UNITED STATES—Gardening is dynamic. It must adapt as each season becomes the next. Autumn became winter. Then, suddenly, the Christmas Season became bare root season. Cut Christmas trees that did not sell became green waste. Formerly expensive live Christmas trees that did not sell became bargains. They must relinquish their spaces for fresh bare root stock.
The chronology could not be better. Christmas trees are seasonable while not much else is. Their season abruptly ends precisely as bare root season begins. Bare root season is contingent on the winter dormancy of all associated bare root stock. While dormant, such stock is unaware of what is happening. Otherwise, it would not survive such techniques.
Bare root stock grows in the ground on farms. The roots become bare by separation from their soil during winter dormancy. They should be comfortable within the soil of their new gardens before dormancy ends. They disperse new roots into their new gardens as they resume growth after dormancy. Therefore, transition from farm to garden should be quick.
Bare root stock sleeps through bare root season.
Some bare root stock arrives by parcel delivery with damply wrapped and bagged roots. More is available from nurseries, with its roots relaxing within damp sand until purchase. Some is available within individual bags of damp sawdust. Most bare root stock benefits from generally minor trimming or grooming. All benefits from prompt and proper planting.
Bare root season is the best time to procure and install several types of plants. Bare root stock is significantly less expensive than canned stock. It is also much less cumbersome to bring home from nurseries. Because bare roots were never confined within cans, they disperse more efficiently. Formerly canned root systems must recover from confinement.
Deciduous fruit trees and roses are the most popular bare root plants. More cultivars are available during bare root season than as canned nursery stock later. Several deciduous but fruitless trees, vines and shrubs are also available. So are a few types of berries and perennials, like rhubarb, asparagus and artichoke. Bare root season finishes with winter.
Highlight: Nectarine
Stone fruit classification can get confusing. All stone fruit are of the same genus, Prunus. This includes almonds, which are stones or seeds of inedible fruit. Prunes are European fruits that are conducive to juicing and drying. Plums are similar Japanese fruits for fresh consumption, but not for drying. The two are more different than peaches and nectarines.
Nectarines, Prunus persicaria var. nucipersica, are simply peaches without fuzz. Cultural requirements are about the same for both. They need only very minor chill through winter to vernalize, and enjoy summery warmth. Trees are not very productive for their first year or two. Then, they may produce for only about 20 years. Thirty-year-old trees are old.
Both nectarine and peach trees require aggressive pruning while dormant during winter. Otherwise, they can not support the weight of their big and abundant fruit during summer. Semidwarf trees, which are the most popular, can potentially grow 20 feet high. They should stay half as high with adequate pruning. Most of their fruit should be within reach. Bare root trees initially disperse roots more readily than canned trees.
Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.
