Why bare-root planting is worth the effort

Bare-root trees are lifted from the nursery field while dormant and sold with no soil around their roots. That sounds like a disadvantage, but it is quite the opposite. With no compost to lose, the roots travel well, the tree is a fraction of the weight of a container-grown specimen, and you can plant a whole hedgerow for the price of a single potted tree. Just as importantly, bare-root roots have never been forced to circle inside a pot, so they spread out naturally into the surrounding soil instead of staying in the shape of their container.

The one condition is timing. A bare-root tree is a tree in suspended animation, and it will only settle happily into new ground while it is still asleep. Plant it while dormant and it wakes up in spring already at home, pushing roots out into soil that has quietly warmed around it for weeks.

The planting window in the UK

Bare-root season runs from roughly leaf fall in November through to bud burst in late March. Mid-autumn to early winter is the sweet spot, because the soil is still warm from summer and there is plenty of rain about, giving roots a head start before the cold bites. Planting in February or March is still perfectly workable, but you are asking more of the tree, and you will need to be diligent about watering if the spring turns dry.

A few sensible rules apply whatever the month:

• Avoid planting into frozen ground, standing water, or soil that is too wet to crumble in your hand.
• Never let roots dry out in the open air, even for an hour. They are far more fragile than they look.
• If you cannot plant straight away, heel the tree in — dig a shallow trench, lay the roots in it, cover them with soil and firm gently. It will hold for several weeks.
• Bare-root evergreens are trickier than deciduous subjects, so treat them with extra care or choose a container-grown plant instead.

Checking and preparing your tree

Unwrap your tree as soon as it arrives and look at the roots properly. They should be pliable and pale when you scratch the surface, not brittle or blackened. Cut back any roots that are broken, badly kinked or clearly dead, using sharp secateurs and a clean cut just above the damage. Shorten any root that is absurdly long, but do not trim for the sake of it — roots are the tree's fuel tank, and you want to keep as much of them as you can.

Then soak the roots for between two and six hours in a bucket of water. Overnight is too long for most species; you want them rehydrated, not drowned. If you have bought a mycorrhizal powder, dust it onto the damp roots at this stage, following the packet instructions.

Digging the hole properly

Dig a hole that is at least three times as wide as the spread of the roots but no deeper than the root system needs. Depth is where most planting goes wrong. Find the soil mark on the trunk showing how deep the tree sat in the nursery, and set that mark level with the finished soil surface — no lower.

Loosen the base and sides of the hole with a fork to give roots an easy route out, and keep the topsoil in one pile and the subsoil in another. If your ground is heavy clay, fork some well-rotted compost into the base and sides, but keep it out of the planting hole itself so the roots are encouraged to explore beyond the enriched zone.

Planting and firming in

Set the tree in the centre of the hole and check the depth with a cane laid across the top. Spread the roots out evenly in all directions, trimming nothing further unless a root is forced to curl back on itself. Backfill in stages, crumbling the soil as you go so it sifts between the roots rather than landing in lumps. Give the tree a gentle shake to settle the soil around the roots.

When the hole is roughly two-thirds full, firm the soil with your heel around the root zone — not directly against the trunk. This is the step people skip, and it is the one that matters most. Air pockets left around roots will dry them out and kill the tree slowly over the following summer. Finish filling, then firm again. The tree should feel anchored, and a gentle tug on the trunk should meet resistance rather than movement.

Water thoroughly, even if rain is forecast. A slow, generous soak settles the soil into every crevice and removes the last of the air.

Staking, mulching and the first year

Small whips and hedging plants rarely need staking. Taller specimens and any tree on an exposed, windy site benefit from a short stake driven in at 45 degrees, or a double stake with a flexible tie that allows the trunk to flex slightly — a tree that never moves will never build the strong stem it needs. Check ties each spring and loosen them as the trunk thickens.

Spread a mulch of well-rotted bark or compost in a ring around the tree, about 7–8cm deep and kept well clear of the trunk. Mulch conserves moisture, suppresses weeds and slowly feeds the soil. Water regularly through the first two summers in dry spells, and fit a spiral guard or mesh sleeve where rabbits and deer are active. After that, with a little patience, the tree will look after itself.