Bare root plants: The secret to success

Angharad James, product manager at Maxicrop, shares the secret to success when planting your bare root plants:

“Planting bare root trees and roses is a great way to add new life to your garden, especially during the dormant season from November to March. These plants are sold without soil around their roots, making them lightweight, cost-effective and easier to handle. Since they’re dormant when shipped, bare root plants experience less transplant shock, giving them a better chance to establish themselves when planted.

“But here’s the trick to helping them thrive – soaking their roots. As bare root plants arrive without soil, their roots can become vulnerable and dehydrated during shipping. To give them an extra boost to help them establish strong, healthy roots, one of the best things you can do is soak them before planting.

“Soaking your bare root plants in water helps rehydrate them and encourages the root system to start growing. For an added boost, consider mixing in a seaweed-based bio stimulant like Maxicrop All Purpose Plant Growth Stimulant. Made from sustainably sourced seaweed, it’s packed with natural compounds that promote strong root development, improve nutrient absorption and increase resilience to environmental stresses such as drought or transplant shock. Simply adding this to your soak can help your plants settle in and start growing quickly. Just a splash will do for the perfect plant pick-me-up.

“While the roots are soaking – usually for around thirty minutes - prepare a hole in the earth that is wide and deep enough to give the root ball plenty of room to spread out. After soaking, place your plant in the hole, gently teasing out the roots, before backfilling with soil and firming it in to remove any air pockets. Water the plant in thoroughly, with the remaining Maxicrop solution to give it an extra boost as it settles into its new home.”

Ends

Editors notes

Maxicrop® has been a trusted name in gardening for over 80 years, known and loved for its premium organic seaweed-based products that support plant growth and resilience.

Sustainably sourced from the pristine waters off the Norwegian coast, Maxicrop’s seaweed extract is rich in nutrients and antioxidants, offering a natural bio-stimulant to develop strong plant cells and boost root growth, while building resistance to disease, drought and cold.

Its hero product, the popular All Purpose Growth Stimulant, is a pure bio-stimulant with an enriched formula designed to enhance root development, nutrient uptake, and stress tolerance in plants.

The wider range features products that carefully combine this high-quality, highly concentrated seaweed base with Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium to provide complete care for a variety of garden needs, including Vegetable Growth Stimulant and Feed, Tomato Growth Stimulant and Feed, Growth Stimulant and Sequestered Iron, and Moss Killer and Lawn Tonic.

Certified organic by the Soil Association, Maxicrop provides eco-conscious gardeners with effective, sustainable solutions for healthy, thriving plants.