What Happens If The Ground Is Frozen Before I Can Plant?

Roots Break Easily When Disturbed While Frozen

This is serious because:

• A plant's food-energy reserves are stored in the roots during Winter, which it needs to start growing strongly in Spring
• Broken roots must regrow before they can absorb water, leading to poor establishment and potentially loss of new Spring leaves when Summer comes, again setting the plant back
• If the damage is too bad, the plant will simply die

Ordering plants online in freezing weather

Don't worry if the weather is freezing right now: go ahead and place your order online to reserve your plants before they sell out. First come, first served!

Remember that no money is taken from your card until right before delivery; you can cancel an order anytime before that in Your Account. 

Freezing weather delays Delivery

• We lift bareroot plants from the field whenever the weather allows: we simply have to wait patiently if the ground is frozen
• Our couriers also face poor road conditions in Winter
• So please bear with us: delivery delays do happen, and can be impossible to predict
• We will email you at every stage of any delay to keep you updated

Freezing weather delays Planting

You cannot plant when your soil is frozen or when it is snowing, or when air temperatures are below zero.

Luckily, in freezing weather, your plants will be fine in their packaging for a long time, really as long as the freeze lasts. 

Store your plants in a cold place, out of direct sun. Outside is best, but an unheated outhouse is fine. Do not put them anywhere warm.

• On delivery, open the parcel, so the tops of the plants are exposed, and you can inspect your order.
• The roots will be in a black polythene bag, and they should stay inside this while the freeze continues.
• You must not move your plants in freezing weather once you have put them somewhere safe and out of the sun.
• Leave them alone until the ground is soft enough to dig: by that time, the roots will have thawed too.

What happens if I am frozen in all winter?

If your plants are stored outside, frozen and out of the sun, they need no attention for months.

• The winter planting season ends around the end of March, depending on where you live.
• However, long cold periods delay the onset of spring. If we have a hard winter, it will be safe to plant bareroot trees hedging later.

There is no reason to panic or hurry.

What About Heeling Plants In?

Heeling plants in is a great way to store bareroot plants for a long time, but it's not necessary in most cases. 
Storing them in the bag is totally fine.

When can I get planting? 

You can start planting as soon as the soil turns easily, and the temperature is above freezing day and night.

Follow the country proverb: "when the ground is soft enough to dig, the plants are soft enough to be planted."

Watch our How to Plant videos for more help with this bit:

• Planting a country style hedge with a mulch mat.
• Planting a formal garden hedge.
• Planting a large Ornamental tree.
• Planting a large fruit tree.

What if my soil freezes again after planting?

Don't worry, it does not matter. Leave the plants alone until the ground has thawed. 

When it is soft again, gently firm the soil back around your plants using the ball of your foot and bodyweight: no stamping!

Check your plants for "frost lift" for their first couple of Winters, and firm the soil again when it has thawed.