Every winter we get lots of questions about bare root plants, usually from someone who's just opened a box and found what looks like a twig with some roots attached. Please don't panic! Bare root is one of the best ways to buy plants, and planting them is easier than it looks. Have a look at our bare root plants to see what's available this season.
The short version
- Bare root plants are lifted while dormant, so they're better value and settle in fast.
- Plant them from November to March, when the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged.
- Soak the roots, plant at the same depth and firm in well.
- Heel trees and shrubs in if you can't plant straight away.
What is a bare root plant?
It's simply a plant that's been grown in a field by expert nurserymen, then lifted while it's dormant and sent out with no soil around its roots. Once it's lifted, it's hand graded and kept cool and dark so it stays asleep until it reaches you.
Because they're less bulky and don't need looking after like a plant in full leaf, bare root plants are much better value. They also tend to settle in faster than pot grown plants, as their roots go straight into your soil.
When can you plant bare root plants?
From late autumn through to early spring, roughly November to March, while the plants are dormant. That's the only time they can be lifted and moved safely.
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Join the Garden ClubCan I plant bare roots straight in the ground?
Yes, and that's the best thing to do. Plant them as soon as you can after they arrive, as long as the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged. If you can't get out into the garden straight away, you have a couple of options.
Storing bare root perennials
Bare root perennials usually come as a chunky root in a bag with a handful of compost to keep it from drying out. Keep them somewhere cool and dark, like a shed, for a few weeks and check on them now and again. If you spot new shoots, they need planting straight away somewhere frost free. Potting them up into containers, with the root just below the surface, works well if the garden isn't ready.
Heeling in trees and shrubs
Trees, shrubs and hedging usually arrive with a bag around the roots to stop them drying out. If you can't plant them properly yet, you can "heel them in". Dig a shallow trench, lay the roots in with the stems at about a 45 degree angle and loosely cover the roots with soil. That keeps them moist and protected from frost.
Once the buds start to swell in spring, plant them properly as soon as you can. A plant in leaf needs more water than its temporary home can give it.
How do I plant a bare root plant?
James shows you how in this video, and the steps are below too.
- Soak the roots in a bucket of water for a few hours, or overnight.
- Dig over the area with a fork and take out any perennial weeds. This breaks up compacted soil and lets some air in.
- Dig a hole slightly larger than the roots. Perennials go just below the soil surface. Trees and shrubs go back in at the same depth they grew before, which you'll see as a soil mark on the stem.
- Mix a little fertiliser or garden compost into the soil you've dug out, then backfill around the roots.
- Firm the soil gently with your fingertips for perennials, or with the heel of your boot for trees and shrubs.
- Water well.
Trees and tall shrubs may need a stake and tree tie to keep them upright in the wind. Hedging and shrubs benefit from being trimmed back by about a third after planting, which encourages bushy growth lower down.
Bare root fruit trees
Winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees, and most come bare root. Lots of varieties are now self fertile, so one tree on its own will give you fruit, and many are grafted onto dwarfing rootstocks so they stay compact. That makes them perfect for a large pot on the patio. Just pick a sunny spot and a big, heavy container.
Picture a warm summer's day and fruit straight off your own tree. James has a video on planting one too.
Looking after bare root plants in the first year
Don't let the soil dry out around newly planted bare roots, especially through spring and summer, while their new root system is getting going. And don't worry if not much seems to happen on top in the first spring. The roots underneath are busy at work.
Happy gardening,
Lou
