It’s bareroot season! The recent dark and drizzly weather may not conjure images of flourishing and flowering trees and shrubs, but now is the time to start thinking about a planting plan for your property, home or community project!
Bareroot plants are the unique, gangly cousin to potted plants. Bareroot trees and shrubs are a type of nursery stock delivered without soil or a pot around the roots. These plants are lifted from the field in winter while the plants are dormant and are shipped in large bags.
Bareroot plants are affordable, hardy and are easy to transport and plant. Bareroot stock makes up the majority of the plants sold at KCD’s Native Plant Sale, so it is important to understand how to care for and properly plant them.
Watch this quick How-To video to learn best practices for planting bareroot trees and shrubs.
A 5-step Guide for Planting Bareroot Plants
Step 1: Remove all sod and weeds from a two-foot circle.
Dig a hole wide enough and deep enough for roots to spread out.
Step 2: Mound some soil in the center of the planting hole.
Position the roots so they hang down over the mound and are not turned up or crowded.
Step 3: Plant trees and shrubs to the depth they were planted in the nursery.
The junction of the stem and root should be level with the ground.
Step 4: Backfill the planting hole with loose soil.
Gently pack the surface after filling the hole.
Step 5: Build a berm around the planting hole to hold water.
Water the plant thoroughly to eliminate any remaining air pockets.
Renee Shapiro, Education IP, Washington ServiceCorps/AmeriCorps
Purchase bareroot plant varieties at KCD’s Native Plant Sale and Community Fair.