How long can I hold bare root plants?

[Jefffooz]

I ordered the following plants in bare root form. I don't think I will be able to get them in the ground for a couple of weeks because the ground and weather is still quite cold and very windy. How long can I keep the plants before planting them? Will they die if I just leave them in their packages?

Monarda, buddleja, clematis, peony and echinacea.

Thanks

Jeffery

[Tyra Trevellyn]

You haven't said where you are, but if the ground can be worked, you can plant the species you mentioned. If you need to keep them indoors for a few days (no more than a week), open the box slightly to allow some air in but not enough to dry the plants out (there should be some moist medium around the roots), and keep the box in a dark, very cool place. The idea is to keep the plants relatively dormant until they can get the resources they'll need to grow. If you've ordered from a reputable grower, they'll have provided written instructions for this somewhere in (or taped to) the packaging.

If you can't get to planting them in their summer locations in a few days, you should do something called 'heeling in.' Unwrap the plants and plunge them into a bucket of tepid water for an hour or so. Meanwhile, dig a shallow (but well-draining) trench in a very sheltered shady spot in the garden, lay the plants down with their roots in the trench and crown/stem area diagonal to the soil. (You can put the plants together in a much smaller space than they'll need for their permanent locations.) Water the trench and completely cover the roots with loose soil (don't pack it down). Make sure the plants stay moist. This will hold them for a while, but don't leave them longer than absolutely necessary. Again, there should be instructions with plants when they arrive.

Best, Tyra nNJ usa z7

[B & J]

Whenever I acquire bare root plants in the spring that I don't want to lose, I find it pays to plant them in gallon containers using quality potting soil and keep them in an area that is above freezing. I did this with a bare root Buddleia Bicolor and a Sixteen Candles Clethera that I received in early March this year. I kept the pots on cement on the south side of the house during the day and hauled them into garage when a frost/freeze threatened. I planted both of them in their permanent location today, and both had well-developed root systems.

Last year I ordered a couple of bare root honeyberries on sale ($20) and received two very small plants that looked like twigs. I potted them in gallon containers and added slow release fertilizer to the potting medium. I kept these in the containers all summer, lavishing TLC throughout the summer. They grew very little throughout the summer but did develop a good root system. In the fall I planted them in a well prepared permanent location and was rewarded by both surviving and not only surviving but tripling in size this spring. One even bloomed.

Yes, it's a bit of work to take care of container plants, but it's difficult not to take care of a plant when it's put in a spot where one notices its condition or stumbles over it daily. :) BTW, I've never lost a bare root plant when I initially planted it in a container.

John

[Jefffooz]

Thank you for your replies. I live in zone 7 in California at 4100 feet on the southern tip of the Sierra Nevadas. We usually get one or two more snow storms before or on Mother's day. The weather was warmer today, so I took the risk and planted all the bare roots and plants. They did not come with instructions, so I had to read up on them in my gardening books. Our local nurseryman told me to wait until the middle of May to plant, but I decided not to heed his warnings!

The peonies already have buds on them; however, the roots (which are big), seemed to have been trimmed off. As a result, I cannot figure out which way is up. I planted with the buds closest to the surface pointing up, making sure the buds are about an inch underground. I hope this is right. All the other roots are also of good quality. I was clueless about planting the clematis roots, but treated it the same way as the peonies. Ditto the echinacea root.

I made a mistake in my first post; the buddleja and monarda are actually whole plants, and so I just stuck them in the ground in amended well-drained soil. I hope the bare roots and plants will survive the next two winter storms. Will mulching help to protect them from freezing?

Thanks

Jeffery