Autumn is a good time to order bare root trees, canes and shrubs for planting in your garden or polytunnel. If you would like to create a fruit filled polytunnel then you can save a lot of money on stocking it by choosing bare root plants during the dormant season rather than buying plants at a different time of year. Bare root plants are easy to handle and will cost far less than established plants in pots. They offer a good way to establish a fruit garden on a tight budget.
Early autumn is a good time to think about how and where to order your bare root plants and to prepare the areas where you wish to grow them in your polytunnel. Perhaps you have not yet ordered your polytunnel. In which case, now could be the perfect time. You can get your polytunnel in place and prepare the ground before planting your bare root fruiting plants as soon as the leaves fall and the dormant period arrives.
Bare root plants can be ordered online from a variety of sources. Remember that it is best to choose plants that were grown as close as possible to where you live, as these plants will be best suited to the conditions they will encounter when planted in your garden or polytunnel. When you receive your bare root plants, it is best to be ready to place them in their final growing positions as soon as possible, so plan to be able to do so as soon as you can – have everything ready before you order and make sure that the growing area is not waterlogged or frozen.
The best times for planting bare root plants are the very beginning or the very end of the dormant season, when weather conditions are generally speaking at their best. Bear in mind that if there are particular varieties that you require or would like then sometimes you will need to order these ahead of time to make sure you get them when there is a limited supply.
When you receive your bare root perennials, soak them well in buckets of water for around 20 minutes before you plant them out. When planting out, make sure that the crowns are level with the surrounding soil and that roots are well-spread and there are no air pockets around them. Firm in and then water them in well. Next year you will see signs of growth in the spring that will tell you that the bare root plants have taken successfully.
