What Are Bare Root Plants?

Bareroot means no soil around the roots when delivered 

The majority of hedging plants and trees in the UK are planted bareroot, but for many new gardeners, the idea of buying a plant with no soil around its roots feels wrong: how can they survive transit without a pot?

The secret is that they are dormant (sleeping) in winter, and really do not mind being lifted without soil on their roots. 

Bareroot trees and plants are sometimes not that well understood. All bareroot means is that there is no soil around the roots of a plant when it is delivered. We are all familiar with some examples of bare root plants. For example almost all flower bulbs are planted when they are dormant and have neither leaf nor root. All roadside plantings are bareroot, over 90% of all hedging is planted without soil on its roots, over half of all roses, and 90% of all fruit trees are planted barerooted.

The key word is dormant. All plants slow down in the winter as temperatures drop and light levels fall. Deciduous specimens (trees and shrubs that lose their leaves in winter) go to sleep completely and almost all cellular activity ceases. Something like suspended animation. Evergreen plants such as yew do not become completely dormant, but they can best be described as being very comatose indeed, so similar rules apply.

Because these plants are in “shut down” they have very little need for anything except sufficient dampness at the root to prevent desiccation and cell damage. This is where bareroot trees and plants come into their own. They have a number of very significant advantages over their pot grown cousins:

• Bareroot plants are grown in open ground which means they tend to be bigger and stronger than potgrown stock
• For the same reason they are less likely to suffer from the family of diseases generally known as “root root”
• Because there is no need for pots, compost and pot specific watering systems they are much cheaper to produce and buy
• There are no heavy rootballs or pots with compost to pack and transport. This makes carriage either vastly cheaper or quite simply, possible.
• For the eco-conscious, bareroot plants are generally carbon positive (good for the climate) which potted and rootballed stock are not.

Without wishing to labour the point, 500 bareroot hawthorn hedging plants weigh less than 25kgs. The same plants in 2 litre pots would weigh a tonne. Literally. Or, a bare rooted 6/8 standard english oak can be easily lifted with one hand. The same tree in a suitably sized pot is a two-man lift.

To paint the picture fairly, there are some (relatively minor) disadvantages as well.

• Bareroot plants suffer some root loss when they are lifted. In the long run this is good as root pruning creates a denser rootball, but in the short term it means they take a little longer to start growing after planting than potted plants. Root-loss is less in smaller plants than larger trees.
• Because of this root loss, barerooted plants are more prone to die of thirst if they are not watered when it is dry in the spring and early summer after planting.
• Because near-dormancy is necessary for bareroot planting, the season is restricted to the months of November – April (May in a late spring).

What Do Bareroot Plants Look Like?

When you order bareroot beech hedging from us, the video below shows Andy, our Head Nurseryman, explaining what you’ll get and how to care for it until you’re ready for planting.

Is bare root better than potted?

Bare-root plants are only delivered and planted in the winter season, from November to April. Pot grown plants can be delivered and planted all year round.

Most plants are sold either bareroot only (e.g. all large trees and most hedge plants) or pot grown only (e.g. lavender and climbing plants), so there is no decision to be made, but some, like rose bushes or beech hedging, are sold bareroot in winter and pot grown the rest of the year.  

Advantages of Bare-root plants

• You pay less for the same size plants.
• You can carry and plant them more easily.
• You only plant them in winter, so they need less maintenance after planting. The ground is naturally wet for their first few months.
• You get the biggest selection: Many trees are not sold pot-grown.
• They are “asleep” in winter – this is the best time to transplant any tree.
• They use fewer fertilisers & fungicides, less water and less packaging and fuel in their production & delivery.

Advantages of Pot Grown plants

• Can be delivered & planted all year round.
• Plants with tender roots & larger specimens must be delivered in pots.
• Can be kept for longer if there is a delay in planting.

Our Advice to You: 
If it is summer, and you can’t wait to get planting, and you can definitely water them twice a week in dry weather, order pot grown plants. 
Otherwise, order bare-root plants for delivery in the winter months. 
In both cases it is a good idea to order early.

Buying Bareroot: Winter Delivery Seasons Explained 

We do sell some big trees in pots during summer, but we mostly deliver them barerooted in the winter season, November – March. 

You can place your order for large trees outside of the season, and we will not charge your card until they are ready for delivery.

Barerooted Large Trees are:

• Easy to deliver, carry around and plant.
• The best value for money.
• Guaranteed for their first year.
• Most likely to establish successfully after you’ve planted them.

Reserve bareroot plants in summer to

• Book the plants you want before they sell out,
• Choose your winter delivery date before a queue builds up

Rootballed Trees: Certain trees need to be transported with a protective ball of earth around their roots. These “rootballed” trees are also delivered in winter, but with a longer delivery season: each plant’s page will tell you exactly.