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Bare Root Bushes - how long can I leave them before planting?

#1 · 20th February 2022, 4:21 pm

Need some advice please, I received a delivery of 12 on Wednesday, and the winds was so bad just loosely put them in a bucket with soil in as advised by the website I bought them from. It’s since been snowing and raining constantly the bucket was getting full with water, so I have planted them today.

Thinking these will die now with being in wet for so long any advice would be appreciated

Lynne

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#2 · 20th February 2022, 5:50 pm

Quote from Lee Garden Ninja on 20th February 2022, 5:50 pm
Hi Lynne,
Many thanks for joining the Garden Ninja forum and asking about bare root plants.
I've written extensively about why bare root plants are such a fantastic way to bulk up your gardens. You can read my full guide here if interested but I'll summarise below why bare roots rock!
Benefits of Bare Root Plants:
Bare roots are far more cost-effective and easier to post for plant mail order
Planting is always at the end of winter when plants are dormant
They need less attention than container-grown plants
You can usually plant more in your garden with less effort
What is a bare root?
A bare root is any plant tree or shrub that is lifted when dormant and the roots are exposed.
https://youtu.be/brWyWzrzGGU
How long can I leave bare roots in water before planting out?
It can be tricky when dealing with the horrible weather conditions we've recently been faced with. You always want to avoid planting out in snow or frost unless absolutely necessary, It reduces the chances of success and is a nasty experience all around!
The good news is that I'm sure based on what you've said they will be fine. A few days will be fine.
You can leave bare roots in a bucket of water for at least a week with no damage. Ideally, if you need to do this because of the weather I only partially cover the roots. Roots like humans need air to breathe. If you totally submerge them you can drown them. Temporarily submerging bare roots is fine but not long term.
https://youtu.be/T0pwg0f7hEk
Heeling in bare root plants:
If you can't plant bare roots you can 'Heel them in' as a temporary measure where you bury them on a slant, almost lying down in the soil. Cover them in soil and keep watered until you can get them in their final position. You can bury them as one big unit too if planting bare root trees that have arrived tied together. It's a temporary way where you can get away with leaving them heeled in for a week or two if the weather is too bad to get them in or you're busy.
https://youtu.be/eCQDzpsvANA
Hopefully, that helps and happy gardening! Lee

Hi Lynne,

Many thanks for joining the Garden Ninja forum and asking about bare root plants.

I've written extensively about why bare root plants are such a fantastic way to bulk up your gardens. You can read my full guide here if interested but I'll summarise below why bare roots rock!

Benefits of Bare Root Plants:

Bare roots are far more cost-effective and easier to post for plant mail order
Planting is always at the end of winter when plants are dormant
They need less attention than container-grown plants
You can usually plant more in your garden with less effort

What is a bare root?

A bare root is any plant tree or shrub that is lifted when dormant and the roots are exposed.

How long can I leave bare roots in water before planting out?

It can be tricky when dealing with the horrible weather conditions we've recently been faced with. You always want to avoid planting out in snow or frost unless absolutely necessary, It reduces the chances of success and is a nasty experience all around!

The good news is that I'm sure based on what you've said they will be fine. A few days will be fine.

You can leave bare roots in a bucket of water for at least a week with no damage. Ideally, if you need to do this because of the weather I only partially cover the roots. Roots like humans need air to breathe. If you totally submerge them you can drown them. Temporarily submerging bare roots is fine but not long term.

Heeling in bare root plants:

If you can't plant bare roots you can 'Heel them in' as a temporary measure where you bury them on a slant, almost lying down in the soil. Cover them in soil and keep watered until you can get them in their final position. You can bury them as one big unit too if planting bare root trees that have arrived tied together. It's a temporary way where you can get away with leaving them heeled in for a week or two if the weather is too bad to get them in or you're busy.