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How long can roots be bare outdoors

15 years ago

I just dug up a 10-ft fig tree to transplant. It is laying in my yard, how long can it stay like that before it starts harming the tree before I can plant it. Its about 50 degrees outside now (Brooklyn) I can plant it soon, but should I protect it some way now?

Thanks,

Helene

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Comments (5)

ottawan_z5a
15 years ago
Find a cool shady area and cover the roots with moist soil to avoid dissication of the roots. Do it the sooner the better. This is a common practice to keep the bare root plants viable until one is ready to plant. Make sure the roots don't drown in water for any reason during this wait.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
15 years ago
The work horses - the fine rootage - start to die after only a few minutes unless they are kept moist. How long it actually takes to kill roots depends on the combination of air movement (wind), humidity, temperature, and sun load.

It doesn't take as long as you might think. I always have a hose or spritzer on hand as I work on rootage to insure it never dries out.

Al
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Yeah linnea56 give them a little more time. Hell, give them until next spring. I don't have experience with Dicentra bare roots but I do have two dicentras: one I planted, one came with the house. Both have grown to be massive in size. The one that was original to the house got rolled on by one of my dogs - the following year it didn't grow too much during the growing season but this year has come back in full force. I grew a few ferns from bareroots last year. A few never sprouted anything until THIS year which is why I say give until next spring if you can
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Just wanted to post a follow-up. Every single one of the 10 hostas I've planted so far has come up! These Gilbert H. Wild ("hostas by the handful") bare root hostas have done GREAT. I planted them in my west-facing, clay soil bed (amended heavily with composted, shredded pine bark) which receives the afternoon sunlight the hostas love. Also snaked through a drip hose through the bed. Varigated hydrangeas from Bluestone Perennials are structuring the back of the bed. I'd like to plant heuchera, too, and maybe some ferns and lady's mantle. I suspect that frequent, deep watering is one of the keys to success. Next step is to buy a timer! Quick question: would mulching with either newspaper or grass clippings (or a combo) work for my burgeoning hosta bed? THANK YOU ALL!!
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stellar.bpo
15 years ago
This is a common practice to keep the bare root plants viable until one is ready to plant. Make sure the roots don't drown in water for any reason during this wait.

Lisa11
italiangirl74
15 years ago
Depending on how cold it gets at night, Keep a large beach towel/towels a little damp and drap over the roots. This helps in this situation. Don't let it freeze and don't keep it soggy wet either.
bjs496
15 years ago
Another option is to put the roots in damp mulch. MAKE SURE THE MULCH IS WET FIRST. The longest I've had roots bare and the tree survive is 3 hours (It was a test to see if I could destroy RKN without destroying the tree).

~james

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