Unearth the Potential: Why Bare Root Plants are Great Spring Gardening Plants

Spring is the perfect time to breathe life back into your garden after a long winter and to use the gardener’s secret weapon: bare root plants.

Bare root planting is a time-tested method that has numerous gardening benefits, especially when you're gearing up for spring planting. Let's dig into why embracing bare root plants can revolutionize your springtime planting practices and gardening experience.

What is Bare Root Planting?

Bare root planting is when you receive a dormant plant with roots, but no soil. The plants may look dead, but they’re actually teeming with life and will thrive once you put it in soil and give it water.

Bare root plants usually grow in fields. They are carefully harvested and shipped when they are dormant, which often happens just in time for early spring gardening. You'll usually receive them with a visible crown or stem accompanied with a bundle of roots. The roots may be wrapped in moist material to prevent drying, or they may be free to dangle about.

For those gardeners used to potted plants, the sight of bare root shrubs, trees, and flowers can be shocking. At TN Nursery, we’ve had past customers call or email worried that their plants are dead. When, in reality, they’re just sleeping and with some care and time, they’ll be thriving in no time.

In fact, bare root plants have some significant benefits for gardeners and even some advantages over potted plants. Let us explain.

Why Bare Root Planting is a Spring Gardening Game-Changer

Why should you choose bare root plants for your spring gardening adventures? Here are six reasons:

1. They’re cost effective.

Bare root plants are often more affordable than their container-grown counterparts because you’re not [paying for the weight and bulk of soil and pots. Since bare roots are affordable options, they allow gardeners to expand their gardens without breaking their gardening budgets.

2. They’re easy to establish. 

Bare root plants are easy to establish and rarely fussy during the establishing process. This is because planting bare root plants in the spring allows the roots to establish themselves in the warming soil before the stresses of summer’s heat arrive.

Bare root plants also often experience less transplant shock after they are newly planted compared to plants moved or planted later in the season. Thus, planting bare root plants in spring gives you a head start on gardening. This leads to strong growth and healthy plants.

3. They have a wide selection, especially for native plants. 

Many bare root nurseries, especially those specializing in native plants and sustainable planting options, such as TN Nursery, offer a broad variety of bare root plants online. This gives you access to unique and hard-to-find plants that may not be readily available in local garden centers. But for online plant nurseries that sell bare root plants, you can easily browse and order bare root plants online to suit your specific needs and local ecosystem.

4. They encourage environmentally-friendly and sustainable planting.

How can ordering bare root plants online lead to environmentally-friendly and sustainable gardening? We’re so glad you asked! Shipping plants without soil reduces weight and bulk, which leads to lower transportation costs and a smaller carbon footprint. So, choosing bare root plants aligns with sustainable planting principles by minimizing waste and promoting efficient resource use.

Side note: Make sure to recycle your cardboard boxes, folks!

5. They allow you to inspect the roots.

Many diseases can be seen in a plant’s roots. With potted plants, it’s difficult to see root rot, mildew on the roots, and other root issues that can stop your plants from thriving. However, bare root plants give you a clear view of the root system. This allows you to inspect for any damage or disease before planting, thus ensuring that you're starting with a healthy plant.

6. They’re great for spring planting timelines.

Bare root plants’ dormant nature makes them ideal candidates for springtime planting. Especially in the early spring, these plants are primed to awaken and put down new roots as the ground thaws and begins to warm, thereby taking full advantage of the spring growing season. This makes bare root gardening a natural fit for spring.

3 Bare Root Plants for Your Garden This Spring

Ready to give bare root planting a try this spring? Here are three types of plants that thrive when planted as bare roots in the spring:

Grape Vines 

Bare root grape vines are perfect to plant in the spring. Planting during this period allows the vines to establish a strong root system as they emerge from dormancy and begin their new growth cycle. You can choose a grape that is specific to your region so that you get homegrown grapes for years to come. 

Berry Bushes (Raspberries, Blueberries, Strawberries)

Many berry bushes are available as bare root plants and are best planted in early spring. This allows them to establish a strong root system before fruiting. Ordering bare root plants online often provides a wider selection of berry varieties.

Ornamental Trees and Shrubs

Deciduous trees and shrubs, like roses, fruit trees, and many flowering shrubs, are commonly shipped and planted as bare roots in the spring. This method is cost-effective for larger plants and allows their roots to quickly integrate with the surrounding soil as the weather warms.

Embrace the Bare Root Advantage This Spring!

Don't shy away from bare root plants because they don’t look pretty right away or because they’re something new. Bare root plants are ready to plant when you receive them in the mail.  They offer a fantastic, and often more economical, way to expand your spring gardening efforts. By choosing bare root plants, you're not only getting great value but also contributing to more sustainable planting practices.

Check out our stock of thousands of bare root plants and feel free to reach out to us at TN Nursery today by calling 931-692-7325 or emailing us at [email protected]. We’re a family-owned business and we’ve been raising and selling bare root plants since 1959. We know bare root plants, and we’re ready to bare all of our gardening knowledge so you can be successful in your garden at home.