When Should You Plant Native Plants in PEI?

Spring is the time to plant bare-root native trees and shrubs in PEI, while potted plants can go in at any point in the growing season if they are watered well. Fall suits most native seed, which needs a winter outdoors before it will sprout.

Why Does Bare-Root Stock Have to Go In During Spring?

Bare-root trees and shrubs are sold with no soil around their roots, which makes them quick to dry out. A PEI Department of Agriculture planting fact sheet says bare-root saplings need to be planted in spring and cannot go dry at any point before planting, warning that even 5 minutes on a hot, windy day can kill the roots.

If planting has to wait, the same fact sheet says bare-root saplings can be held in cool, covered conditions for a few days with the roots kept moist. Seedlings from the province's J. Frank Gaudet Tree Nursery reach participating garden centres after May 1 each year.

Can Potted Native Plants Go In During Summer or Fall?

Plants grown in containers can be planted at any time during the growing season if they are kept well watered, according to New Brunswick's provincial planting guidance. The PEI fact sheet makes a similar point, noting that container stock tolerates the growing season better than bare-root stock.

Fall planting has its own advantages, and the Nature Conservancy of Canada points out that the ground is still warm in early fall and many plants are still growing roots. New Brunswick's guidance gives deciduous trees and shrubs a fall window from the time the leaves change colour until the ground freezes, and suggests finishing evergreens by mid-September so their roots can settle before the soil freezes.

How Much Water Does a New Planting Need?

New plants need steady water until their roots spread into the surrounding soil, whatever the season. The PEI fact sheet recommends daily watering for the first few weeks and favours slow, consistent watering over quick soakings. After that, New Brunswick's guidance suggests a thorough watering every three to five days when rain falls short, with mulch about 8 to 10 cm deep to hold moisture.

A summer planting needs the most attention, since it has to establish through the hottest, driest weeks of the year.

When Should Native Seed Be Sown?

Fall is usually the better time to sow native seed, because most native seeds need cold stratification, a period of cold, moist conditions, before they will germinate. Pollinator Partnership Canada notes that most native seeds require winter conditions to sprout, and a Canadian Wildlife Federation seed guide says fall sowing gives better germination in the first growing season.

Spring sowing still works, but the same guide warns that fewer species may come up until the second year. On clay soil it recommends spring sowing, while loam can be seeded in either season.

When Should Site Preparation Start?

Site preparation for a native planting should start months before planting day. The PEI fact sheet suggests preparing the ground in late fall or winter so competing plants have less chance to move in, and Natural Resources Canada advises preparing a tree planting site 6 to 12 months ahead.

For a spring planting, that means clearing and preparing the area the fall before.

When Should You Contact a Native Plant Nursery?

The sooner a nursery hears about a planting, the more time there is to check what may be available. Red Earth Restoration's nursery stock changes through the season, so send the species or site details, the approximate quantity and when you hope to plant.

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