Columbus greenhouse pinch-hits for Twins’ trees
Transplanted Target Field trees under Bergen’s care
Clint Riese
Sports Editor
With the Gopher basketball team free-falling, the Wild slipping and the Timberwolves rebuilding as usual, Twins fans across Minnesota are coming down with a bad case of spring fever.
Anything Twins-related is a breath of fresh air at this point, Columbus businessman Kevin Johnson discovered first-hand as the team opened spring training.
The co-owner of Bergen’s Greenhouse received an unusual work order two weeks ago. The Twins selected the massive company on Lake Drive (CR-23) to care for the 14 black spruces recently removed from Target Field.
TC Bear cheers for the home team from the centerfield spruce tree display during the 2010 season at Target Field. (Photo By Howard Lestrud)
The trees lasted just one season behind the centerfield wall at the new stadium, as batters reportedly found them distracting to their line of sight. Some Twins even felt the trees were a safety hazard because they made it hard to follow the ball out of the pitcher’s hand.
Johnson hoped the deal would fly under the radar, but an article in a Twin Cities paper last Tuesday blew his cover.
“My wife got four e-mails that day,” he said. “We were like, ‘What do you want to see spruce trees for?’”
The new arrivals will stay through May at Bergen’s, where they will be cared for by trained arborists.
“We’re just giving them a little TLC,” Johnson said.
The Columbus greenhouse came to house the trees through a prior business deal with the Twins. Johnson worked in the team’s scouting department years ago and sought out some former co-workers when he learned the club needed to find a local greenhouse to provide plant material throughout the stadium this season.
Among other flowers, Bergen’s will put geraniums and pansies in the outfield.
“Hopefully they’ll make it to the postseason and we’ll have postseason mums,” Johnson said.
The Twins decided to spare the trees and put them to good use elsewhere.
“All of the trees were professionally uprooted, properly bundled and successfully shipped to the greenhouse,” said Twins head groundskeeper Larry DiVito. “They will be cared for indoors until the weather is right to replant them.”
As of last week, the spruces remained outdoors with their roots bundled in burlaps sacks. The greenhouse crew will let them get acclimated to warmer weather before moving them indoors.
Plans Outlined
The club last Monday outlined plans for relocation. Ten will sprout up on display in state parks within 150 miles of the Twin Cities. The donation is just the latest collaboration between the state park system and the franchise.
For each broken bat that a Twins pitcher caused an opponent last season, the club gave 100 trees to a state park or trail.
“We are very grateful for our partnership with the Minnesota Twins and for this additional donation of trees to Minnesota state parks,” said Court Nelson, the director of the DNR’s Division of Parks and Trails and a Forest Lake resident.
“The 10 ‘celebrity trees’ coming from Target Field will be well cared for by our staff and will provide a special attraction for our visitors.”
As for the other four spruces:
•Two will find a new home by the entrance to the Target Field parking lot on Twins Way.
•One will go to the high-bidder in an online public auction benefitting the Minnesota Twins Community Fund.
•One will go to the winner of a contest for season-ticket holders.
