Plant bare-root perennials

Get them in the ground now for flowers this year

If you’ve bought bare-rooted plants before, you’ll be aware of their many merits. They’re cheaper than potted ones, are often available in a wider range of varieties and species and are more robust root-wise than container-grown plants. Plus, they should flower for you this year, which is a real bonus in itself. They offer a really cost-effective and simple way of filling up your garden with fresh colour for the year with plants that are less frequently available from your average garden centre or nursery.

Spring, or autumn, is the best time to get bare-root perennials in the ground. Planting them now means they’ll benefit from more moist, warmer soil and they can get established right at the start of the growing season.

Being planted here is a bare-root clump of Shasta daisies, which will flower this summer with tall blooms and provide lovely cut flowers for vases. Planting bare-roots is straightforward, but if you put them in the ground properly to start with, they’ll last and thrive for years to come.

Start by arranging your bare-root plants where you’d like to plant them, on weed-free soil, and be sure there’s plenty of space between them so they can grow to their stated breadth. Tease the roots so they’re free hanging and not compacted, and dig a hole so your plants’ roots will just be buried, with the rest of the plant above ground. Firm back the compost with your fingers, or the sole of your heel, and water in well, continuing to do so while the plant is freshly in the ground.