Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Bareroot plants
Bare-root plants are typically one to perhaps even 3 years old when dug out of the ground where they’ve been growing. They’re shipped to you with no soil, just moist peat moss around the roots.
Bareroot plants are dormant and prefer to be planted in the cold! You just need to be able to dig a hole in the soil. These plants need to be planted right away. If not, you need to keep them refrigerated till you can! Prairie Moon Nursery has a great PDF on Installing Bare-root which includes the various roots systems and planting specifics. Below is a native perennial! So pretty.
Today I’m sticking with shrubs and trees. Let your plants roots soak in water while you get the hole prepared. Do NOT plant your shrub or tree too deep, it will suffocate the roots disturbing access to air, water and nutrients. The root flare should be at soil level! Per Prairie Moon: These should be planted at the same depth as they were grown in the nursery. The soil level is usually indicated on the stem where the color changes from a lighter brown to a darker brown.
If the soil is hardpacked, then loosen an even larger area so the roots will have an easier time growing into their new home.
When placing your bareroot plant in the hole, make a mound of dirt in the middle to rest the plant on and arrange the roots out loosely from the center.
Backfill with soil and compact it with your hands, feet or water. If the soil’s dry, use water to compact it and get the air pockets out. Soak your plant thoroughly.
Water often during the first growing season and you’ll establish a healthy tree or shrub to enjoy for years to come! They may look a little puny but they will thrive for years to come.
