White Salmon TreeFest 2023 – Pre-Order Now!
The Underwood Conservation District (UCD) hopes you’re doing well with the onset of winter, and as we start to look forward to the new year, here is a “Save the Date” notice that we are planning TreeFest for Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Rhinegarten Park in White Salmon starting at 9:00 AM.
TreeFest has been a fun way to share native plant enthusiasm and welcome the spring, and we hope you can join us this coming year! TreeFest will have over 200 local landowners coming to pick up their pre-ordered native plant orders. We will also hold a “day-of” bare-root native plant sale for additional attendees and local nurseries providing potted stock for sale.
Underwood Conservation District (UCD) annually offers low-cost tree and shrub seedlings to residents in the Columbia Gorge. We offer a variety of conifers, deciduous trees, and shrubs. They come ready to plant as 1-3-year-old, bare-root or plug seedlings. Customers place orders online through the winter, then pick up plants at our annual TreeFest event.
How the Plant Sale works:
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Pre-order your plants online for the best selection. Online orders are accepted from late November through the end of February (sign up for our newsletter to be notified when sales begin each year)
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All species are sold in bundles of 10 plants. The prices listed are per bundle (10 plants). Smaller quantities may be purchased at our TreeFest event, where we offer single-item sales and create-your-own mixed bundles. Discounts are available for orders with 60 or more bundles of conifer trees; please call our office for details.
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All orders will be available for pick-up on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at our annual TreeFest event at Rheingarten Park in downtown White Salmon, WA. Please note: any orders not picked up will be donated to local restoration efforts. Sorry, we cannot offer refunds for orders canceled after the last day of February or for unclaimed orders.
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Email is the primary way we will communicate with you regarding your order. Please ensure that your email address is correct, and add ‘info@ucdwa.org’ to your safe sender’s list or contacts list.
We could also use volunteers to help pack trees on March 16 and/or 17. We’ll be packing bare-root seedlings into individual orders, and the more, the merrier! Please respond to Tova Tillinghast on whether you can participate, and we’ll make detailed plans from there! In the meantime, our online native plant sale is accepting pre-orders now.
Native Plant Sale FAQs
Q. When can I pre-order my plants?
2023 Pre-order sales will be accepted Monday, November 21, 2022, through February 28, 2023. You can pre-order plants in two ways:
ONLINE: Go to our website: www.ucdwa.org/shop. Fill a “shopping cart” and pay with your credit or debit card. This is the quickest and easiest way to go!
BY PHONE: Call us at 509-493-1936, option 3. We will enter your order online and process your payment.
Q. When Do I pick up my plants? what if I am not available?
All orders will be available for pick up on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at the UCD office in White Salmon, WA.
Please plan ahead and ask a friend or family member to pick up your order if you are not able to come on pick up day.
Any orders not picked up will be donated to local restoration efforts. Sorry, we are unable to offer refunds for unclaimed orders. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 509-493-1936, option 3, or email us at jan@ucdwa.org.
Q. what if i need to cancel my order?
We understand that plans change from time to time. We can offer full refunds on your order at any time during the duration of the online sale (i.e., until the last day of February). After online sales are complete, no refunds will be offered. Thank you for your understanding. To request a refund before March 1, please email jan@ucdwa.org or call 509-493-1936, option 3.
Q. how big of a vehicle do I need to transport my order?
Your plants are sold in compact bundles of bare-root plants; most orders are packed into one or two sleeping-bag-sized (or smaller) packages. For large orders (500+ trees), you may find a pickup truck bed or similar is easier.
Q. do you sell single plants? can I mix and match to create my own bundles?
Yes! UCD’s annual TreeFest event is held in conjunction with our pre-order pickups each March and features a walk-up sale for single stems with the ability to mix and match to create a customized mix of species tailored to your site. Prices vary, and plants are sold individually.
Q. how big are the individual plants? what do they look like?
Bareroot seedlings are just that — seedlings that have no soil around the roots. Most of our shrubs and trees are 12-18″ tall, with a similar amount of root. Often they don’t look like much at first, but despite their stick-like appearance, they sprout new growth shortly after planting. Our seedlings are restoration-grade, meaning that they are chosen for their hardiness and not necessarily their ornamental value.
Q. what do the age classifications mean (p-1, 1-1…)?
Each digit represents where and for how long the tree spent its growing time. The sum of all the digits is the total age of the plant.
• 1-0 The plant is 1 year old and has never been transplanted.
• Plug The plant is 1 year old and was grown in a greenhouse tray.
• P-1 2 years old: 1 year in a greenhouse and 1 in a transplant bed.
• 2-1 3 years old: 2 years in a seed bed and 1 year in a transplant bed.
• 1-1 2 years old: 1 year in a seed bed and 1 year in a transplant bed.
Q. how do I plant a bare-root seedling?
Proper planting of your bare-root seedlings is essential!
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get the most out of your planting effort:
Planting Forest Seedlings — Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
If you have any questions, please feel free to call our office at 509-493-1936 or email us at jan@ucdwa.org.
Q. how soon should I plant? what if I can’t plant right away?
Your seedlings have the best chances for survival if you plant them as soon after purchase as possible – preferably the same day you pick them up. Store newly purchased seedlings in a cool, dark location until they can be planted.
If you cannot plant immediately and your seedlings are stored for more than a few days, open the bag and dampen the roots periodically. Don’t soak or leave the roots submerged in water while the trees are in storage.
If it is going to be several weeks or more before you can plant, you can heel the trees in.
Q. Is the pick-up date subject to change?
Unfortunately, yes. We will do our very best to honor the set date for pickup. However, severe winter weather can sometimes delay our own receipt of the plants from the nurseries. If we have to change the pickup day, we will notify you by email as soon as possible.
Q. where else can I find native plants?
Here are some additional sources for native plants in our area:
Other area conservation districts’ annual plant sales
Hood River SWCD – https://hoodriverswcd.org/plant-sale/
Wasco County SWCD – https://www.wascoswcd.org/2023-native-tree-shrub-sale
Central Klickitat CD – http://ckcd.org/education/plant-sale/
Clark CD – https://www.clarkcd.org/native-plant-sale
Area nurseries
Humble Roots Nursery, Mosier, OR
503.449.3694, http://www.humblerootsnursery.com/
Native trees and herbaceous plants in containers. Nursery is available by appointment.
Lava Nursery, Parkdale, OR
541.352.7303
Wholesale sales of native conifer, bare-root seedlings.
French’s Farm, Lyle, WA
509.365.5222
Sweetwood Nursery, BZ Corner, WA
509.493.1907
Gator Creek Gardens, Carson, WA
509-427-0010, http://www.gatorcreekgardens.com/
Natives and ornamentals in containers.
Native seed sources
ProTime Lawn Seed, Portland, OR
503.239.7518, http://protimelawnseed.com/
Several different grass mixes, specifically for low-maintenance and drought tolerance.
Plants of the Wild, Tekoa, WA
509.284.2848, http://www.plantsofthewild.com/
A variety of seed mixes for both grasses and flowers, custom mixes available. Also sells native plants.
BFI Native Seeds, Moses Lake, WA
509.765.6348, http://www.bfinativeseeds.com/index.aspx
A variety of seed for both grass and forbs, custom mixes available.
