We’re often asked:
“what are bare rooted plants as I have seen they are much cheaper than rootballed or potted plants”?
Bare root trees and plants represent very good value for money and the customer can have a very mature plant for a fraction of the price of a pot grown specimen.
View our Bare Root plants collection >>
However bare rooted plants are only available in cooler temperatures generally from around November through to late Spring. At other times of the year they are only available via pre-order.
They will arrive with no soil surrounding the roots – the roots will be exposed ready for immediate planting. There is a little more risk with planting bare rooted as opposed to rootballed or potted plants (especially with younger small hedging bare rooted plants) but the more established the plant the better chance of survival. Provided these bareroot trees are cared for correctly and are not left to dry out, or allowed to move around too much in strong winds, then there is an excellent chance of survival.
When Your Bare Root Plants Are Delivered
Ideally the bare rooted plant should be planted immediately after delivery. If this is not possible then it is essential that the tree is not left above ground especially in warmer temperatures.
Remember in transit the roots of barerooted plants can dry out so on arrival take the tree and dunk it in a bucket of water ideally for at least 10 minutes or spray water over the roots.
After soaking the tree roots, if not immediately planting, it is best to stand the tree up or lean the tree against another shrub and cover the roots with a generous amount of compost.
You can even dig a temporary hole to put the tree into and cover with soil until the final position is ready for the final planting.
When finally planting a bare root tree, make sure that the stake to hold the tree up is already driven into the ground and place your tree in the planting hole and secure to the tree to the stake before filling in the hole.
Make sure not to plant too deeply as the trunk will rot if planted too far into the ground.
After planting it is essential that the soil covering the roots is soaked.
Trimming The Crown Of Your Tree
We recommend that you trim the crown of your new tree by a third. Trimming the crown in a balanced way to maintain a good shape. The root to shoot ratio will be more balanced and there is a much better chance the new tree will establish quickly.
Watering Your New Bare Root Plants
As winter slowly moves to spring and as temperatures rise watering needs to stepped up considerably, regardless of rain, as rain rarely penetrates into the root system. Please note that the more well draining the soil, the more watering is required, often 2-3 times a week.
Everyday watering is also essential in temperatures at 20 degrees and more.
More info on soil structures and watering requirements here >>
Guide To Planting Your Bare Root Tree
The planting hole should be made at least 2 to 3 times larger than the roots and back filled with quality compost. Lastly, cover the soil with a good quality mulch to help suppress weeds and keep moisture in the soil.
