Frequently Asked Questions
Ordering/Office Questions
Is Bona Terra open all year?
YES! You can place an order at any time of the year! We just ask that you make an appointment for plant pick-up so we know when to expect you (in case we’re out collecting seeds, brewing compost tea, expanding the mother garden, etc).
Do you only sell to contractors?
No. It is our mission to provide native plants to anyone that wants them. Retail customers are welcome to make an appointment to visit the nursery, schedule a plant pick-up either at our office in Washington, DC or at the nursery in Indian Head, Maryland, and have plants delivered within our delivery radius. Find out how to order on our Plant Sales page.
I need a plant order as soon as possible, but I have not received an email response from the office. What should I do?
You can call us at (703) 407-0718 to speak with Jeremy directly. Beth, our office manager, is only in the office on Thursdays and Fridays to process orders.
Can I buy retail plants from Bona Terra?
You can place an order for pick-up or delivery by following the steps outlined on our Plant Sales page, or you can schedule a nursery visit. Please note that our nursery is a plant production area, and not a retail store.
If you don’t have a retail store, how do I buy retail plants?
Follow the instructions outlined on our Plant Sales page to place an order for pick-up or delivery or schedule a nursery visit.
Can I buy small quantities of plugs or partial flats?
YES! You can buy as little as a single plug. We do discount larger quantities of plugs, quarts, and gallons of the same species. We highly recommend picking up small orders at our office in Washington, DC or at the nursery in Indian Head, Maryland in an effort to reduce delivery emissions.
I want to buy 15 medium plugs of the same species. How would this be priced?
When you order a quantity between plug pack sizes, each plug is priced at the unit price of the smaller plug pack. For example, if you’re ordering 15 medium plugs, and the 10-plug pack is $30.24, the unit price for each plug is $3.02, so the cost of the 15 medium plugs would be $45.30 ($3.02 x 15 = $45.30).
What’s the difference between a small/short plug, medium plug, and large/deep root plug?
Some species grow deeper or shallower root systems, which is why we grow them in different sized plug containers. Different sized plugs come in different flat sizes, which means the numbers of plugs in different plug pack differs. Check the Notes Section on the Inventory List (in the farthest right hand column) to see quantities of each plug pack for each species.
| Plug Size | Plugs per Small Plug Pack | Plugs per Half-Flat Plug Pack | Plugs per Full Flat Pack |
| Small/Short | 12 | 36 | 72 |
| Medium/Deep Root | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Large | 8 | 16 | 32 |
Do you sell plants across the country?
No, we serve customers based in our ecoregion in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. We do not ship our plants and do not serve customers outside of our ecoregion since many of our plants are local ecotypes with genetics specific to this area.
Can I place an order now for pick-up in a few months?
Our plants are sold first come, first served. We are a microbusiness and are unable to hold orders for months at a time due to the cost of maintaining and guaranteeing living plants for such an extended period of time. When orders are placed, we schedule the pick-up date within 20 days.
How do I pay my invoice or bill from Bona Terra?
We will send you an invoice through Quick Books, which will contain a link to view your invoice and pay. When you view your invoice (click Review and Pay), you will have an itemized list of your order that you can print or download for your records. You can pay your bill online by clicking Review and Pay, or you can mail us a check to the address included in the email.
How do I return pots?
We have not purchased new plastic pots since 2020, and with pot returns and donations, we can continue to avoid contributing to the economy of new disposable plastic. If you’re returning pots from a previous Bona Terra purchase (with the return pots sticker), then let us know and we’ll give you 10% off your next Bona Terra retail purchase. If you would like to donate pots, please refer to our Accepted Pots Guide (below) before bringing them to be sure they conform to our nursery system; we have no way of disposing of pots that we cannot use. You can drop off pots at our office in Washington, DC or at our nursery in Indian Head, Maryland. We are also working on creating designated pot drop-off sites to make pot returns even easier! Let us know if you would to be a pot drop-off site!
Nursery Questions
Is Bona Terra open all year?
YES! You can place an order at any time of the year! We just ask that you make an appointment for plant pick-up so we know when to expect you (in case we’re out collecting seeds, brewing compost tea, expanding the mother garden, etc).
How do I make a nursery appointment?
Call Jeremy at (703) 407-0718 to schedule a nursery appointment if you need your plants within the same week. If you’re planning your nursery visit a week or more in advance, email us at bonaterra@bonaterradc.com to schedule. Please include a plant list (refer to our Inventory to see what is currently available), the conditions of your garden (amount of sun, soil-type, etc.), and have your plant questions prepared so we can better help you.
What should I expect when I’m visiting the nursery?
You should expect to see a residence, workplace, and plant production area, and not a retail store. Our nursery is outside and open to the weather, so prepare accordingly. You will have to contend with tripping hazards like irrigation hoses, tools, empty pots, and puddles, so work boots and sure-footing are highly recommended. Please walk on gravel paths and nursery plastic only. If you need additional mobility accommodations, we have an electric cart with one additional seat available.
I’m visiting the nursery and know I want to buy plugs. How do I get them?
Once you know which species of plants you want to purchase as plugs (please refer to our Inventory List), email or call us with your order to save time. Jeremy inspects every plant before it leaves the nursery, so waiting until you arrive will take a long time.
How do I return pots?
We have not purchased new plastic pots since 2020, and with pot returns and donations, we can continue to avoid contributing to the economy of new disposable plastic. If you’re returning pots from a previous Bona Terra purchase (with the return pots sticker), then let us know and we’ll give you 10% off your next Bona Terra retail purchase. If you would like to donate pots, please refer to our Accepted Pots Guide (below) before bringing them to be sure they conform to our nursery system; we have no way of disposing of pots that we cannot use. You can drop off pots at our office in Washington, DC or at our nursery in Indian Head, Maryland. We are also working on creating designated pot drop-off sites to make pot returns even easier! Let us know if you would to be a pot drop-off site!
Native Plant Questions
I want to plant natives in my garden, and I’m looking for plant recommendations. What should I do?
We will need more information about the conditions of your garden (light, moisture, soil type, etc.), your maintenance plan, and garden goals so that we can make the best plant recommendations for your space. We recommend visiting either the Consultations page (if you’re only looking for plant recommendations) or the Remote Design page of our website. Both will have forms for you to fill out that will give us more information, and we’ll follow up to schedule a phone consultation. Make sure you have paper and pen ready!
I have a specific native plant questions. What should I do?
Call Jeremy at (703) 407-0718. Jeremy has over 20 years experience growing, maintaining, and planting native plants in lots of different conditions, and will either be able to answer your question easily or direct you to the best place to find the information you’re looking for. Do not email your questions for Jeremy: he is almost always working in the nursery without hands free to type or text, but he has bluetooth! All emails go to the office, and are only checked by Beth on Thursdays and Fridays.
When is the best time to purchase/plant native plants?
You can plant natives year around! Native plants grow in cycles of active growth and dormancy, and planting during dormancy can enable your plants to take advantage of the full active growth season.
Planting seasons are frequently described in anthrocentric (human-centric) terms (spring, summer, fall, winter), which can cause a lot of confusion for novices. We have made this handy chart from a phytocentric (plant-centric) perspective, illustrating the planting seasons in terms of early growth, active growth, pre-dormancy, and dormancy, reflecting the growth cycles of the plants.
We have also included the benefits and key information you need to know when planting in each season.
| Planting Season | Benefits of Planting this Season | Key Information for Successful Planting |
| Early Growth Planting 3/10-5/15 | -Plants are breaking dormancy, active growth period -Reduced risk of plants drying out -Can plant no-till gardens | -Best time for planting cool season (plants that actively grow between 40-70 degrees such as ferns, spring ephemerals, and woodland plants) |
| Active Growth Planting 5/15-8/20 | -During these months meadow species (wildflowers such as milkweeds, lobelias, black-eyed susans) have their most active growth period of the year -With adequate moisture levels in the soil, roots can get established quickly | -When temperatures are 80-90 degrees, plants should be watered every 2 days without rain; between 90-100 degrees every other day, and everyday when temperatures are above 100 degrees -Not the best time to plant a no-till garden |
| Pre-Dormancy Planting 8/20-10/20 | -Reduced risk of plants plants drying out -Can plant no-till gardens -Great time to plant woodies since they benefit from two cool seasons of root growth before summer heat, and tend to take longer to get established | -You may need to provide extra water for the first weeks of this season, but you can get two cool seasons to establish roots before summer heat sets in and capture the full root growth benefits of this period -Fall root growth is most active early in September, tapering off through mid-October -To get the most out of pre-dormancy planting, plant in late August/early September to allow plants to spread roots before dormancy |
| Dormancy Planting 10/20-3/10 | -Great time to plant without sweating. You can wear longer, protective clothing without being hot -Can plant no-till gardens -Dormancy planting allows plants begin growing as soon as they break dormancy (capturing the full season of early growth) in the ground | -When setting the depth of your plant, make sure it is flush with the surrounding soil -Bona Terra plants are grown outside and are always ready for dormancy-season planting. When purchasing plants from another grower, ask if the plants are currently in a greenhouse since they may need to be acclimated before dormancy planting |
While some information listed here may be broadly applicable, it is relevant to plants grown with Bona Terra in this particular eco-region. Much of this information does not apply to plants that have been grown in carbon-intensive green houses that are not necessarily acclimated to winter temperatures. When buying from other growers, ask whether or not the plants were grown in a greenhouse if you plan on planting during the dormancy season.
Why aren’t all of the plants available at the same time?
All of our plants are grown outside so that the plants stay within their natural growth cycles, which includes the dormancy period in winter. We list all of the plants we carry on our online inventory, but due to differing growth cycles of different species, not all plants are available at the same time. To help with this, we have created the Container-Grown Planning for Planting Schedule to help illustrate the growth cycle of each species.
Do I need to wait until spring to plant natives from Bona Terra?
No. All of our plants are field-grown without the use of green houses, and therefore are acclimatized to the local weather. Our native plants are always ready to be planted as long as the ground is not frozen, although the plants may be dormant.
It’s spring, and I still don’t see my native plant. Is it dead?
Not necessarily. Within first year after planting, the time it takes to break dormancy can vary between March and June. If you have someone maintaining your garden, make sure they know where native plants have been installed so they don’t accidentally get weeded out. Monitor your plant until late spring (May or June), and then contact us with photos of the planted area if you still don’t see them.
How do I plant a plug?
Make sure you’re planting your plug species in the correct habitat by researching your plant online (specifically check the required soil content). Amend soil as needed by adding compost, removing weeds, etc. Dig a hole so that surface of the plug is visible while the rest buried, funneling any mulch away from the plant.
Do I need to plant my plugs in a larger to pot to grow them out before planting in the ground?
No. You can plant them directly in the ground. Like any size plant you put in the ground, the amount of organic material and nutrients available for the plant to grow in will be the deciding factors in whether your plant thrives or languishes. As with most plants, tilling or loosening the soil where you plant will increase the survival rate of new plantings.
How often do I need to water my plugs?
For plants in the ground:
| Temperature Range (Fahrenheit) | When to Water Plugs |
| Up to 50 degrees | Once every 3 weeks without rain |
| 50-70 degrees | Once every 10 days without rain |
| 70-80 degrees | Once every 3 days without rain |
| 80-90 degrees | Once every 2 days without rain |
| 90-100 degrees | Every other day without rain |
| 100 degrees or more | Every day without rain |
For plants in containers:
| Temperature Range (Fahrenheit) | When to Water Plugs |
| Up to 50 degrees | Once every 2 weeks without rain |
| 50-70 degrees | Once a week without rain |
| 70-80 degrees | Once every 2 days without rain |
| 80-90 degrees | Every other day without rain |
| 90-100 degrees | Every day without rain |
| 100 degrees or more | Twice a day without rain |