Mail-Order Trees and Shrubs

Trees and shrubs bought by mail order are often shipped with bare roots and arrive in late winter while still dormant. Deciduous ones have bare branches, their leaves having dropped the previous autumn. Evergreens have their foliage, but they're also in their rest period. All the soil is washed off their roots, typically wrapped in moist, shredded paper, moss, or sawdust for shipment. This way, they're easy and relatively inexpensive to ship. Bareroot plants tend to be very young and therefore smaller than those sold in containers or balled and burlapped. They're less expensive, and many more varieties are available through specialty mail-order sources.

Keep plant roots moist if you'll be delaying planting. Keep them wrapped and stored in a cool, dark place. Several hours before planting, unwrap the roots and set the plant in a container of tepid water so that its roots are immersed. Be careful not to damage the roots. The tiny root hairs are important because they will spearhead the growth in the soil. Once planted and watered, bareroot plants need less water than others until they leaf out. Delay fertilizing until they produce stems and foliage growth.

Planting depth is critically important when you plant trees and shrubs. Regardless of whether they're bareroot, containerized, or balled and burlapped, don't plant them too deeply. Check often while positioning them in the hole to assure that the root flare -- where the roots begin at the base of the stems or trunk -- is visible at or above ground level.

 

Heeling-in nursery stock.

Sometimes it's impossible to plant bareroot nursery stock promptly. Heeling it in -- a sort of temporary planting -- assures that the roots stay moist and protected during the delay. Dig a trench or slot in the soil or in a pile of leaves, mulch, or compost. Then set the tree or shrub so its roots lay in it. Cover the roots with soil or compost in a loose heap and wet it down thoroughly. You can keep plants heeled-in for up to 3 months.