Its not always possible to plant immediately when your order arrives. Here are some tips for how to delay planting your trees and plants.
In fall or spring, planting trees and plants can be an invigorating adventure. When your Stark Bros order arrives, its best to be prepared to plant your new additions within a day or so. We understand, however, that sometimes youre simply not ready to put them in the ground right away. In this article, we focus on some tips on how to delay planting.
If the weather is unfavorable, or you dont have time or help to plant right away, still be sure to open the box containing your order.
Bare root plants are perennial plants that are dug up and stored without soil while dormant. This makes them lighter to ship and more economical to buy. But bare roots are vulnerable and require protection to stay viable until planting. Proper storage preserves root moisture and protects plants from drying out or freezing before their garden debut.
When you order bare root trees, shrubs, vines, berries, and perennials for your garden, they arrive ready to be planted. But delays often happen whether due to bad weather, lack of preparation time, or a busy schedule. Knowing correct techniques for storing bare root plants enables success until ideal planting conditions arrive.
Why Store Bare Root Plants Before Planting
Bare root plants are sold dormant with exposed roots rather than growing in pots or soil. This allows
-
Lighter shipping without heavy soil or pots
-
Natural root spread when planted
-
Reduced transplant shock
But bare roots are sensitive and need protection to stay hydrated and undamaged until planting time. Reasons for storage include:
-
Bad weather prevents immediate planting
-
Waiting for soil preparation and weed removal
-
Lack of time for planting right after delivery
-
Plants shipped before last frost date
Proper storage keeps plants dormant and viable until planting into your garden is possible.
Storing Bare Root Plants Short-Term (1 Week or Less)
For delays under 1 week, short-term storage is straightforward:
-
Leave plants in packaging: Remove ties/wraps for air flow. Check moisture and mist roots every 2-3 days to prevent drying.
-
Cool, dark location: Store away from light and warmth between 34-40°F. Prevents growth acceleration.
-
Monitor temperatures: Don’t expose plants to under 25°F (freezing) or over 55°F (warmth forces growth).
With good moisture and ideal temps, bare root plants can survive 1 week storage.
Storing Bare Root Plants Long-Term (Up to 2 Months)
For extended storage from 2 weeks to 2 months, some additional care is required:
-
Bury roots: Place in container filled with lightly moistened sawdust, soil, peat, wood chips to retain moisture and protect roots.
-
Refrigerate or heel-in: Keep dormant between 34-40°F in cool cellar or unheated garage. Or bury roots in sheltered garden bed or trench outdoors.
-
Prevent light exposure: Stop light from initiating top growth. Store plants in complete darkness.
-
Monitor carefully: Check for mold, rotting, drying, or freezing damage. Trim any dead roots before planting.
With attentive care, bare root plants can successfully bridge the planting gap for up to 2 months.
Step-By-Step Guide to Storing Bare Root Plants
Follow this simple process for proper bare root plant storage:
-
Inspect roots: Trim any broken, dead, or dry roots. Soak for 1-2 hours to rehydrate.
-
Prepare container: Fill with lightly dampened media like sawdust, soil, wood chips.
-
Position plants: Surround roots in media, keeping root flares above surface. Pack gently to eliminate air gaps.
-
Monitor moisture & temps: Water occasionally if needed to keep media moist (not soggy). Store between 34-40°F.
-
Limit light: Prevent sunlight or warmth to stop top growth. Complete darkness is ideal.
-
Plant ASAP: Once ideal planting conditions arrive, get plants into garden soil quickly so growth can resume.
Storing Different Types of Bare Root Plants
Specific plants have certain ideal storage conditions:
-
Fruit trees & berry canes: Store for up to 8 weeks at 34-40°F in very moist media. Prune canes by 1⁄3.
-
Roses: Use open boxes/buckets of damp wood shavings, peat or vermiculite at 34-38°F. Discard any plants with molding canes or loss of plumpness.
-
Grapevines: Similar to fruit trees but store at 30-35°F. High humidity helps. Prune away any dead portions.
-
Perennials & grasses: Can be stored at 35-40°F in moist media. Discard any with dried or mushy roots.
Benefits of Proper Bare Root Plant Storage
Taking steps to correctly store and care for bare root plants before planting provides many benefits:
-
Minimizes transplant shock and stress when planted
-
Allows flexibility if weather or other delays occur
-
Maintains dormancy until ideal planting time
-
Reduces root drying and damage from poor storage
-
Saves replacement costs if plants fail
-
Prevents premature leafing or flowering
-
Provides time to improve planting sites
-
Enables ordering when selection is best
While requiring some effort, proper storage techniques make bare root plant delays worthwhile!
Bare root plant delivery rarely aligns with perfect planting timing. Knowing effective storage methods saves your investment if planting gets postponed. With the right moisture, temperature, and sunlight management, you can successfully store plants for weeks or months. Just be diligent with care, and transition plants into garden soil promptly when conditions allow. Proper bare root plant storage ensures gardening success!
Potted Plants and Trees
Plants and trees that arrive in temporary pots (like our Stark® EZ Start® pots and 4-inch pots) should be treated like houseplants until the outdoor soil warms. Water them occasionally, when the soil appears dry, and keep them in a cool, dark place to encourage dormancy, especially in the fall.
When planting time comes, these potted trees and plants will need to be gradually acclimated (“hardened off” or slowly reintroduced) to outdoor temperatures prior to planting in the ground. Doing so will help you to avoid shock and help to ensure the transplanting will be more successful.
Learn how to acclimate your new potted plants and trees:
Bare-Root Plants and Trees
When you open the package, you will see strips of damp paper around the bare-root plants and trees roots. Make sure the paper remains damp, but avoid drenching it.
Wrap the bare-root plants and trees in the shipping plastic and store in a cool, dark place, like an unheated basement, cellar, garage or shed. It is ideal to store the tree at a temperature of 40ºF, but anything under 60ºF should work for a short period of time. This method will help keep your bare-root plants and trees dormant so you can safely delay planting for up to a week.
If planting must be delayed for more than 10 days, “heel in” your trees outdoors. To do this, start by digging a sloping trench long and wide enough to hold the roots. Lay the tree in this trench, with the roots against the steep side. Then, cover the roots with soil, and soak with water. As soon as possible, plant trees in their permanent location as you normally would.
Some small bare-root berries and other plants can be stored in the lower section of your refrigerator or in the “crisper” drawer. Do not store them with produce unless your plants are completely sealed in plastic (in gallon-sized re-sealable bags, for example). To be extra cautious, you can double-bag your plants in the airtight plastic. Doing so will help avoid exposing your plants to the often lethal (to living plants) gases that are naturally given off by produce in your refrigerator.
How to store #bareroot trees and plants till planting time
FAQ
How long can bare root plants be stored?
Bare Root:
If you need up to 1 week before planting, the packing that your plants arrived in will be fine for storage. Remove the tie around the plastic to allow air flow in and so that you can add a little water every few days. Do not over saturate.
How do nurseries store bare root trees?
Storage Conditions: Bareroot plants are bundled into groups of 25 (or whatever is manageable), and long roots are trimmed. Bundles are placed into plastic bins with drainage holes. The roots are covered with sawdust and the bins are placed into cold storage (40ºF) and watered as needed during the winter.
How long can bare root plants sit in water?
Before planting, you’ll need to soak the roots for at least 2 hours and up to 8 to 12 hours, but no longer than 24 hours maximum.Mar 25, 2020