Bare root trees are not grown in a pot and will not have any soil around their roots, hence the name. Our bare root trees will be dormant at the time of pick-up, which helps them to transplant well. The best thing you can do for a new tree is to avoid shock as much as possible. Don’t wait until it’s too late in the season to plant. The best time plant to a bare root tree, or any other bare-root plant, is in the fall or early spring. We recommend amending the soil with black dirt at the time of planting to help retain moisture.
Things You'll Need
· A shovel
· Gloves
· A watering can or hose
· Soil
· A bucket
Steps to planting a bare root tree:
· Allow your tree’s roots to soak in a bucket of water an hour or two before planting. Do not soak the roots for more than 8 hours.
· We recommend a planting hole that is twice the size of the root ball, large enough to accommodate your tree’s current root system with some extra room to grow.
· Spread out the dormant tree’s roots to encourage outward growth and to prevent girdling roots.
· Keep the tree vertical in the planting hole so that it grows upright.
o Use a stake to encourage upright growth, especially on windy sites.
· Keep the graft union (noticeable “bump” in the lower trunk) 2-3 inches above the ground.
· Refill the hole with soil and any other soil amendments. Make sure that all the roots are covered by soil.
· Gently tamp out any air pockets from the soil once the planting hole is filled.
· Thoroughly water your newly planted tree.
Note: If planting on an incline, be sure to pull the remaining soil around to the lower side of the tree to form a berm. Typically, a berm is used when planting on a hill or an incline because it works like a levy to retain water. Instead of the water running off and down the hill, the berm will act as a retainer and the water will soak down to the roots of the tree.
