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Tips & Techniques

Storing Bareroots until planting time

20 years ago

I was at Walmart today and I purchased some bare root plants (hostas, virburnam 'Snowball', and peonies). need information on what I should do with them now. They are in plastic bags with peat moss. I really don't have the room to pot them up so how can I store them so they don't die? I assume they are not hardened off because they were inside the store. Any info is appreciated.

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Comments (5)

flowersandthings
20 years ago
I would keep them in a place that is not too hot but not freezing.... maybe a laundry room or garage or patio porch???? If all these places are freezing and where you are they probably are..... just keep them in their bags or pot them up and keep them moist.... keeping them moist will be your biggest problem..... they probably also don't have enough soil.... if you felt like hardening them off you could also gradually acclimate them and just plant them outside.... this is probably best...... :) ......
solargal
20 years ago
I was wondering about this too, since I ordered a bunch of plants from a cut-rate nursery in IL and they sent most of the plants already - and we still ahve a foot of snow on the ground! (they sent them 2 months before our official "frost-free" date - go figure!). I am wondering how to keep them moist and alive, yet not promote mold - keep them in their bags, maybe add a bit of peat moss, and just mist them a couple of times a week?
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Thanks, Dave. Yes, they have been hardened off. I was thinking that they would need some acclimation to our weather, since they came from a shade house and were accustomed to warmer temperatures. I would rather plant them, but I was worried about our erratic temps as of late. Highs are running upper 50's, and lows went into low 30's, but averaging around 38-40. We're going to move up to highs in the 70's this weekend before cooling back off into the mid 60's, which is still warmer than what we've had, and getting more rain. (my yard is saturated!) Low's staying consistently around low 40's. Not sure of my soil temp, but I'll check those tomorrow in the various beds...it's still pouring out there today. I'm outside of San Diego about 2K feet up in the local mountains, so we get a bit cooler here at night, but warmer than the coastal areas in the day. I'll give it a go and see what happens. I have so many plants, seedling, and seeds waiting to come up, that it's a bit like running an experiment at this point. I'm recording what I've done with each one, so I can determine what worked (and didn't) for the next go around.
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aka_peggy
20 years ago
They should be planted outdoors as soon as possible.

Bareroot plants are grown in fields, dug in the fall, and held in cold storage, their roots are kept moist by shredded paper or sphagnum moss and clear plastic wrapping.

Stores don't generally sell plants until they're ready for planting out. If you can't plant them right away, you should "heel them in."

You simply dig a trench in a shaded, empty border or the vegetable garden and, laying the plants at a 45o angle, cover them with soil and firm gently.

Plants can be left for some days, or several weeks, after heeling in, as long as you ensure that they do not dry out.

Make sure that you plant them in their permanent home before the new seasons growth begins.

*Also make sure you give the plants a good soaking by allowing them to sit in water for a couple of hours prior to planting. You can place leaves or straw around them to protect them from drying winds...if you have it.
lindac
20 years ago
But...in Vermont with a foot of snow...."heeling in" is out of the question.
I would plant them in pots, inside as soon as possible.
That's often the problem with cut rate plants....there is no regard to stocking at the proper planting time.
Linda C
solargal
20 years ago
Yes - that is what I did - my home office, which is the only dog and kid-free spot in the house, is full of old plastic 1 and 2 gallon pots full of the plants, just waiting for the time when I can plant them out. Because I live in a solar-powered house, grow lights are also out of the question, so the best any of them get is some bright light - the sunny spots by the windowsill are reserved for my seedlings.

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