How to Plant Bare-Root Perennials in the Fall
- 1). Open the package that the bare root perennial is shipped in. Clean away all of the packing materials from the roots such as peat moss and sawdust that are in the bag.
- 2). Set the bare root system into a container of room temperature water and soak it for five to 10 minutes for hydration.
- 3). Trim away dead, broken or rotting areas on the bare root perennial with a sharp knife or pruning shears. Extra long roots should be trimmed to match the general length of the system.
- 4). Dig a hole with a trowel or spade that is deep enough to hold the root system and give room for the roots to be placed at a 45-degree angle from the crown of the plant.
- 5). Make a cone-shaped mound in the center of the hole. Drape the roots over the cone of dirt.The crown must be level with the surface of the ground. Hold the crown area of the plant and cover the roots with soil. Press down on the topsoil firmly with your hands or the trowel.
- 6). Water the soil well and cover it with a layer of mulch.
