We know sagebrush… or at least we’re well acquainted. At High Mountain Nursery, the largest exclusively native plant nursery in the Inter-mountain region, we are striving to craft ever better sagebrush seedlings that improve upon current establishment rates. We’ve had millions of opportunities to practice - from arbuscula to wyomingensis - from New Mexico to Oregon. We’ve learned some things along the way. Our teamwork evidences an unyielding determination to keep wildlands native merged with lifelong passions for growing. We use every opportunity to expand our knowledge and then apply it in real, tough environments. Our one goal is to help our clients return a damaged land to one indiscernible from lands undisturbed – increasingly affordably.

Site – sourced seed is best.It’s no surprise to us when research and common sense converge. There is no debate in our minds; seed harvested from sites where seedlings are to be planted is best. We want to use your seed. Next best: we want to be eco-typically correct. We do everything in our power to honor that ethic. Currently we utilize the WWETAC WTM Provisional Seed Zone Maps - often referencing Omernik Level III eco-region maps for further guidance - when working with many seed companies to obtain the best seed choices commercially available for our clients’ sites.

Choices must be made. We’re annually forced to compromise. Given the nature of nature, budget deadlines as opposed to project timelines, we must speculatively offer sagebrush species endemic to the regions we serve. Utah being home, our inventory typically features Utah genetics

instead of nothing at all. However, given our druthers, we’d much prefer to use site-specific seed.

Call us to collect.Shorthanded? Out of time, botanists, or woven-poly bags? We have well-trained crews, botanical knowledge, and the field experience necessary to efficiently collect the correct seed at its peak from your site without creating another site in need of restoration. Ask us to provide you a collection quote. We think the cost well warranted when applied to the overall success of the install.

Singulation: it’s not just wonk-speak for one. Competition in nature is normal. Competition in a cell-sized root zone is not. At transplant we reduce the number of seedlings per pot (10 c.i.) to one. Our considered opinion is that this practice significantly increases establishment rates.

Mycorrhizae schmikeorrizuh.If we know more about space than we do about the deep blue seas, then where does that put mycorrhizae in the grand scheme of things? We think mycorrhizae are the next frontier. We routinely employ them using multiple strategies despite thin evidence supporting what we intuitively know to be important to successful restoration. We’ll work with you, or the mycologist of your choice, to establish the proper endos and ectos in and on your plants. We do nothing to preclude their survival. By design we fertilize at very low rates. No fungicides are applied after transplant. No systemic insecticides or pre-emergent herbicides are used on sagebrush. No neo-nicotinoids. At times we run our soils dry to condition plants and prevent disease, but not to the point of damaging living tissue on sagebrush or fungi. That would be a silly thing to do.

Yes. Soil incorporated is traded over-the-counter (OTC).We recognize thatsoil is a mysterious thing. What, beyond a patent attorney, makes a Yellow Granex No. 2 onion a sweet Vidalia? Soil. We have the equipment and the handling experience to mix soil from your site into our growing mix – for an additional fee to cover weeding, potential fungal losses, and additional handling. One more catch: You must collect and deliver the soil to our facilities. We believe that, like mycorrhizae, despite little hard evidence supporting better establishment of soil-incorporated seedlings, the keys to success probably lie at our feet. We’re certainly eager to dig further in order to grow you a better plant.

We don’t sell hothouse flowers. Every plant we sell is hardened to withstand the seasonal conditions they will encounter once planted. In winter, we reduce temperatures 5 degrees every week until the heat is off, then we throw them outside. In summer, we simply grow outside in full sun once the plug has been established in the pot. However, sometimes in spring and fall, shipping up mountain poses problems.

The Bottom-line. We know our costs. We have used that knowledge to produce improved plants and to save our clients’ money. Our goal is more restored land. Here’s proof: A 16-week-old sagebrush seedling, 3” to 6” in height (species dependent), fully-rooted in a 10 c.i. Ray Leach Conetainer is $1.05. Price does not include delivery. 1000 plant minimum. To obtain larger plants: Add time. Pinched plants: Add 2 cents per plant. Mycorrhizae incorporated: Add 2 cents per plant. Site-soil incorporated: Add 5 cents per plant. Volumes greater than 10,000 units: Let’s talk further about your project.