Planting bare root perennials is an affordable way to fill your garden with beautiful blooms and foliage. Compared to buying potted plants, bare roots give you more plant for your money. Follow these tips for planting bare root perennials successfully.
What Are Bare Root Perennials?
Bare root perennials are plants dug from the field with no soil around their roots. Growers harvest them while dormant, before new foliage emerges in spring. Bare roots arrive looking like a tangle of roots or rhizomes with a crown of growth buds. Popular bare root perennials include daylilies, hostas, peonies, iris and many more.
Benefits of Planting Bare Root Perennials
Buying bare roots saves money over potted plants. You get a more mature, established plant without paying for soil and a container. Bare root perennials transplant well too. Their roots suffer less shock than pot-bound plants. With proper planting bare roots reward you with vigorous growth and gorgeous blooms their first season.
When to Plant Bare Root Perennials
Aim to plant bare roots as soon as possible after receiving them. If needed, you can store them for 1-2 weeks. Keep roots moist and pack them in peat moss, sawdust or wood shavings. Store at 35-40°F. Before planting, soak roots in water 1-2 hours. Trim any damaged roots.
Plant bare roots in spring once frost danger has passed Fall is another option for hardy perennials, Avoid summer planting as heat stresses new transplants
How to Plant Bare Root Perennials
Follow these simple steps for planting bare root perennials:
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Choose a site with suitable sun, soil and drainage. Most labels provide growing requirements.
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Prepare the soil by mixing in compost or organic material. Eliminate weeds that compete for water and nutrients.
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Dig a hole wider and deeper than the bare root system, Mound soil in the center to support roots
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Arrange roots over mound and position crown at soil level. Roots should spread out without crowding or bending.
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Backfill soil, firming gently around roots. Leave no air pockets. Water thoroughly after planting.
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Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Avoid piling mulch on crowns.
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Water weekly if rain is lacking. Reduce frequency after plants establish.
Aftercare Tips
Caring properly for newly planted bare roots ensures they grow vigorously:
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Provide temporary shade to prevent leaf scorch for the first 1-2 weeks.
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Stake tall perennials if needed to keep them upright in wind and rain.
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Apply balanced fertilizer a month after planting if growth seems weak.
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Monitor for pests like aphids and diseases. Treat promptly to avoid stressing plants.
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Prune spent flowers and tattered foliage through the season to keep plants looking their best.
Best Perennials to Plant as Bare Roots
Many popular perennials thrive planted as bare roots. Top picks include:
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Daylilies: Reliable, carefree plants with colorful summer blooms. Many varieties available.
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Hostas: Prized for foliage that ranges from chartreuse to deep blue-green. Ideal for shade.
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Iris: Bearded iris produce vibrant spring blooms in a rainbow of colors. Reblooming types flower again in fall.
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Peonies: Gorgeous, long-lived perennials with big, lush blooms in late spring. Need chill hours to flower.
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Hemerocallis: Early summer blooms and grassy foliage. Tolerates heat, drought and poor soil.
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Bleeding hearts: Cottage garden favorites with pink, heart-shaped blooms dangling from arching stems.
Save Money and Grow Strong Plants
If you want to stretch your plant budget, plant bare root perennials. With proper planting and care, bare roots establish quickly and make a spectacular show their first season. You’ll discover the joy of transforming a humble root bundle into a thriving, floriferous garden.
How to plant bare-root perennials in the ground
If there is no chance of frost, tough plants like daylilies and hostas will not mind if you plant them in the ground instead of the box. The daylily in the photo below is going directly in the garden. This process is similar to potting up, but there are a few differences:
Clean up and soak the plants, just as you do before potting up. While the plants are getting wet, dig a hole that is just a bit bigger than the plant’s roots. Make a mound of soil in the center of the hole as the photo above shows. That gives the plant support and a place to spread out its roots. Water the empty hole before you plant to help settle the soil.
Plant the bare-root perennial
Place the plant on the mound and make sure the crown is even with the soil’s surface. If the crown is too low, add more soil to the mound to keep it from rotting. Then, move the plants around and fill the hole back up with soil.
Water gently so the soil isn’t washed away.
How to Plant Bareroot perennials
FAQ
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