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Viginia Bluebells, planting bare root

16 years ago

Hello, I have just received 5 bare roots of Virginia Bluebells and 3 are beginning to sprout at one end. How do you plant them? Do I put them horizontally one inch below the surface or do I put them vertically with the growing tip one inch below the surface? How can I tell which end is up with the root that isn't sprouting yet?

I would appreciate your help with this.

Thank you...

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Comments (6)

linda_schreiber
16 years ago
I'm not an expert on planting bareroot bluebells, but you haven't gotten a better answer. The packet instructions probably would have said something like 'bury an inch below surface', but that would have been when the thing was dormant. The plant then would have figured out 'up' and 'down' when it broke dormancy.

I would suspect that, with bluebells, the end beginning to sprout now is the stem end rather than the root end. And you said "How can I tell which end is up with the root that isn't sprouting yet?" I suspect that in that sprouting end you recognized the developing bud.

I would plant them about an inch under the soil, but at the end that is sprouting, get that end at the level of the soil, or *just* below. I don't know that vertical or horizontal matters, as long as the budding end isn't buried. But I would get them in the ground *soon*!

Bluebells are very forgiving. Get them in the ground, with the growing part toward sun, and odds are they will do fine. You may not get optimum flowering this year, but they'll do fine.
waplummer
16 years ago
You would plant the roots vertically and the sprouting leaves upright. From the roots on these you can figure out how to plant those that are not leafing out. I just dug up a clump today.
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rosebug4u
Original Author
16 years ago
I'll be able to plant the Bluebells this weekend. The ones that are clearly budding, I'll plant vertically. If I really can't tell one end from the other ( I haven't opened the packages yet) I might just plant those horizontally and hope for the best unless I can see the roots on one end. Hopefully, I'll be able to tell up from down!!

Thank you.
allenkl
16 years ago
I received 4 English Bluebell bulbs from a very sentimentally important place. The bulbs are attached to each other in a sort of row arrangement. The area was filled with blooming plants and there were many, many bulbs lying around on the surface of the ground. I know bulbs should be planted in the Fall but what can I do with these to ensure they will live and bloom next Spring? I so want these to live in my garden.
pauldianesteinke
15 years ago
Just tried transplanting a few Virginia Blue Bells and hope it works out. After one day in there new home the leaves are wilting...did I do something wrong in the move ?? Maybe I did'nt get enough of the root system didn't have the right digging tools in the car at the time and just used a putty knife I had...Going back to get a few more but bringing the right tools to do the job...any suggestions out there??
PaulS
pauldianesteinke
14 years ago
Tried to transplant some Virginia Bluebells and the leaves wilted on them..Did I do something wrong??Wondering if I didn't get enough of the root system...going to try it again and try to get more root...any one have this problem or know how to do this without harming the plant....P. Steinke
(pdsteinke@yahoo.com)..Thanks from Iowa

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