Since March, Blooming Prairie team members have been working long days digging in cold dirt, freezing rains, and battling strong winds. so that the bare root stock can be harvested. Digging up roots in these conditions is tough, very dirty work, but someone's gotta do it!
Here's why...
The bare root plant is the most cost effective and hardy plant a nursery can offer, since it's grown in ground(it's natural environment) and produces VERY LITTLE PRODUCT WASTE for consumers.
Consider this very typical senario:
Jane goes and purchases 10 gallon sized, potted plants in April when the weather breaks. She's got spring fever and wants to PLANT! She ends up spending $120 for some non-native potted plants that have been grown indoors. After she puts them in the ground, Jane has 10 new plastic containers that she never uses but saves "just in case." The spring rains continue, and three of the plants don't make it. Later that summer, the 90 degree temperatures burn up the rest of Jane's plants because the root systems weren't deep enough to reach water, and/or the plant didn't respond to the heat by going dormant.
The bare root costs half or less than what a mature, two year old potted plant in a gallon cost. It was germanated outdoors, replanted into production rows, and then dug the following spring(or the next depending on the plant), so it's very accustomed to Iowa's weather patterns. This type of plant has never been placed into a confined space, so its roots are WELL DEVELOPED(large), healthy and ready to quickly acclimate to new soil conditions. Not to mention, when one purchases bare roots instead of potted plants, they end up with a plant and nothing more than maybe a small bag and peat moss in which it was stored. Not extra pots, plastic or packaging involved!
We love bare roots!
Royal Catchfly Silene regia
(A favorite of hummingbirds)
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