I know it's cold and wet outside, but right now is the perfect time to get out in your garden and plant bare-root stock.  All of our local nurseries have a good variety of deciduous fruit, shade and ornamental trees and shrubs as well as vines, and they are more than willing to help you choose one that is just right for your landscape.

Why do you want to plant something that has its roots exposed?  Bare-root plants are normally much less expensive than container-grown plants plus, if handled and planted properly, they grow just as well as those grown in containers.  Another added bonus is that their roots are easier to inspect for damage or disease.  However, because the roots are bare, they dry out very quickly, so it's important to plant them immediately after getting them home.  Therefore, select your planting site before you even go shopping and get the hole dug beforehand.

At nurseries, bare-root plants are usually stored in bins with moist sawdust or peat covering the roots to keep them from drying out.  Sometimes you will also see plastic wrap around the sawdust-covered roots and you can take this off when you get home.  However, if you're not going to get the plant into the ground for a day or two, place it in a bucket of water just covering the roots.

Bare-root plants do better when planted on a mound or in raised beds because it reduces root and crown rots; they should never be planted in saturated soil or in a basin.  Dig a hole that is two times the width of the plant and a little deeper than where you see the soil level mark on the trunk (this will be a darker color).  This extra depth will allow a mound of soil to be built on which you will place the roots and spread them out evenly.  Remember, the most fragile part of a tree or shrub is the crown, the transitional section where the trunk joins the roots, sometimes called the root flare, and which should never have water puddling near it.  Planting a little high or on a mound prevents this as well as allowing for some soil settling.

Bare-root fruit trees and many roses and vines such as grapes are referred to as "rootstocks," a term that may not be fully understood.  Certain trees, vines and shrubs have desirable fruits or ornamental qualities, but their root systems are less so.  Other varieties of the same species may have more desirable root systems that resist certain soil-borne pests, fungi or viral pathogens or just may be able to withstand unfavorable soil conditions better (drought, high salinity, etc.).  When the better scion (the upper portion of a tree or shrub) is grafted onto the better roots (the rootstock), a more vigorous plant develops.  The area where the two are joined together is called the "graft or bud union" and this part of the trunk should never be below the soil surface.

Once you have your tree or shrub planted properly, water the area thoroughly, but do not build a basin during winter; this can wait until the hot, dry months of summer.  Staking trees is not generally recommended, but if you have to because of high winds, make sure your tree can still sway a bit – this will help develop trunk strength – and remove the staking as soon as the tree can stand alone.  In the case of fruit trees (and some ornamental trees), painting the lower trunk area with a half-and-half mixture of water and interior white latex paint reduces the risk of sunburn which in turn reduces the risk of borers getting into the wood.

Our local nurseries are excellent sources for bare-root trees, vines and shrubs and they are always willing to answer any questions you may have.