A gravel bed is a temporary holding place where bare-root trees have time to develop a more extensive, fibrous root system essential for nutrient and water absorption. The design can be as simple as putting gravel in a parking lot or can be complex and involve a designed containment system.

The city built a contained gravel bed nursery at Lake Ann using recycled plastic lumber and gravel from the recently reconstructed Round House Park playground. Despite not being in the soil, the trees don’t need fertilizer. A gravel bed provides everything the roots need to thrive - oxygen, water, stored energy, and hormones to regulate growth. The city’s trees will be in the gravel bed until later this fall (September-October) and will be planted to replace city trees that were lost earlier this year.

Why Bare-Root Trees and Not Traditional Containerized Trees?

• Bare root trees are a fraction of the price.
• They are lightweight and easy to carry at planting events.
• Root deformities are easily identifiable.
• There is often a higher variety of species to choose from.

Why Utilize a Gravel Bed?

Trees are an important part of the city, and gravel beds provide a space for trees to grow a fibrous root system that prepares them for planting at a later date. Planting public trees provides a habitat for wildlife, cleans the air, and absorbs stormwater.

Being proactive about planting trees will ensure the city will have these benefits in the future. Gravel beds increase the capacity to plant trees by providing storage space for low-cost, bare-root trees. While this is a small operation this year, the city’s ultimate goal is to get more trees in the gravel bed next spring.