Bare Root Plants: The Ultimate Guide to Receiving, Storing & Planting
•Posted on January 18 2021
Bare root plants may look a little different from the potted plants you're used to seeing at a garden center, but that's completely normal. Bare root plants are shipped without a container of soil, often while dormant or beginning to emerge from dormancy.
This lightweight growing method makes it easier to ship many perennial plants while giving gardeners an affordable way to establish strawberries, raspberries, grape vines, asparagus, blueberries, and other plants at home.
The most important thing to remember is that not every bare root plant is planted the same way. This guide covers the fundamentals of receiving, temporarily storing, and handling bare root plants. When you're ready to plant, use the specific growing guide for the plant you purchased.
Quick Bare Root Plant Guide
| What Is Bare Root? | A plant shipped without a container of soil around its roots |
| First Step | Unpack and inspect your plants promptly |
| Before Planting | Keep roots cool and protected from drying |
| Best Planting Time | Depends on plant type, dormancy, climate, and local conditions |
| Indoor Starting | Not universally required |
| Most Important Rule | Follow the planting instructions for your specific plant |
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Just opened your Hand Picked Nursery box? Start with receiving your plants.
```What Is a Bare Root Plant?
A bare root plant is sold and shipped without a container filled with soil around its roots. Many bare root plants are harvested and stored while dormant, allowing them to be transported efficiently until they're ready to be planted.
Because dormant plants aren't actively producing lots of leaves and tender new growth, they can look surprisingly simple when they arrive. Depending on what you purchased, you might receive roots attached to a crown, a cane, a vine, or another dormant plant structure.
Why Buy Bare Root Plants?
Bare root plants offer gardeners several advantages. Without heavy pots and growing medium, plants can be shipped efficiently, and gardeners can often purchase larger quantities at a lower cost than similarly aged container plants.
They can also be easy to position during planting because the root system is visible and can be arranged according to the needs of the plant.
The tradeoff is that exposed roots require proper handling. Bare roots should be protected from drying, and planting instructions vary considerably from one type of plant to another.
What to Do When Your Bare Root Plants Arrive
Open your package promptly and identify the type of plant you received. Bare root strawberries, raspberry canes, grape vines, asparagus crowns, and blueberry plants don't all look alike, so compare your plant with the instructions for the crop you purchased.
1. Inspect the Plant
Check the roots and main plant structure for severe physical damage, excessive softness, active rot, or other obvious problems. Remember that dormant plants can naturally look dry or inactive.
```2. Protect the Roots
Don't leave exposed roots sitting in warm, dry air. Until planting, keep the root system cool and protected from drying.
```3. Check the Specific Planting Guide
Before soaking, trimming, potting, or planting your bare root plant, check its specific instructions. Different plants have different requirements for soaking, planting depth, spacing, soil, and handling.
```Just Opened Your Box?
Unpack → Inspect → Protect roots from drying → Find your plant's specific guide → Plant as soon as conditions allow.
```
Example of a bare root plant crown. Plant structure and correct planting depth vary by crop.
```How Long Can You Keep Bare Root Plants Before Planting?
Planting as soon as practical is usually the simplest option, but sometimes weather or garden preparation makes immediate planting impossible.
Dormant bare root plants can often be held temporarily in cool conditions while their roots are protected from drying. However, the ideal storage temperature, moisture level, and safe storage duration depend on the type of plant.
Temporary Storage Basics
Keep dormant plants cool, protected from drying, and out of warm conditions that may encourage premature growth. Check the crop-specific guide for additional storage instructions.
```Once a plant begins actively growing, its needs change. New shoots require appropriate light, moisture, and protection from extreme conditions, so don't continue treating an actively growing plant exactly like a fully dormant one.
What If I See Mold on a Bare Root Plant?
Mold on a bare root plant does not have one universal meaning. A small amount of superficial mold can sometimes develop during cool, moist storage and shipping, while soft, mushy, or actively rotting plant tissue is more concerning.
Different crops should be evaluated differently. For example, the way you inspect an asparagus crown isn't identical to the way you evaluate a strawberry crown or woody berry plant.
When Should You Plant Bare Root Plants?
There is no single planting date that applies to every bare root plant or every climate.
Many hardy bare root perennials are planted while dormant during the cooler parts of the year, often in fall or spring depending on the crop and climate. Local soil conditions, freezing temperatures, summer heat, and whether the plant has already broken dormancy can all affect the best planting time.
This is another reason crop-specific planting instructions matter. A bare root asparagus crown, strawberry plant, grape vine, raspberry cane, and blueberry plant can each have different ideal planting windows.
Do Bare Root Plants Need to Be Started Indoors?
Usually, no. Starting every bare root plant indoors before planting outside is not a universal requirement.
Many hardy dormant plants can be planted directly into their permanent outdoor location when soil and weather conditions are appropriate.
In certain situations, a temporary container or protected growing environment can be useful. Examples may include extreme heat, unsuitable planting conditions, or a plant that has already begun actively growing before its permanent location is ready.
Universal Bare Root Planting Basics
There isn't one universal bare root planting method, but several principles apply to most plants.
Protect Roots From Drying
Bare roots are vulnerable when exposed to warm, dry air. Keep them protected until you're ready to plant.
```Use Well-Draining Growing Conditions
Most bare root plants need soil that provides moisture without remaining continuously waterlogged. The ideal soil texture, pH, and amendments vary by crop.
```Plant at the Correct Depth
Planting depth is one of the biggest differences between bare root crops. Don't use one planting depth for everything.
```Water After Planting
Watering after planting helps settle soil around the roots. Continue monitoring moisture according to the needs of the crop, soil, weather, and growing environment.
```Be Patient With Dormant Plants
Visible leaves aren't the only sign of establishment. Dormant plants may spend time developing roots before producing noticeable new top growth. Sprouting time varies by crop and growing conditions.
```Choose Your Bare Root Plant
This is where the instructions become plant-specific. Choose what you're growing below for detailed planting depth, soil, spacing, watering, and long-term care.
🍓 Strawberries
Strawberry crown placement is especially important. Learn how to identify the crown and roots, plant at the correct depth, manage flowers and runners, and grow strawberries in gardens, containers, and hydroponic systems.
Read the Strawberry Growing Guide → ```🌱 Raspberries
Learn how to prepare and plant bare root raspberry canes, choose proper spacing, manage hot-weather establishment, and understand summer-bearing and everbearing pruning.
Read the Raspberry Growing Guide → ```🍇 Grape Vines
Bare root grape vines need proper root preparation, planting depth, spacing, support, and first-year training to establish a strong permanent framework.
Read the Grape Vine Growing Guide → ```🌱 Asparagus Crowns
Asparagus uses a specialized furrow planting method. Learn how to position crowns, spread the roots, gradually backfill the planting area, and establish a long-lived asparagus bed.
Read the Asparagus Growing Guide → ```🫐 Blueberries
Blueberries require distinctly acidic soil. Learn how to prepare the planting site, manage soil pH, plant bare root blueberries, and provide proper long-term care.
Read the Blueberry Growing Guide → ```Bare Root Plant Troubleshooting
My Bare Root Plant Looks Dead
Remember that dormant plants often look inactive. Lack of leaves alone doesn't mean the plant is dead. Evaluate the roots, crown, cane, or other plant structure according to the specific crop.
My Plant Hasn't Sprouted Yet
Check: Planting date, soil temperature, moisture, planting depth, and the normal growth cycle of your plant. Some bare root plants establish below ground before producing visible top growth.
My Roots Look Dry
Check the crop-specific instructions before soaking. Some bare root plants benefit from a brief root soak before planting, while soaking methods and durations vary by plant.
I See Mold
Don't automatically discard the plant. Check whether the plant is firm or soft and actively rotting, then refer to the specific crop guide for appropriate handling.
My Plant Started Growing During Storage
Once active growth begins, the plant's needs change. Check the crop-specific guide and prepare to plant or temporarily establish the plant under appropriate growing conditions rather than continuing long-term dormant storage.
```Frequently Asked Questions About Bare Root Plants
Are bare root plants dead when they arrive?
No. Many bare root plants are shipped while dormant, so they may arrive without leaves or visible new growth.
Should I plant bare root plants immediately?
Planting promptly is generally best when conditions are appropriate. If planting must be delayed, keep dormant roots cool and protected from drying and follow the storage instructions for your specific plant.
Should I soak bare root plants before planting?
It depends on the plant. Some bare root plants benefit from soaking the roots before planting, but soaking duration and which parts of the plant should be submerged vary by crop. Follow the specific planting guide.
Do bare root plants need to be started indoors?
Not usually. Many dormant bare root plants can be planted directly outside when conditions are suitable. Protected starting may be useful in certain situations, depending on the plant and weather.
Do all bare root plants use the same soil?
No. Soil requirements vary considerably. Blueberries need distinctly acidic soil, while asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, and grape vines have different preferences.
How deep should I plant a bare root plant?
There is no universal planting depth. Strawberry crowns, asparagus crowns, raspberry canes, grape vines, and blueberry plants are positioned differently. Always follow the planting instructions for your specific crop.
How long does a bare root plant take to start growing?
Sprouting time varies by plant, temperature, dormancy, and growing conditions. Don't use a fixed number of days to determine whether every bare root plant is healthy.
```Bare Root Plant Success Starts With the Right Instructions
Bare root plants are an affordable and effective way to establish perennial fruits, vegetables, vines, and other plants at home.
The key is remembering that "bare root" describes how the plant arrives, not one universal way to grow it. Protect the roots, plant when conditions are appropriate, and follow the planting depth, soil, spacing, watering, and care instructions for the specific plant you're growing.
```Ready to Start Growing?
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