About Bare Root Hedging Plants
About Bare Root Hedging Plants
Bare-root hedging plants are the most environmentally friendly way to grow and supply hedging. Before garden centres popularised rows of plants in plastic pots, most plants were grown and sold as bare roots, and some of the species we offer have been produced this way for centuries. You may also see bare root described as bare-rooted, field-grown, or open-ground-grown.
See our Bare Root Hedging page for a list of species available as bare root plants.
Some customers refer to bare roots as "dry root" plants. That is slightly misleading, because roots should be kept damp (not completely dry). While in our care, bare-root plants are stored in a cold building to reduce moisture loss, and we water the roots before dispatch.
Benefits of Bare Root Plants
1. They are typically the most cost-effective plant type, and that price advantage is passed on to customers.
2. They are the most natural and environmentally friendly growing method. Plants are grown from seed outdoors in large fields like an arable crop, with no greenhouses or polytunnels, no plastic pots, no peat, and no electricity required for heating or lighting. This gives bare roots a very low carbon footprint.
3. They are delivered without soil on the roots (hence "bare root"), so they are lighter to transport. This reduces delivery costs and packaging weight, and is another reason they are more environmentally friendly than other plant types.
4. They are easy to handle for home gardeners.
5. Because they are grown outdoors, they are fully hardy and acclimatised to UK weather conditions.
A Word About Evergreen Bare Root Species
Although bare-root plants are generally lighter and easier to handle than plants supplied with soil, some evergreen species have very large root systems. This can be the case with Box, Cherry Laurel, and Yew, as well as with some deciduous species (Cornus sibirica and Rosa rugosa are good examples).
Disadvantages of Bare Roots
In the interests of transparency, there are some disadvantages to bare-root plants.
1. They need to be planted soon after arrival, or heeled in. See our guide to Heeling In.
2. They are only available during the dormant months, typically November to April (sometimes early May).
3. Even with good planting practice, there is an accepted failure rate of up to 10%. This can be higher with larger plants and with evergreen species. Most customers do not worry about this level of failure because several plants are usually planted per metre, so small losses do not create gaps. If you opt in to our newsletters, we will send a discount code you can use if you decide to replant to replace the odd failure. If the worst should happen and you experience a high failure rate, we are committed to supplying replacements at cost price plus delivery (so we make no profit on replacements).
4. Deciduous species (and also Privet, which is evergreen) arrive with no leaves. This can surprise first-time buyers, but plants green up quickly in spring.
Do the Advantages of Bare Root Outweigh the Disadvantages?
In our view, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Even if bare root plants cost the same as pot-grown plants (they do not - bare roots are usually much cheaper), the environmental benefits alone are significant. Hedging has been grown bare-root for hundreds of years. Plastic plant pots were only introduced in the 1960s, so although pot-grown plants may now feel "normal", bare-root growing is the long-established standard method.
Is Bare Root a "Normal" Growing Method?
Bare-root growing is widely used across horticulture. Wallflowers and roses are common examples. In the hedging and tree market, vast numbers of plants are grown in fields as bare root stock each year. Most plants grown for forestry, supplying future UK timber, are also produced as bare roots.
How Are Bare Root Plants Grown?
In spring, seed is sown into prepared seed beds using a seed drill attached to a tractor. The seed germinates in the spring sunshine. Where rainfall is insufficient, crops are irrigated using water collected in reservoirs during the previous winter.
Over the summer, sunshine and rain do most of the work. Apart from mechanical and hand weeding, and the application of fertiliser, plants need very little intervention. Most grow to 40–60cm of top growth in one season (we do not include roots in measurements). Some grow to 60–80cm, some grow taller, and some species require two or more growing seasons to reach their saleable size.
Harvesting is carried out using a machine that gently loosens plants and shakes soil from the roots, leaving the valuable soil on the land. Plants are gathered and transported to the grading shed. Lifting typically begins at the end of October or early November, when colder weather and darker nights send plants into dormancy, and lifting can be done without harm.
In the grading shed, every plant is checked and measured by hand. Plants of the same size range (for example, 40–60cm or 60–80cm) are bundled together. This is not an automated process: a team works in a cold farm shed, checking and counting every plant.
Deciduous bare-root plants are then stored in a cold store with refrigeration that keeps temperatures just above freezing, so the plants remain dormant and in good condition.
Most bare-root plants are grown from seed, but some species are grown from cuttings taken from high-quality mother plants in permanent stock beds.
As well as one- or two-year plants grown from seed (often described as seedlings or whips), we also sell transplants. These are seedlings that are lifted in autumn, stored over winter, and replanted in spring at wider spacing so each plant receives more nutrients and moisture. Transplants are more expensive, but they are generally bushier with more developed root systems. Countryside Stewardship hedgerow grants require transplants, and we indicate clearly on the website which plants meet that specification.
Soil type is critical for bare root nurseries. It must be light enough for soil to fall away from roots during lifting, but substantial enough to retain moisture and resist runoff during heavy rain. This specialised requirement is one reason there are relatively few specialist bare root nurseries in the UK.
What Are the Differences Between Bare Root Whips and Bare Root Transplants?
Bare root whips are slender, generally unbranched hedging plants or trees, typically one year old (seed sown in spring, lifted and sold the following winter). The term "whip" is often used even where young plants show some branching (Dog Rose is a good example). It can also be used for species that take two years to reach a saleable size, such as Beech and Hornbeam, and occasionally for evergreen species such as Yew, to indicate the youngest, slimmest plant ready for sale.
Transplants are plants grown from seed for one season, lifted in winter, graded, replanted the following spring at wider spacing, and grown on for at least one further growing season. These are often described using the format 1+1 (one year in seed bed, one year after transplanting), or 1+2, 1+3 if grown on longer. Countryside Stewardship regulations typically specify 1+1 plants, and nurseries grow them across the main farm hedgerow species.
Other Things You Should Know About Bare Root Plants
Bare-root plants are sold from November until the end of April, sometimes earlier if stocks run out or if weather conditions are unsuitable for planting.
We are usually very busy in early November with pre-order dispatches. You can pre-order from July, so if you want delivery in early November, we recommend ordering as early as possible. We dispatch on a first-come, first-served basis.
You should plant bare-root plants soon after delivery, ideally within a few days. See our planting guide. You will also find guidance on storing plants before planting and on heeling in (a more temporary planting method for holding plants safely until you are ready to plant).
Bare-root plants arrive looking "bare". Roots are exposed, and most species (other than Yew, Cherry Laurel, Lonicera nitida and Box) lose their leaves during the lifting and grading process. Please do not be concerned: plants will green up quickly in spring.
Summary of Bare Root Plants
In short, bare roots are, in our opinion, the best overall option for most hedging projects. They are environmentally friendly, easy to plant and usually cheaper than other plant types. If you have never ordered bare-root plants before, there is nothing to worry about. Customer reviews can be reassuring, and we hope you will consider leaving one after your order arrives and your plants are established.
Further Advice on Buying, Storing and Planting Bare Root Plants
Buying a Hedge for the First Time
How to Plant Bare Root Hedge Plants