About Bare Root Plants
The Ultimate Guide to Bare Root Plants: Everything You Need to Know
Bare root plants are the best way to plant a sustainable yet inexpensive landscape. Some people are a little hesitant to buy bare root plants because they are not sure how to care for them. Don’t worry; bare root plants are easy to manage if you follow a few simple tips.
What Are Bare Root Plants?
Bare root plants are a gardener’s best-kept secret for affordable, healthy, and sustainable landscaping. Unlike their potted counterparts, bare-root plants are sold without soil around their roots. Instead, the roots are carefully wrapped in damp paper and moisture-locking gel to keep them hydrated during shipping and storage. This method makes them lighter, easier to handle, and less expensive to ship.
What sets bare root plants apart is that they’re typically lifted and shipped while dormant, usually from late fall to early spring. Because they’re grown in open ground and not confined to pots, there’s no risk of pot-bound roots.
The result?
A plant is ready to hit the ground running when it wakes up in your soil.
Benefits of Bare Root Plants
Bare-root plants have several advantages over pot-grown plants.
Cost-Effectiveness
Bare root plants are often significantly less expensive than container-grown options. Without the added weight and bulk of soil and pots, shipping costs drop, and nurseries can pass those savings on to you. This makes them perfect for gardeners looking to stretch their budget or tackle larger projects like hedges or woodland borders.
Environmental Advantages
Choosing bare-root plants is a win for the environment. Because the plants are grown in a field, they do not use plastic pots, potting mixes, or lots of packaging. Their lighter weight means a smaller carbon footprint during transport, and the absence of potting soil reduces resource use. These small changes make bare-root plants great for people wanting to garden sustainably.
Superior Plant Health and Establishment
Bare root plants often arrive with larger, more robust root systems than their potted peers. This gives them a head start when acclimating and establishing themselves in your garden soil. Because they’re planted while dormant, they experience less transplant shock and are less likely to suffer from root circling or binding. The lack of large canopies lets the plant concentrate on growing roots first. Good roots make good plants.
Greater Variety and Selection Shopping
for bare-root plants—especially online—opens up possibilities. Nurseries can offer various species and cultivars, including rare and specialty plants that might never reach your local garden center in pots.
Types of Bare Root Plants Sold at TN Nursery
Many people are familiar with fruit trees like peaches and plums that are sold as bare-root trees. We sell popular ornamental trees like sugar maples and white oaks this way, too. We sell shrubs and perennials in addition to trees. Our nursery grows all our plants, so we ensure all our plants arrive healthy and ready to perform for you when we dig them up and get them ready to ship.
How to Store and Prepare Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants must be handled correctly to maintain all the benefits we have mentioned. Remember, these are living things. Be gentle with them and care for them, and they will reward you with wonderful, long-lived plants. Immediate
Care Upon Arrival
When your plants arrive, open the packaging and check the roots. They should feel damp and pliable, not dry or brittle. If you can’t plant them immediately, keep the roots very moist and store in a cool, shaded spot from direct sunlight.
Soaking and Rehydration
Before planting, give the roots a good soak in a bucket of water. For most woody plants, 1–4 hours is ideal; perennials need less time. Avoid soaking for more than 24 hours, leading to root rot.
Temporary Storage Options
If weather or timing prevents immediate planting, you can “heel in” your bare-root plants by temporarily burying the roots in moist soil or sawdust. Be sure to water them well to keep them viable. Try not to leave the plants heeled in for more than a few days, or you will start to see a decrease in their quality.
Step-by-Step:
How to Plant Bare Root Plants
The closer you follow this guide, the better your plants will grow.
Site Preparation
Dig a hole about two and a half times the diameter of the roots where you want your plant. Save the soil because you need it to fill the hole during planting. Do not amend this soil; the roots may circle in the good soil and girdle themselves. Planting Process Create a small mound of soil in the center of the hole. Gently fan out the roots over the mound, aiming them outward. Set the crown (where roots meet the stem) at or just below the soil surface. For grafted trees, keep the graft union above the soil line. Backfilling and Watering Fill the hole halfway and gently tamp the soil to remove air pockets. Finish filling the hole, then water deeply to settle the soil around the roots. For extra insurance, build a small soil ring around the outside of the hole to help hold water while it soaks in.
Mulching and Aftercare
Apply 3 inches of mulch, keeping it a few inches from the plant’s crown. Water every day for the first two weeks. Be patient—bare root plants may take several weeks to show new growth as they wake up and start rooting in.
Sustainable Gardening with Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are a natural fit for eco-friendly gardeners. As their roots develop, they improve soil structure and support beneficial soil life. We encourage our customers to use plants that are native to their area.
The natives feed local wildlife and take less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. At TN Nursery, we can help you discover the world of bare-root plants. Call us at 931.692.7325 today to get started.