Missouri Gravel Bed Pilot Project

The City of Viroqua has taken part in a pilot project for a Missouri Gravel Bed. A Missouri Gravel Bed (MGB) is a system that allows planting of bare root trees at any time of the year with outstanding survival. It allows purchase of the lower cost and lighter weight of bare root nursery stock. MGB is a method of handling bare root nursery stock, where plants are placed in the spring with their roots in an irrigated bed of gravel. These plants are held within the gravel for up to six months before they are planted in full leaf into the landscape. MGB is not a growing method, but is used to extend the planting season to simplify the handling of these trees.

Viroqua’s very own MGB, featuring a total of 72 trees, can be seen at Bekkedal Park, on the corner of West Broadway Street and South Rock Avenue, right outside of the city garage. We’re proud to say that many of the trees in our Missouri Gravel Bed have grown over the course of the past year. However, many additional trees were planted later in the season than we anticipated.