roots can be loosened ahead of planting as required. Using a small hand tool, a small incision into the soil allows for enough room for a plug to be inserted, minimizing soil disturbance and improving ease of planting.  It is important that plugs are inserted at an appropriate depth. Planting density depends on factors like habitat type, starting conditions, and the species being planted. Sometimes logistics and planting budget also play a key role in deciding how many plants to install. Generally, 5 to as many as 20 plugs per meter squared can be used. We are always happy to help you decide on an appropriate density for your specific site. 

We hope this blog has helped shed some light on the lifecycle of plugs at the nursery, their availability, costs, and planting densities. Thank you for reading!

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