Potted v bare root v root balledFor people who've never bought a new hedge before, there's a miriad of new terminology to get to grips with. In this section we attempt to explain in simple terms the key differences betwen the 3 ways that hedge plants are sold.
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Bare Root Plants
These have been grown naturally in a field which means that they compare well in bushiness with pot grown plants and have good root structures, but as a result of the shock they can suffer when lifted, some fail to root when they are replanted. On the plus side, they are much cheaper for us to grow, because we plant them only once and can then leave them in the field for several years rather than re-potting each year. They are also cheaper to deliver because we do not have to pay for the weight of the soil.
We recommend our customers take advantage of the very low cost of bare root plants by planting a double staggered row - so if the odd one doesnt flourish, the gap is a small one. You could also consider having a few spares in a corner of the garden - they'll grow at the same rate as the new hedge and if you have a gap or two in the hedge, you can pop in one of your spares and it'll be same height and bushiness as the rest of the hedge. Abracadabra!
Bare root plants are only supplied from November to March (exact dates depend on the weather) when they are dormant. Planting early in the season gives the roots the best chance to establish whilst there is still some warmth in the soil, ready to put on maximum spring growth.
Only deciduous plants are sold as bare roots with the exception of Beech, Hornbeam and Privet which are semi evergreen. They can defoliate when treated as bare root plants (particularly Privet) but recover very quickly.
We can select various mixtures of bare root hedging for various purposes (flowering, berrying, prickly) or customers can select their own mixtures. For advice, please call our helpline on 01225 422077.
Root Balled
Many evergreen plants are sold as root balled, particularly large plants. They are grown naturally in a field (often for many years) and when ready for delivery, they are scooped out of the ground by a machine, which cuts a ball around the root which is then wrapped in a biodegradable string bag and sometimes popped into a pot of approximately the right size.
Root balled evergreens are cheaper than pot grown evergreens (due to the lower cost involved in this growing method) - and particularly when customers are looking for tall, bushy plants, this is a very economical way to establish a new hedge.
Root balled plants are only available from November to March - the success rate (which is good but not as good as Pot Grown) is enhanced if they are re-planted into their permanent positions before Spring arrives, and thereafter kept very well watered but not waterlogged. Customers who order root balled plants should ensure that they can plant out within a few days of delivery.
Pot Grown
These require much more input from us with watering, weeding, feeding and annual repotting.
However, they have a very high success rate because the roots remain completely protected by the pots until customers re-plant them whereas inevitably there is some root damage to bare roots and root balled plants in the process of lifting them from the fields and delivery. Pot grown plants can be left in their pots for weeks or even months before being planted into the ground, providing they are kept moist.
For most of our pot grown plants we indicate a pot size and this is given to indicate to customers the maturity of the root structure from which comes the bushiness of a plant. So a Cherry Laurel at 100cm tall grown in a 4 litre pot will have bigger roots than the same height of plant grown in a 2 litre pot, and therefore the upper growth will be much bushier. It's a case of "you get what you pay for".
Some websites don't make it absolutely clear what you're getting. We don't want you to have any reservations about ordering from www.hedgesdirect.co.uk so we're happy to confirm that our plants are Pot Grown unless it expressly says Bare Root or Root Balled.
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