Bare Root Planting

Bare root plants are dormant (not actively growing) perennial plants that are dug up and stored without any soil around their roots. Usually these plants are dug when they're dormant and then refrigerated until it is time to ship them to you.

When should bare root plants be planted?
How long does it take for a bare root tree to start growing?
How long can I keep bare root hedging before planting?
What do you do with bare root plants when they arrive?
Will bare root perennials bloom first year?
Do I soak bare root plants before planting?
Do Bare root trees grow faster?
What are disadvantages of using bare root?
How deep do you plant bare root trees?
What if you can't plant bare root trees right away?
How do you preserve bare root plants before planting?

When should bare root plants be planted?

Bare root planting season is pretty short, and if you're not on the ball it can slip right by you. Most plants need to be shipped and planted while still dormant and before their buds start swelling. January to early April is typically the time to buy and begin planting your bare root stock, depending on your plant.

How long does it take for a bare root tree to start growing?

Bareroot plants are sold in spring and must be planted as soon as possible after purchase. Proper planting is critical to their survival and long-term success. Note that bareroot plants are slow to "wake up." Expect to wait four to six weeks after planting until you see signs of growth.

How long can I keep bare root hedging before planting?

Bare root plants

You should keep them in a sheltered, dry and cool location such as a shed or garage, and they can be stored like this for up to a week. After a week, if the conditions of your planting site have still not improved, you will need to temporarily plant your bare root plants.

What do you do with bare root plants when they arrive?

Q What should I do when my bare-root plants arrive? A Open the packaging and check if the roots feel damp. If they feel dry, take the plant out and put the roots in a bucket of water for a few minutes only - don't leave them any longer in water or it could kill them.

Will bare root perennials bloom first year?

You can expect some newly-planted perennials to produce a handful of flowers the first year. More commonly, these young plants will concentrate on getting established and not bloom until the second year. You'll find planting and care instructions for specific types of perennials HERE.

Do I soak bare root plants before planting?

It is essential that the roots of a bare-root plant don't dry out. Be sure to soak the roots in winter as soon as you receive your plants. If you can't plant immediately – if the soil is frozen, for example – heel them in until the weather improves.

Do Bare root trees grow faster?

Better Performance – Bare-root trees frequently take off more quickly than containerized ones because roots aren't transitioning from container soil to local soil. Bare-root trees are planted during dormancy, which gives them weeks of root growth that spring-planted container trees lack.

What are disadvantages of using bare root?

There must be some disadvantages!

Less work time. Once they leave the nursery, bare root trees need to get in the ground within a week at the longest. ...
Narrower planting window. ...
Restricted availability.

How deep do you plant bare root trees?

Please note that the roots have been covered with a hydrating gel which keeps them moist during shipment. Depth and Distance of Holes: Measure the roots of each tree. Dig one hole for each tree 1 foot wide and 1 inch deeper than the roots. Holes should be 2-1/2 feet apart.

What if you can't plant bare root trees right away?

Wrap the bare-root plants and trees in the shipping plastic and store in a cool, dark place, like an unheated basement, cellar, garage or shed. ... Then, cover the roots with soil, and soak with water. As soon as possible, plant trees in their permanent location as you normally would.

How do you preserve bare root plants before planting?

If you're storing bareroot plants, the roots should be kept under sealed cover in their bags. And you want the inside of that bag to be moist – wet enough for mud to form from the soil around the roots, but never pooling with water.