Those of us that have itching green thumbs can finally plant something! An ideal time to plant trees and shrubs is as soon as the frost has gone from the ground in April.
Bare root stock should be planted as early as possible in the spring and nurseries that sell bare root trees and shrubs usually have them available in early April.
The least expensive way to add trees and shrubs to your landscape or fruit trees to your orchard is by planting bare root stock. The key to success with bare root materials is planting them in early spring, just as soon as the soil is dry enough to work. Early spring is also an ideal time to dig up and move trees from one place to another in the yard.
Your selection may be slightly more limited in comparison to container grown or balled and burlapped stock, but local nurseries have a good supply in early spring. Bare root plants are dug from nursery fields, usually in the fall. The soil is removed from the roots and the plants are held in high humidity and temperature controlled storage over winter. Planting this bare root stock in early spring gives it an opportunity to develop more roots and start to become established before warmer weather causes the leaves to expand. The foliage places more demand on the roots and if they cannot keep up with the demand for water, the plants are vulnerable to drying and thus suffer from water stress. When handling and transporting bare root stock, it is important to keep the roots moist and protected from the sun and wind at all times. For good results, the roots should be soaked overnight or about 24 hours before trees and shrubs are planted in the soil.