Bareroot cellar season means it’s an ideal time to find a new tree

This paid piece is sponsored by Landscape Garden Centers.

Now is the perfect time to buy certain kinds of trees – and it won’t last much longer.

That’s because bareroot trees are available now for a limited time, maybe only a matter of weeks, which is the ideal window to take them home.

“Now’s the time to do it because it’s getting nice out, the ground is thawed, and as the adage says: if you can dig a hole, you can plant a tree,” said Baron Wolfgang, a nursery professional at Landscape Garden Centers.

“Once they start budding, we need to get them in soil, so our Bareroot Cellar is only open a short time.”

That time is now. The Bareroot Cellar at Landscape Garden Centers, located at 47238 271st St. on the south edge of Sioux Falls, is filled with outstanding dormant trees, shrubs and smaller plants like fruits and asparagus.

“They go dormant in the fall and are harvested, the soil is washed, and we keep them cool, dark and damp. At the bareroot stage, it makes them much easier than a tree bought in a heavy pot both to transport and to plant,” Wolfgang said.

You’ll likely enjoy savings too.

“You don’t have to pay for soil and planter, so not only do these typically cost less, they’re also much lighter to transport at this stage,” he added.

Here’s a closer look at some of the popular bareroot trees available now.

Fruit trees

Add one of your favorite fruit trees, or turn your backyard into a small orchard with Landscape Garden Centers’ outstanding assortment.

“You can get a grove of trees at very little expense,” Wolfgang said.

“We have apple and other fruiting trees like cherries and pears. Peach is so popular we’re already out, so remember that for next year. Plus, we have raspberry bushes bareroot, grapes, chokeberries. You can even get strawberries bareroot.”

Make sure and talk to the experts about pollinators, he added.

“Most fruit trees need pollinators – a different variety of tree to pollinate with it,” he said. “It’s true of apples, pears and plums, for example. We can work with you on that, as well as making sure you’re selecting the right spot on your property for it to grow and do well and be protected against the wind.”

And while it’s not exactly a fruit, you’ll also find a great variety of bareroot asparagus right now.

“And it sells quickly, so stop in soon for the green Millennium Asparagus,” Wolfgang said.

Boulevard trees

Trees sadly don’t last forever, so if yours needs to be replaced on a boulevard, this is the best time to do it.

You can even apply online for a city voucher of $50 if your tree has been identified for replacement.

“You can come in and pick out a tree while the cellar is open, and it’s very easy,” Wolfgang said. “We have a really good selection of boulevard trees not only bareroot but also in our tree yard. They’re approved for the boulevards, and we can show you different options for species, from more traditional to more unique.”

The idea is to promote the biodiversity of Sioux Falls, he added.

“These can be beautiful additions to the landscape,” he said. “Maples aren’t on the boulevard list because that’s what everyone plants in their yards, so we want to have many types of trees in the city, which also prevents disease from spreading.”

Classics and flowering trees

If you’ve lost a tree to severe weather, disease or just age, there are tons of options in the Bareroot Cellar right now to replace it.

Or even if you’re just looking to further beautify your property, “we have really wonderful flowering trees,” Wolfgang said. “We have crabapples, flowering lilac, flowering pear, all types of ornamental trees and a really nice selection.”

Still love a good maple? Wolfgang suggests checking out the Matador Maple or a sugar maple called Fall Fiesta.

“I absolutely love them and quite a few other maple varieties that are great to get in the ground,” he said. “Some of the maple trees are a little larger, which can be nice when you’re wanting to get something more mature. Most bareroot is an inch in trunk diameter, and some of the maple is an inch and a half.”

Stop in now

But once the trees start budding, the bareroot stage is over, and the trees will all transition into soil. Of course, you can still continue to buy them throughout the season.

Not sure you’re ready to install your own? Landscape Garden Centers can help there too.

“We have a really great crew of landscapers who will come out and dig the hole, plant the tree and get it watered in, so it’s no work for you,” Wolfgang said. “And if you want to do it yourself, we’re happy to walk you through the process. Bareroot is the best way to learn because it’s about as easy as it gets.”

While the Bareroot Cellar is definitely worth checking out, the expansive courtyard is open too and filling up with perennials, shrubs and evergreens.

“It’s all coming back to life,” Wolfgang said. “If you want to see what plants look like when they’re waking up, come take a look, and get them in the ground. The greenhouse is already filled up, and I don’t think it’s ever looked better.”

Stop in Landscape Garden Centers from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Spring annuals container workshops

Ready for planting season? Get started by allowing the experts to help you with color combinations, plant selections and care techniques as you create a one-of-a-kind design with Landscape Garden Centers’ vast selection of annuals.

Workshops are held on this and other topics throughout the spring. Click here to learn more and sign up.