FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We ship Bare Root Stock when dormant - plants do not have leaves, foliage, or blooms.

Bareroot Trees

Below (left) is an example of how our bare root crepe myrtles or trees will look when we ship them. They will be dormant, without foliage. Plant these trees in cool weather and the Spring (right). Here's a picture of how these trees will look (when planted and cared for properly) the following Spring.

Bareroot Shrubs

Below is a picture of our shrubs shipped bare root

Here is a picture of the shrubs - packaged as they will look when received. The picture to the right is how, if taken care of, they will look the following spring.

Bareroot Perennials

Perennials at time of shipment

Those on the left are dormant and the right picture is how they will look the following spring when planted and cared for properly.

Bareroot Ferns

Ferns at time of shipment (left). Following season (right).

Bareroot Fruiting Trees

The picture below shows berry plants (left) in a dormant stage without leaves, blooms or berries. Plant as soon as you receive them and in the spring they will "green out" and produce (right).

Bareroot Groundcovers Before and After

Ground Cover Plants at time of shipment:

On the left is how the ground cover plant will look at shipment. On the right is how they will look the following spring!

Bareroot Grass

Grass plugs at time of shipment:

We do not ship grasses in colder months due to the tops being gone. Also, we will not ship a grass species without being able to identify it, as these are grown in large fields with other species of carex and other grasses, it is best to wait for warmer months when positive identification is possible.

How To Store Bare Root Plants Until Planting Time

Trees & Shrubs (Including Fruit Trees, Berry Plants, and Native Plants also)

When you receive your trees or shrubs, you will need to open them right away and remove the plastic from the entire plant (except the root area).

It is best to plant Bare Root Trees & Shrubs within 1-2 days after receiving them, but there are other methods in case you do not have time for immediate planting. If you have a cool, moist area such as a basement or garage, leave the plants standing upright and leave plastic around the root system, and water thoroughly a couple of times a day (roots only). When you plant, it's always best to soak the roots, put water in the hole before planting (to add moisture in the deeper part of the soil before planting), and water again after planting. It's also advised to water each plant the first 4-5 days after it's planted, and they should do well on their own after this. We also recommend using a good fertilizer in the Fall so when the spring comes again, your trees & shrubs will be beautiful and ready to thrive.

Perennials, Ferns & Ground Covers

When we must store perennials, ferns & groundcovers, we maintain 38-42 degrees. Some nurseries use this year-round; the plants will be delicate for long periods without planting. This keeps them dormant. Also, if your order is a small one and you have a crisper drawer in the bottom section of your refrigerator, place them in their bags in the crisper drawer. This provides an adequate temperature for these types of plants. If you do not have room for cold storage, put it in your basement, garage, or cellar and remove it from the bags. Cover with potting soil and mist lightly with water every couple of days until you can plant them.

Wetland Plants & Live Stakes

If you have a pond, lake, or large trough, place the roots of the plants in water, and they will be fine for several days until planted. Ensure that you keep freshwater using your container, do not allow algae to grow or the water to become stagnant. Change water every few days. When submerged in a pond or lake, nothing needs to be changed, put roots in, and grow while being stored until planted.

Seeds

Seeds must be put in a dry area or placed in a refrigerator until planted. It is also advisable to check with your local USDA to check the ideal storage requirements for a particular seed. Different zones and climates will dictate the best ways to store. 

 

All our bare root stock is dug fresh to order

We dig our perennials, take them to our shipping warehouse, spray them with wilt proof, and then dip them in terra sorb gel. Both are transparent, and you can not see them, but when you feel your bulbs, you will know the inside is in superior health and is soft, full of moisture, and pliable. We wrap the roots (or place them in plastic zip-lock bags) for a short shipping period of 3-4 days. The plastic seals in the moisture, which is further needed for transit, and we utilize peat most to aid in moisture retention.

 

Buying plants "bare root" is the most affordable way to order.

Planting bare-root plants, perennials, ferns & trees not only is less expensive to ship but also enables the customer to buy at a fraction of the expense of containerized plants. We can ship our bare root plants by FedEx, ups, or US mail for much cheaper than if you purchased container trees. You receive the same plants for a fraction of the price.

 

We Pack To Protect Your Plants

Every plant we ship is dug fresh a day before shipment. We dig your order, take it to the shipping warehouse, dip all roots in a moisture gel called Tera-sorb, and line the roots with paper. (In warmer months, we use a straw to keep the plants cool during transit, then wrap in heavy paper and containerize in corrugated pressure protectant cardboard boxes.) We band every box as well as tape to prevent damage during transportation.

What is Tera Sorb?

Terra Sorb is a super absorbent, potassium-based co-polymer gel that drastically increases the water holding capacity of the soil. It absorbs up to 200 times its weight in water and slowly releases it to nearby plants, perfect for transporting plants.

We take large tubs of Terra-sorb to the fields, dig your plants fresh, dip in terra sorb, take them directly to the shipping warehouse, and ship them out the following day. We do not leave bare root plants in the cooler like many other nurseries; we dig our stock fresh and ship it. This ensures that your plants will arrive in the best possible condition and will be much more likely to thrive than plants purchased at other nurseries which do not follow these steps.

We pack all plants in terra sorb gel (roots dipped) and lined with moisture-rich peat moss. Can you purchase bare rootstock in the dormant season and have the same results? Why pay 90% more for containerized plants?

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