Topic: bare root herbaceous perennials

[Garden Manager]

I have just received, mail order some bae root plants of perennial rudbekia.

I have not had much sucess with plants purchased this way in the past, but I do want to suceed this time, so i am looking for some growing tips for plants bought in this way.

The instructions say plant out in the garden straight away, but i am not happy about doing this. Firstly I dont have a site prepared, and secondly I am worried they will be harmed beither the weather or by pests.

I would prefer to plant in  pots, however this is where i have lost such plants before, so I have concerns here too.

Please advise.

[Palustris]

We often get bare rooted perennials and since our area is so cold we usually try to plant in Spring. We pot them up into good sized pots with a free draining compost. It does not need any large amount of food as the plants are destined to go out into the garden rather than stay in the pot. The pots are then placed in a garden frame where we can cover them in case of extreme weather conditions.
3 reasons for loss are a. too dry....b. too wet......c. frost.
Since the plants are not making large amounts of top growth over Winter there is very little moisture loss from transpiration so the amount of water needed is much reduced. You need to aim for just moist, but remember that the surface may be very dry/wet and the inside the opposite.  Too dry and the roots will shrivel and not regenerate in Spring.
Frost should not be a problem for you though. Cold winds hitting the pot could damage the roots, but again not likely in Dorset.
Best of luck with it anyway!

[Garden Manager]

Thanks Eric

I have (i think) 3 each of three varieties. I was wondering if it would be worth planting say, one of each outside in a nursery bed (veg bed), and then transplanting in spring, whilst the others could go into pots in the coldframe/other sheltered spot? To cover all bases so to speak.

I take it for pots the best compost would be 'ordinary' multipurpse potting compost.

No cold winds in Dorset. Dont you beleive it!

[Palustris]

Yes, why not. We did a lot of Nursery bed planting when we started here with a lot of success, except for one or two plants which took a lot of getting rid of from the Nursery bed afterwards. I am thinking especially of Poppies. (My first ever posting on the Beeb was a plea as to how to kill these d....d things)
Yes, to compost, I would just add some sharp sand or grit or Perlite to increase drainage. Use a seed one rather than a growing compost, less food.
One other point, if the roots are in anyway dried out when the plants arrive, soak them for a while in tepid water before planting.
Obviously don't plant in too big a plant pot, but that is probably teaching my grandmother to suck eggs type advice.

[Garden Manager]

Thats ok eric, I dont mind you 'teaching your grand mother' at all. All common sense advice if you ask me.

Thanks again