February looks quiet, but it is one of the most important months in a Sonoma garden.
Right now, while everything seems dormant, nurseries across the county are stocking their bare-root sections. This is your once-a-year window to plant fruit trees, roses, and berry canes at a fraction of what you will pay in spring — and with better results.
Why Bare-Root Beats Container Plants
- Cost: A bare-root apple tree runs $18 to $25. The same variety in a 5-gallon container? $45 to $60.
- Selection: Nurseries can stock varieties that do not sell well in containers — heirlooms, regional favorites, unusual cultivars.
- Root health: No circling roots from years in a pot. The roots establish naturally in your soil, spreading outward from day one.
- Success rate: Counter-intuitive, but bare-root trees often outperform container trees within two to three years. The UC Master Gardener Program notes that bare-root plants typically establish faster because the roots make immediate contact with native soil rather than transitioning from potting mix.
- Weight and handling: A bare-root tree weighs a few pounds. A container tree of the same size can weigh 30 to 50 pounds. This makes a practical difference when you are planting several trees in a day.
What to Plant Now
- Fruit trees: Apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, fig. Our Mediterranean climate is perfect for stone fruits.
- Roses: This is the traditional time. Bare-root roses are how serious gardeners have always done it.
- Berries: Blackberry, raspberry, blueberry canes are available now and dead-simple to plant.
- Asparagus crowns: Plant once, harvest for 20+ years.
The catch: The window closes fast. Once trees break dormancy (usually mid-March in Sonoma County), bare-root season is over. Do not wait.
Best Bare-Root Varieties for Sonoma County
Sonoma County spans USDA zones 9a through 10b and Sunset zones 14 through 17, which gives us an extraordinary range of what we can grow. Here are the varieties we recommend after 43 years of planting in this climate.
Fruit Trees
Apples: Fuji, Gala, and Gravenstein are reliable producers here. Gravenstein deserves special mention — it is historically tied to Sonoma County (Sebastopol was once the Gravenstein capital of the world) and performs exceptionally in our climate. For smaller spaces, consider a multi-graft tree with three or four varieties on a single rootstock.
Figs: Black Mission and Brown Turkey are the workhorses. Both produce two crops per year in our warm summers — an early breba crop in June and the main crop in August through September. Figs are among the easiest fruit trees to grow in Sonoma County, tolerating our clay soils and dry summers with minimal fuss.
Persimmon: Fuyu (non-astringent) is the most popular for eating fresh. Hachiya (astringent) is preferred for baking and drying. Both are beautiful ornamental trees with vivid fall color — orange fruit hanging from bare branches in November is one of the finest sights in a Sonoma garden.
Citrus: Meyer lemon, Bearss lime, and Satsuma mandarin all perform well in Sonoma County’s warmer microclimates, particularly in Santa Rosa and southern exposures. They need frost protection in inland valleys — plant against a south-facing wall or be prepared to cover them during cold snaps.
Stone fruits: Santa Rosa plum (a local classic), Blenheim apricot, and O’Henry peach are proven performers. All stone fruits need adequate chill hours, which Sonoma County reliably provides.
Roses
David Austin English roses combine the fragrance and petal form of old garden roses with modern disease resistance and repeat blooming. Graham Thomas, Gertrude Jekyll, and Abraham Darby are outstanding in our climate.
Old garden roses — the Bourbons, Damasks, and Gallicas — have thrived in Sonoma County since the 1800s. You can find them growing untended around abandoned homesteads throughout the county. They are tough, fragrant, and need almost nothing once established.
Hybrid teas are available bare-root at the best prices of the year. Peace, Mr. Lincoln, and Double Delight remain favorites for their classic form and fragrance.
Shade Trees
Valley oak (Quercus lobata) is the signature tree of Sonoma County’s landscape. Plant one and it will outlive your grandchildren. Available bare-root as seedlings from native plant nurseries.
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) brings refined structure and stunning fall color. Thrives in part shade — perfect under the canopy of existing oaks.
Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) is a California native that erupts in magenta flowers on bare branches in early spring. Drought-tolerant once established and rarely exceeds 20 feet.
How to Plant Bare-Root: A Step-by-Step Guide
Bare-root planting is straightforward, but technique matters. Do it right and the tree establishes fast. Do it wrong and you may lose it.
Before Planting: Soak the Roots
Unwrap the tree and submerge the roots in a bucket of water for 4 to 24 hours before planting. This rehydrates roots that have dried during shipping and storage. Do not soak longer than 24 hours — the roots need oxygen.
Dig the Hole
Dig a hole twice as wide as the root spread but only as deep as the root system. This is critical — planting too deep is the most common mistake and can kill the tree. The graft union (the bulge where the scion meets the rootstock) should sit two to three inches above the soil line.
Position and Backfill
Create a small cone of soil at the bottom of the hole. Spread the roots over this cone so they fan outward and downward naturally. Backfill with the native soil you removed — do not amend the backfill with compost or potting mix. Research from UC Davis has shown that amended backfill creates a “bathtub effect” where roots circle within the rich zone instead of pushing into surrounding native soil.
Tamp the soil gently as you fill to eliminate air pockets. Water deeply to settle the soil, then add more soil if it settles below grade.
Stake Properly
Young trees need support, but over-staking weakens trunks. Use two stakes placed outside the root zone with a flexible tie that allows the trunk to sway. The trunk needs movement to develop taper and strength. Remove stakes after one year.
First-Year Care Calendar
February through March (planting month): Plant, water deeply, and apply three to four inches of mulch in a ring around the tree (keep mulch six inches from the trunk). Prune fruit trees to shape at planting — this feels aggressive, but it directs energy into root establishment.
April through May: As growth begins, water deeply once per week if rain is insufficient. Watch for aphids on new growth — a strong spray of water usually handles them.
June through August: Increase watering to twice per week during hot, dry periods. Deep, infrequent watering is better than shallow, frequent irrigation. For a newly planted tree, that means two to three gallons delivered slowly at the drip line.
September through October: Reduce watering as temperatures cool. Allow the tree to begin hardening off for winter dormancy.
November through January: Stop watering — winter rain handles it. This is the time for dormant pruning on fruit trees and roses. Remove any suckers from below the graft union.
Local Nursery Timing
Bare-root stock arrives at Sonoma County nurseries in late December and January. The best selection is available in January and early February. By late February, popular varieties are picked over. By mid-March, bare-root season is finished and nurseries transition to container stock.
Shop early for the best selection. If your preferred variety is unavailable, ask the nursery to hold or order it — many will accommodate requests placed in advance.
Quick Tip
February rain is free deep watering. But if we hit a dry stretch of 10 or more days (common this time of year), give your established trees and shrubs a deep soak. Winter drought stress shows up as summer dieback.
Need help planning your bare-root planting? We have been planting trees across Sonoma County for over 43 years. Call 707-473-4333 or request a consultation.
Related: Planting services | Garden care | February planting guide
