How do you plant bare roots?Updated 8 months ago

It varies depending on the plant type. Some varieties grow from quite chunky bare roots, such as peonies and lupins. They can be planted horizontally with the buds facing upwards directly into a border with crumbly, free draining soil or large patio containers and watered in afterwards.

Some varieties, such as echinops, hollyhocks and eryngium have a tap root. A tap root points vertically downwards in the soil and smaller outward-facing roots begin to grow from the tap root. These types of root are often quite long and don't fit easily into pots to grow on prior to planting out. They too can be planted directly into a clear space in a border with free-draining, crumbly soil or large patio container and watered in after planting. 

Many varieties, such as echinacea, rudbeckia and helenium have quite delicate root systems formed of a mass of fine roots. They can struggle to settle into some garden soils and the young shoots are more at risk of pest damage in borders if planted direct, we therefore recommend that these types are potted up into small temporary pots and grown on for 1-3 months prior to planting into borders. They should be kept in their temporary pots until they have grown a stronger root system which holds the soil together in a root ball which easily slides out of the pot in one piece. Transferring bare roots into a new position before they are ready can lead to root disturbance. If soil comes away from the roots during the process, the soil can take the fine root hairs with it which leaves the plant unable to take up sufficient moisture. 

You can find tips, advice and videos in our online planting guides.