The beauty of bare-root - bare-root plants

Sunset, Jan, 1995 by Lynne Oconne

It's the best way to go--from fruits to flowers. Here's what you need to know before you shop in 1995

AT FIRST GLANCE, there's nothing terribly inspiring about a nursery full of lifeless-looking bare-root plants. But don't let their scraggly appearance fool you. Harbored in the dormant stock is a bounty of fruits, flowers, and vegetables. It can all be yours this month, the height of bare-root season.

Labels and signs at the nursery are your first clue. Looking for figs? A sign at one Southern California nursery promises 'Black Jack', 'Black Mission', 'Brown Turkey', 'Conadria', 'Osborn Prolific', 'White Genoa', and 'White Kadota'. Roses? There are literally hundreds of varieties to choose from. And though you usually don't associate the dead of winter with prime vegetable-planting season, now is the time to plant bare-root perennials such as artichokes, horseradish, and rhubarb. There are even a few surprises, such as ferns, jujube, and a tasty cross between an apricot and plum called a pluot.

WHY BARE-ROOT?

Bare-root plants have numerous advantages over plants in containers.

Price. Bare-root plants typically cost 10 to 40 percent less than comparable container plants, although we've saved 70 percent in a few cases. The savings can add up if you are buying a lot of the same plants (if you're putting in a hedge, for example).

Variety. Unsurpassed selection is another good reason to buy bare-root. Since the plants take up less space than those in containers, nurseries that specialize in bare-root often have extensive seasonal inventories. And if you can't find what you're looking for, you can always order it.

Viability. Bare-root plants often establish themselves more quickly than container plants for several reasons. First, roots in a container can be potbound. Second, though less common, roots in a container can be underdeveloped. Last, bare-roots don't get "spoiled" by container soil. As a result, bare-roots don't have to adapt to any differences between container soil and your garden's.

BEFORE YOU SHOP

Know your source. Your favorite nursery for a splash of annual color or container plants may not have the best selection of bare-root. Since bare-root plants require special storage, many nurseries don't offer them at all. Twenty minutes spent checking the ads in your local newspaper and making a few phone calls will save you hours of running around to find out who has what.

Know the season. Plants are freshest and most abundant this month. Shop early because a plant's dormant period does not last long. Don't be enticed by deep discounts on bare-root in early spring; if plants start to leaf out. they won't do as well as dormant ones purchased during the peak of bare-root season.

Know your climate. Some nurseries and chain stores may not offer varieties ideally suited to the climate they are sold in. To ensure that you get the best varieties for your area, shop at nurseries that specialize in regional plants. In mild-winter Southern California, for example, it's important to plant varieties of apples, peaches, and pears that require very little chilling for fruit production.

Know what you want. It's best to plant bare-root immediately after purchase, so you should have a planting plan in mind--and the planting holes dug--before you bring anything home. If you don't know exactly what you want, or where you want to plant it, assess your site's space, light, and soil considerations, then take a scouting trip to the nursery to see what's available. Before you buy, you should return home to dig those holes. If, however, you're an impulse shopper and have not planned ahead, lay the plant on its side and make sure the roots are covered with moist soil.

SHOPPING SMARTS

At the nursery, you'll notice that bare-root plants such as berries, grapes, and roses are sold in packages, while others will be truly "bare," with loose roots heeled into bins of moist sand or wood shavings. For the nursery, the advantage of packaged plants is that they require little or no care, but for the consumer, packaged plants are not always best. The roots of packaged plants are trimmed or forced to fit into the package. The packaging itself usually hides the roots, so you won't be able to judge their health. And some packaged plants actually cost more than their truly bare-root brethren. Still, fresh packaged plants, purchased early in the season before they dry out on the shelves, should do well once they're planted.

A good nursery will give you plenty of information on the varieties it sells, as well as instructions on how to plant and care for your purchase. To ensure that a particular variety is right for your needs and climate, check the hours of chilling required for fruit production, the season of fruit maturity (early, mid, or late), whether or not a plant is self-fruitful (doesn't need other varieties to be pollinated), and its ultimate size.

Once you've selected your tree, the nursery staff will often prune its top. Horticulturists differ on how much should be pruned; some question whether the practice is beneficial at all. But Bob Ludekens, president of L. E. Cooke Company, one of the largest growers of bare-root stock for home gardens, recommends removing the top third of most trees. He recommends removing 50 percent on pomegranates and almonds, but he doesn't prune birch at all because it ruins the tree's shape.