Bare roots - how to store?

firebird082

Morning all,

In a fit of excitement about forthcoming new beds around a new patio, i ordered a bare root collection from T&M, which duly arrived last night. However, beds will not be ready until after Easter.

So...How do i best store these bare roots until they can be planted in their final position? They are agapanthus, peony, echinacea, hollyhock and kniphofia.

Thankyou

Silvertabby

Don't let the roots dry out - I would pop them into pots of multi purpose compost and put them somewhere sheltered. Be careful with the peony - they have to be planted at exactly the right depth, or they'll whinge. I grow my agapanthus in pots anyway - they won't survive the winter in my cold clay soil, so they overwinter in the cold greenhouse.

firebird082

Thanks - pots it is then I have some peonies from my Dad in another bed, and I'm absolutely sure I planted them too deep - I've been gettting more foliage each year, but no sign of flowers yet! I'll take a bit more care with these.

Good point re agapanthus - we've got fairly solid clay as well, as the last one I planted just disappeared, so pots are probably the best choice. I do love them, so hope I can get these ones to flower!

Silvertabby

The agapanthus may not flower this year - they like being almost pot-bound. They're worth the wait though.

Apodemus

Silvertabby wrote: »

The agapanthus may not flower this year - they like being almost pot-bound. They're worth the wait though.

I've had my agapanthus for about 15 years, with never a sign of a flower! I've tried letting it get pot-bound, I've tried over and under feeding. It overwinters in a dry cold frame then passes the summer in the sun by the front door. Really healthy looking plant, but it just doesn't seem to want to flower!

However, I am always hopeful - my similarly aged wisteria was still only five inches tall until it suddenly took off last august and grew six feet in three weeks!

Silvertabby

15 years! You've got more patience than me! Are you sure it's an agapanthus?

Apodemus

Silvertabby wrote: »

15 years! You've got more patience than me! Are you sure it's an agapanthus?

Pretty sure. Gift from my mother who knew her plants. It may have been grown from seed she brought from our garden in Kenya, so its climate expectations may not quite match the north of Scotland!

firebird082

Apodemus wrote: »

However, I am always hopeful - my similarly aged wisteria was still only five inches tall until it suddenly took off last august and grew six feet in three weeks!

Gosh...and I thought I'd been patient giving some of my plants 2 years to get their roots in order before you see much happening up top!! Can't imagine waiting 15 :eek:

Apodemus

firebird082 wrote: »

Gosh...and I thought I'd been patient giving some of my plants 2 years to get their roots in order before you see much happening up top!! Can't imagine waiting 15 :eek:

I'm afraid I anthropomorphise with my plants...and after a decade, it starts to get personal! Always the optimist, this year I am hoping that the wisteria might even flower!

Farway

Apodemus wrote: »

I'm afraid I anthropomorphise with my plants...and after a decade, it starts to get personal! Always the optimist, this year I am hoping that the wisteria might even flower!

Not quite the same, but I have a grapefruit, from pip sown by my son as a teenager

He is now over 40 with his own family, at least he has borne fruit, unlike the grapefruit, not even a flower, but makes a nice shrub

firebird082

I have to admit I laughed when I saw the comment about anthropomorphisation (?!), but then I spent an hour yesterday moving plants out of an overcrowded bed, and caught myself saying the some geums "you'll be much happier out of here and over in that new bed, won't you....". I would have been quite alarmed if they had replied, however :rotfl: