Apply a 3-4 in. (7.6-10 cm) mulch to the seedling and transplant beds in November before the snow falls. This will protect the roots from freezing and thawing and prevent frost heaving. Remember to apply mulch late in the fall and remove it early in the spring. If you have trouble with rodents, you may have to pull the mulch away from the seedlings and transplants, or let some local cats patrol the area.

Overwintering container stock can be especially tricky they do not have the large thermal mass of soil for protection. Containers can be moved into an unheated building (a garage or your front porch). If left outdoors, pack containers tightly together and place sawdust, seaweed or spruce boughs around the outside of the area to lessen frost damage to roots. They should be in an area that will collect snow, which is an excellent winter mulch. Snow fencing or spruce boughs can be used to trap snow.

Be a regular visitor to the nursery - this is the only way to avoid serious problems with underwatering, pests and diseases. Many insect and disease problems can be avoided by growing plants in healthy soil with adequate water. Plants that are undernourished, overfed or subject to repeated dry spells are prime targets. When absolutely necessary, look for organic insecticides that are the least harmful controls. Most of these will also kill beneficial insects, so use them sparingly. Good record keeping is an important part of nursery work. Seed batches should be labeled with the species name, collection date and where they are from; beds should be marked to clearly show the species and age of the plant. A map made of the nursery to identify seedlings and transplants is also essential. Accurate records allow you to learn from your successes and mistakes.

After a few years of growing seedlings, you will probably want to develop new beds so that crops can be rotated. This will allow you time to plant green manures and add nutrients to beds so that seedlings always get off to a good start. It will also let you take care of weed problems before they get out of hand.