The ideal plants that you can introduce to your garden during the winter, are those that are bare rooted. Almost every type of deciduous plant can be classified, like so. Let’s learn about the pros and cons of growing these trees.
These trees are dug up at their nurseries of origin, and stored with no soil or dirt around their roots. This is what the meaning of ‘bare’, in this case, is. An important fact is that these trees are a big hit among most gardeners, given the several advantages of growing them. Amongst bare-rooted shrubs, roses are known to be a popular choice.
Advantages
- One of the prime advantages of planting these trees is associated with their well-developed root system. This is because, these trees have been allowed to grow in normal conditions, instead of contained in enclosures.
- Apart from having a well-developed network of roots, these trees also have a staggering 200% more roots that those which are stored in containers.
- Another advantage of these trees is that when they are handled well, their root system remains intact. So this helps them to take root, properly, with a better survival-rate chance, when they are planted.
Disadvantages
- One of the biggest disadvantages of such trees is their extreme vulnerability. If they don’t get planted within a week’s time, once they are out of their nurseries, the roots cannot survive in dry conditions, and eventually die. This is why it is important to get the trees when they’ve been freshly uprooted. If they are getting shipped to you, then go for a service with a fast mode of delivery.
- This is more of a specific requirement, rather than being a disadvantage―these types of trees are choosy about their planting times. Early spring or late fall is considered to be ideal for planting them. During this mid-season time, the soil remains at its moistest stage, where the trees are dormant.
Here is a list of some trees which are known to do well when availed in the bare-root form and planted according to the required instructions. These include:
Trees | Scientific Names |
English Oak Tree | Quercus robur |
Honeylocust | Gleditsia triacanthos |
Shantung Maple Tree | Acer truncatum |
Red Oak Tree | Quercus rubra |
Japanese Tree Lilac | Syringa reticulata |
Crabapples | Malus spp |
Hybrid Freeman Maple | Acer x fremanii |
We infer from the above discussion, that the prime advantage of investing in bare root trees or plants is a cost-saving option, no doubt. During the months of June, July, and August, you can take advantage of planting these trees.