Sunday, March 30

Bare-root bonanza

Save time, space and money

Bare root trees and shrubs can have up to 200 percent more roots than balled and burlapped or container-grown specimens.

Several weeks ago, I placed my plant catalog order in a moment of utter cabin fever despair. It's somewhat like going grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Now I'm having a bit of buyer's remorse. Mind you, I don't regret what I've purchased. I just don't know where I will put it all. Time to reopen the turf vs. garden negotiations with my husband, I guess.

If you placed a heavy catalog order this winter, you'll undoubtedly be receiving some bare root plant material. Bare root is a term used to describe a plant that has been harvested in dormancy, cleaned of all soil, packed in a light material such as sphagnum moss, shredded paper or sawdust, and shipped to the buyer. Trees, perennials, berries, rhubarb and asparagus are often available in this form. On the perennial farm, this is how most of our new plant material came in.

By shipping the plant while it is dormant, suppliers can save money and pass that along to you and me, the lucky spring-starved gardeners. Since they are snoozing away in their blissful winter slumber, bare root plants have very few requirements. They take up less space, weigh less, require less labor and are consequently cheaper to store and ship.

Besides the economic benefits, bare root plants have physiological advantages as well. They generally settle into their new surroundings easier than container plants. Bare roots are delighted to have soil, moisture, and warmth after a season without the earth's amenities. Container plants, on the other hand, have just been jostled out of a particularly nice situation. Their high quality potting soil drained perfectly and they were fed a constant diet of fertilizer. Their reality check can be harsh enough to lead to transplant shock, a leading cause of new plant death. Additionally, container plants often become root bound inside the pot, a problem that bare root plants never face.

All this being said, bare roots do come with a few drawbacks. Roots, as you know, are meant to be in the ground. When exposed, they are extremely susceptible to moisture loss. To combat this, suppliers bundle them in packing material with some moisture, and store them in a cold environment. The cold storage maintains the plant's dormancy, as well as slowing mold growth. If you find some mold on your shipment, that is normal and should not affect regrowth. However, if mold is covering half of the root structure, you need to contact your supplier. The root system should be firm and light in color.

If you can't plant your purchases for a few days, bare roots need to be stored properly. Keep them in their poly-shipping bags and maintain their cold environment - your refrigerator will do. Don't allow them to freeze. Although it is tempting, don't give them a drink. This will only promote mold and bacterial growth. If you need to postpone planting for more than a few days you can heel them into a temporary location. Dig a shallow trench, and lay the plant down sideways, with its roots in the trench. Then cover them with soil and mulch. Transplant the bare roots to their permanent location as soon as possible, preferably before you begin to see any signs of growth.

When you're ready to plant them, pull away the packaging and trim any damaged or extra long roots. Set the roots in a bucket of warm water for an hour. Be very careful to keep the plant out of direct sunlight as you are preparing the site. Those tender roots need every consideration while they are exposed. Take the time to prepare the site well. To reduce the chance of transplant shock, dig a hole one and a half times wider than the root system, breaking up any tough clods of dirt. By doing this, and working compost into the site, the tender new roots will have no trouble reaching out into their new environment. Build a mound in the middle of the hole on which to sit the plant. Shape it so that the crown of the plant - that point at which the root system and the top growth meet - will sit at or just below the soil line. Spread the roots around the mound and gently backfill the soil. I like to form a small moat around the plant to hold water. Water the plant thoroughly, saturating it. Continue saturating the plant once a week, to promote an extensive root system. Applying mulch will help maintain the moisture level.

If handled properly, bare roots are an excellent garden investment.

Mollie Uftring developed a green thumb as a teenager working in the perennial beds at Hornbaker Gardens in Princeton, Illinois. After graduating from the University of Illinois with a degree in ornamental horticulture, she worked as a landscape designer in Ohio before returning to Illinois.