During the dormant months of January, February and March bareroot roses, fruit and shade trees, flowering trees and shrubs, lilacs, berries and rhubarb are available at great savings over canned prices.

Twenty-five to 50 percent savings are standard, but some of the larger shade trees can show a greater percent savings!

For those of you who may not be familiar with the term bareroot, I will attempt an explanation!

Bareroot plants are those that come to the nursery without soil around the roots, hence saving money on cans, soil, amendments and labor. This can only be accomplished in the dormant season, after the leaves have fallen.

On arrival, the plants are carefully put away into holding beds of sand to keep them moist and protected.

Some nurseries sell bareroot trees and roses pre-packaged in plastic bags filled with shavings to keep them moist.

Caution! Buying trees or roses that have been stored inside a store can be fatal in Tehachapi and the High Desert. The plants start to leaf out too early and are traumatized when planted in the frigid outdoors.

After the snow and rain, the soil is very nice to dig right now! So everything is in your favor: low cost, good soil conditions, weather and the enjoyment of making your yard beautiful and more productive.

These, along with some winter physical exercise, are all beneficial.

Every year one of the biggest mistakes people make is procrastination. They wait until spring, when the weather is nice, to buy bareroot. That's too late for most plants!

Again, bareroot is only sold in the winter months!

In our climate, we are fortunate to be able to plant now!

Other regions, like zones 1-3 may be frozen nearly all winter or more tropical zones have a very short dormant season, so even though its chilly, we are fortunate!

Think of planting trees and bushes as a positive return from the production of fruit for pies, berries for ice cream, shade for summer cooling, and the enjoyment of flowering trees and shrubs!

If the weather is too bad, trees may be reserved until you are ready to plant. Pre-payment is required to hold your selections!

There is a difference in fruit. That's why there are so many varieties. Why not buy something you really enjoy and have it in your backyard, instead of buying only what the fruit stands might have available? All are in limited supply. Come in and look around.