Why choose bare root plants?

Whilst bare root plants can be a great, cost-effective option for many people, we often find less experienced gardeners are left unsure what plants are available bare root, why they are a good choice, how and when they can be planted, how long they take to grow, or even exactly what they are in the first place! Our various bare root plant guides aim to answer these questions with this one focusing on why you should consider choosing bare root plants.

Planting a bare root Cornus (Dogwood) in the winter

• Value. Bare root plants are better value for money than their containerised counter-parts because they are cheaper to grow. Many people find bare root plants are a great way to get more "bang for your buck", providing you don't mind venturing out into the garden during the winter to plant them.

• Speed of Establishment. Bare root plants establish more quickly than those grown in pots because a larger surface area of the root system is in direct contact with your garden soil. You can further speed up the establishment process by sprinkling some mycorrhizal fungi around the roots of your bare root plants immediately before planting. The plant has a mutually beneficial relationship with the fungi which allows it to establish more quickly. As bare root plants are planted during the dormancy period between November and March, the roots will quietly establish below during the winter, ready to fuel a fabulous display of flowers and foliage when spring comes around.

Bare root box plants (Buxus Sempervirens)

• Environmentally Friendly. We (rightly) live in a society with an ever-increasing focus on reducing plastic consumption. The impact of irresponsible plastic use and disposal on our oceans in particular has seen lots of media coverage recently with single-use of plastics increasingly frowned upon. Whilst anyone who buys containerised plants can use our plastic pot recycling service to minimise the impact, bare root plants (supplied without any plastic pots or containers) are probably the most environmentally friendly option.

We hope this gives you plenty of positive reasons to embrace the bare root planting revolution this winter!

Bare Root vs. Containerised Plants - comparison table

* We offer a plastic pot recycling service at our Staffordshire garden centre.