I spent so much time on my veggie patch last year and just didn't see the spectacular results I was hoping for. This year I've been doing a lot more research to try and get my plants the right nutrients so I can actually get some fresh veggies this year. There is something so tasty about vegetables that are freshly picked from the garden, compared to something you buy in a supermarket and sits in a fridge. I'm improving how I plant them, how I fertilise them and hopefully I'll reap a bumper crop. Read along to see if I do!
Getting the most out of my veggie patch
The many advantages of buying bare root fruit trees
Alice Stewart
Whereas many commercial trees are placed in pots with compost to sell, bare root fruit trees are sold while they are dormant without any soil around the roots. Here are some reasons why you should consider buying fruit trees in this way.
Larger roots
Firstly, bare-root trees tend to have a much larger root mass than potted trees. This is because of the way they are harvested. Digging out the trees with the soil in a ball around the roots tends to cut them short and leave much of the root behind in the field. The extra mass is one of the reasons why bare-root trees tend to perform better than other trees and can establish themselves much more quickly.
Price
A second very important advantage is that bare-root trees tend to be cheaper than other trees. The nursery does not have to pay for pots, nor the labour of putting them in. It can also make economies of scale by stocking more trees than a more traditional nursery. The plants are also much cheaper to transport and deliver, as they do not weigh as much as potted trees and do not take up as much room. These savings will soon add up if you are planning to plant a whole garden or orchard.
Better performance
Bare root trees tend to take off more quickly than potted varieties. As they are dormant when they are planted, they can begin to grow as soon as they are in the ground. They can also be planted much earlier in the season. Other trees need time to adapt from the compost in the pot to the soil in the garden and are much more vulnerable to frosts or sudden changes in the weather. They can take several weeks to get going.
More variety
Finally, it is worth remembering that nurseries can plant more varieties of trees because they do not take up as much space. Rare or non-native species can be stocked alongside the more common varieties, which means you will find it much easier to find the exact tree you are looking for and can have a much more diverse range of species in your garden or orchard.
Bare root trees are a cheap and easy method of establishing a diverse plot of fruit trees. Your local nursery will be happy to give advice on which types will be best for you.
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