Planting out Bare Root Trees
“Bare Root” is a method of presenting trees for sale during winter.
We can use this method for deciduous fruit and ornamental trees.
These trees are specially grown in Victoria and supplied to us with no soil attached- it’s more economical, lighter and convenient.
When you want to buy one we dig it and wrap the root system in wet straw but we can only do it this way in winter while the trees are dormant. So the season is limited to July and August.
Planting out Bare Root Trees
In July and August
Get trees into the soil ASAP. Especially don’t leave the roots exposed to sun or wind.
Cut back hard as suggested on tags.
Do this when the tree has been planted so you can prune back to healthy buds. It seems silly to cut back a tree that you have just paid for but this trimming is important to reduce stress on the top of the plant. Spring growth will be rapid and so the height will soon be regained.
Only use soil in the planting hole.
Don’t add mulches, potting mixes etc when planting they allow too much air around the roots. The best option is to dig through some good compost a month prior to planting but if you haven’t done that then it’s too late now. Only use soil – you can add compost on top later and let the worms carry it down.
Firm down the soil well to remove air pockets around the roots. You need to get good contact between the roots and the soil.
Form an outer ring of soil to hold water and saturate at planting. Really slop the water on because again this helps settle the soil.
Don’t let the roots dry out at any time. You must apply water regularly until the plant is established – you don’t need huge volumes of water, you just need to apply it often (once a week unless you get 20mm of rain on most soils).
Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings as permanently waterlogged soil can also be a problem.
Don’t fertilise or mulch until mid spring. When the tree has shot away it’s then time to add a generous cover (1.5m dia. X 100mm deep) of mulch and a couple of handfuls of organic fertiliser.
Our Range of trees and shrubs available as bare root stock:
Roses
Fruit trees
Almond
Apple
Apricot
Cherry
Chestnut
Kiwi Fruit
Fig
Hazelnut
Mulberry
Nectarine
Peach
Pear
Plum
Pomegranate
Quince
Wallnut
Ornamental trees
Maples
Albizia
Cercis
Ash
Ginkgo
Golden Rain Tree
Crepe Myrtles
Crab Apples
White Cedar
Plane Tree
Poplar
Flowering Peach
Plum
Cherry
Ornamental Pears
Pin oak
Robinia
Elms
Standard Cherries
Peach
Mulberry
Japanese Maples
posted by Evan Prentice - 2010-07-07