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Turbosaurus
- Full Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:28 pm
- Location: Yonkers, NY
Planting perenials in zone 7 from root stock
I bought some perenials- they are root stock. The instructions on the box say I should wait until after the last frost ot plant them (specifically I am planting hosta, bleeding hearts, clematis and astible) but my existing perenials are already growing- I have 1.5" sprouts on my clematis, and the bleeding hearts are coming out of the ground already. Can't I plant them now? or are new transplants more tender when it comes to frost than plants already established?
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applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30541
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Technically, what you have are called "bare root" plants. "Root stock" is a term used for trees, mostly fruit trees, on which a bud or a cutting of desired variety is grafted. 
OK, lesson over.
Those bare root plants can be planted as soon as your soil is no longer frozen and no longer sopping wet from the spring thaw. If they're the kind sold in boxes in stores, sometimes, they have very weak growth starting already because they were kept too warm. You need to handle them carefully. Inspect them carefully before you plant -- if the roots are shriveled/dried up, then they will not grow -- take them back to the store.
Soak the roots in a bucket or tub of water for 1~2 hrs with a handful of compost if you have some -- rainwater is best but if you don't have that, leave a tub of tap water out overnight so chlorine will dissipate.
Prepare the ground by digging deep and wide enough to accommodate the roots without bending. Then dig a little deeper. Mix some good compost or humus into the soil. Make a mound of soil in the middle, carefully spread and drape the roots on top, then fill the hole 1/2 way. Now water with the soaking water so the soil is soaked in, then fill the hole rest of the way and water some more. The instructions should say how much of the top should be left exposed.
I would put some kind of a plant marker next to the plant then cover with at least 3" of loose fluffy mulch like leaves or straw. If it had pale weak shoots growing out of it, then I would first snuggle a plastic 1 gal. milk or distilled water jug with the bottom cut off over the plant, then mulch all around (you can use heavier mulch in this case -- whatever you're using for that bed.) Leave the cap off for ventilation.
OK, lesson over.
Those bare root plants can be planted as soon as your soil is no longer frozen and no longer sopping wet from the spring thaw. If they're the kind sold in boxes in stores, sometimes, they have very weak growth starting already because they were kept too warm. You need to handle them carefully. Inspect them carefully before you plant -- if the roots are shriveled/dried up, then they will not grow -- take them back to the store.Soak the roots in a bucket or tub of water for 1~2 hrs with a handful of compost if you have some -- rainwater is best but if you don't have that, leave a tub of tap water out overnight so chlorine will dissipate.
Prepare the ground by digging deep and wide enough to accommodate the roots without bending. Then dig a little deeper. Mix some good compost or humus into the soil. Make a mound of soil in the middle, carefully spread and drape the roots on top, then fill the hole 1/2 way. Now water with the soaking water so the soil is soaked in, then fill the hole rest of the way and water some more. The instructions should say how much of the top should be left exposed.
I would put some kind of a plant marker next to the plant then cover with at least 3" of loose fluffy mulch like leaves or straw. If it had pale weak shoots growing out of it, then I would first snuggle a plastic 1 gal. milk or distilled water jug with the bottom cut off over the plant, then mulch all around (you can use heavier mulch in this case -- whatever you're using for that bed.) Leave the cap off for ventilation.