Native seedling sale starts today

The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual native seedling sale opens today, Feb. 19, at 10 a.m.

Customers need to open an account on the NVSWCD website to order seedlings.

The seedlings and other pre-ordered items will be available for pickup at the Sleepy Hollow Bath and Racquet Club in Falls Church on Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday, March 28, 9 a.m.-noon.

Two packages are available this year:

• Pick of the Patch – four seedlings for $20: two Common Pawpaw and two American Plum seedlings.

• Berry Bonanza – four seedlings for $20: two Canadian Serviceberry and two American Elderberry seedlings.

Learn more about the seedling packages here. There will be no seedling order pickups after the sale. If your order is not collected on the pickup date, it will be donated to a reforestation project in Fairfax County. Seedling sale purchases are nonrefundable.

The NVSWCD is also selling pre-assembled rain barrels for $80, tumbler composters for $100, and Native Plants for Northern Virginia guidebooks for $7. Those items can also be picked up at the Sleepy Hollow Bath and Racquet Club on March 27 and 28.

The seedlings are small first and second-year bare-root trees and shrubs. They come wrapped in wet newspaper in a plastic bag without soil.

Each seedling is identified with a different-colored ribbon. Customers should bring a bucket or bag to take them home.