Diarmuid Gavin: How to plant bare-root shrubs and trees

There is a project, however, that can be undertaken, and that’s the buying and planting of bare-root shrubs and trees.

Why plant bare-root? There are a number of advantages, including that they are much cheaper to buy, so if you are planting a hedge, it makes economic sense. It’s also the cheap way to plant roses, fruit bushes and trees. As they don’t require plastic pots or soil, they are cheaper to transport, and that’s also a plus for the environment as well. As the garden nods off and everything is quiet, it’s a good opportunity for the busy gardener to allocate sufficient time. There’s also the advantage that you don’t have to worry about the plants getting dehydrated as you would in summer and be fretting about watering-in your new arrivals every day.

Preparation is key to success. The plants will arrive with soil washed off the roots wrapped in something like damp hessian. You don’t want these to dry out so it’s best to have your planting hole ready in advance. If you’re not ready when they arrive, you can heel them in. This means creating a small slit in the soil with your spade and popping the plants in, so you’re not actually planting them but the surrounding soil will keep them moist.

Break up the sides of the hole as well as the bottom to encourage root development. Add in compost and slow-release fertiliser. Mycorrhizal fungi is also recommended, especially with bare-root roses, as it encourages a mutually beneficial relationship between roots and soil. Use stakes when planting trees — while you might not be planting on a windy day, there will be storms ahead. Insert stakes before planting them in now, as plunging them in afterwards can damage the roots which, right now, are the most important part of the plant. Choose tree ties that are expandable so they don’t strangle the tree. Loosen these ties as the tree grows — check them every six months and you should be able to remove them completely after a couple of years.

Plant at the same depth as the plant was previously planted — you will see a soil mark on the stem, so that’s your guideline; don’t go higher or lower than this. The only exception here is roses, which should have the graft union — the knobbly bit between the top of the root system and base of stem — just below the soil. Gently spread out the roots. Backfill and gently tread in the soil to avoid leaving air pockets and unstable plants. Finally, water-in your new plant.

Avoid planting when it’s wet outside as you will only damage the soil and compact it. Heavy frosts can be tricky as well — it’s hard work trying to break frozen ground with a spade. Frosts can cause the soil to crack and lift, exposing the roots, so keep an eye on newly planted shrubs and heel-in gently if necessary.

When you’ve finished planting, whether it’s a rose bush, fruit tree or native hedgerow, they might not look much right now, but next spring, as the soil warms up and daylight hours increase, the magic will happen and your bare stems and branches will erupt with fresh foliage and flower buds as your plant will be well settled into its new environment.

Plant of the week

Sarcococca confusa (Sweet box) A whiff of this plant on a winter’s day lifts the spirits — the small white blossoms have a sweet vanilla scent which seems to linger in the air on a still day. This is a really useful evergreen shrub for shady spots. While it prefers moist, fertile soil, it’s quite robust and will tolerate dry shade, pollution and even neglect. Prune only if it’s getting too big and do so after flowering before growth starts in spring.

Reader Q&A

I have a lemon tree in my conservatory which is doing well, flowering and has lots of lemons but it’s getting a bit too big. Could you please advise on how to cut it? Joanna

This is a job for spring and you can cut back branches by a third if they are growing too big. Cut out any water shoots as well — these are vigorous upright growths on stems and branches and will not produce good fruit. As with most pruning, look out for weak, diseased stems or those rubbing together and remove them. Also wear gloves as lemon trees can have thorns on their stems.

Submit your gardening questions to Diarmuid via his Instagram @diarmuidgavin using the hashtag #weekendgarden