What Is Your Take on Bareroot Plants (grow, jasmine, strawberries)
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It seems that little by little corporations are taking over the mail-order industry of plants and vegetables, and buying off the small- garden farmers. The shipping charge of plants have sky-rocketed, I am beginning to see that many places are offering bareroot plants. I guess because it is easier to ship them, and the cost is less for them, but not for the buyer. Usually, they offer more than one root per purchase, I am assuming, if one those do not grow you have the other one.
Last year, I tried them and planted four, not one of them took off. The company replace them, and the same thing happened.
What is your take on bareroots? Have you planted any, and if so, where you successful? Thank you,
I planted 25 bare root strawberry plants last year and they did great. I have also planted many bare root fruit trees and they also have done well. It is important not to let the roots dry out before planting, and then plant the them in a nice loose planting mix.
I've never had any trouble with bareroot plants. I've planted strawberries, pecans, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries and persimmons this way. I'd take a bareroot plant or unrooted cutting over a rootbound garden center plant any day.
Other things being equal, bareroot plants usually do better than transplants - if treated correctly, they suffer less from transplant shock, and their root systems are better because they were never confined to a container.
OP, like others, I wonder how you treated them. But I also wonder about your source. Quality varies, and some retailers buy "seconds" from wholesalers and pass them on to you.
And it's the other way around - bareroot plants (and balled-and-burlapped) are the traditional way(s) to sell plants. Container plants didn't become a "thing" until the advent of plastic containers. Garden books from the 30s and 40s (and earlier) are full of advice on these topics.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I have had good luck with locally sourced bare root trees and plants. The few times I have tried mail order, they did survive, the problem is not seeing what you get ahead of time. As it turns out, an advertised 3' tall Japanese Maple (for example) turns out to be a 3' long rooted cutting stick, with no branches on it. When you go to a garden center/nursery (or even Home Depot) you see what you are getting. I would only use internet/mail order for something not available locally, though I often will buy when on a road trip to a warmer climate to pick up plants we don't sell here because of the climate.
I have had good luck with locally sourced bare root trees and plants. The few times I have tried mail order, they did survive, the problem is not seeing what you get ahead of time. As it turns out, an advertised 3' tall Japanese Maple (for example) turns out to be a 3' long rooted cutting stick, with no branches on it. When you go to a garden center/nursery (or even Home Depot) you see what you are getting. I would only use internet/mail order for something not available locally, though I often will buy when on a road trip to a warmer climate to pick up plants we don't sell here because of the climate.
I think this depends on source.
For instance, in our neck of the woods, I would mail order fruit-producing plants from Raintree or Territorial before I'd buy from Home Depot or W*Mart.
I have gotten good plants from big box stores, but it helps to know how long they've been on the shelf and/or know what you're looking at.
You asked what I did before planting the bare roots: I placed them in water for about two hours, then I planted them in a 14" pot, since I am a container gardener, and put them in about four inches deep, with potting and garden soil, some peat moss, and water them again.
However, the zone 7 area where I live, gets lots of rain, so the roots could have drowned or rotted. However, the place where I bought them American Meadows, and excellent company, were very kind to replaced them all, and again the same thing happened. I never use fertilizer, when I first plant.
You both have been very gracious with your comments, so please, let me know, if you think I should have done something differently......I am always willing to learn from others......thank you,
What type of bare root plant did you plant in a 12" pot ? Is your plant suited to being potted ? Was there ample room for the roots ? Did you plant at the proper depth (per the grower)? Did the potted plant receive the recommended sunshine ?
"where I live, gets lots of rain, so the roots could have drowned or rotted" with a proper pot, one with adequate drain holes, plants will not drown....but do not let the pot sit in a saucer filled with water for more than a day.
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To: Jacqueg and Zoisite
