Heads up homeowners: bare root plant season is almost here

The most affordable way to buy many types of trees and shrubs is during bare root season. Basically, in midwinter while the plants are dormant it's less labor for plant nurseries to take care of them, so they're sold at half price.

Many types of shade trees and fruit trees, berry bushes, and rosebushes are sold at discount during bare root season. If a thing loses its leaves in winter, there's a good chance it's sold in bare root version.

Our family got our pomegranate tree, our grapevines, and several rosebushes this way. They're healthy plants that are all established and doing well now.

We live in the subtropics where the ground never freezes, so the plants went into the ground on the day they came home. If you live in a region that has a hard frost then the local master gardeners offer free advice on how to store them until a thaw (there are several techniques). Master gardeners can be contacted through the extension office of a state university.

Pro tips:

• Research your preferences in advance: do you want eating apples or baking apples or cider apples? Do you want a dwarf pomegranate tree or a full sized variety?
• Measure out the planting space beforehand, especially if you have a small yard. You don't want roots to disturb the foundation of your house, or to disrupt your driveway, etc.
• Learn your hardiness zone and make sure the plants you buy are appropriate to the climate. Big box gardening centers sometimes sell plants that are a zone off from the local climate.