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Aly · 03-03-2006, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janet Galpin

The message
from Janet Baraclough contains these words:

The message
from Aly contains these words:

I'm planting a privet green hedge.
It's coming from a nursery 'Root ball'.
I know exactly what this is and how to plant.
Root ball plants can be planted between October & March, (when ground
is cold) but not when there is frost.
I live in South lanarkshire, Scotland and it's very frosty and don't
expect the weather to have changed much by next week.
The plants also have to be planted within a few days of arrival.

Don't plant until the frost lifts. If you have a shed or garage, you
can keep them in there. The tops aren't sensitive to freezing but the
roots are. It's better to keep them cold with damp roots (old blanket or
some such to prevent freezing ), that to keep them in a warm house where
the tops will begin to sprout and they will dehydrate.

Don't unpack the roots, keep those covered and moist, but let some air
get to the tops. They should be okay for at least a week like that (the
supplier should enclose directions about the root packaging material,
just follow those).

I was interested in this question and Janet's response as I have a
rather special bare-rooted apple tree which I received about 10 days
ago. I decided to heel it in in my veg garden as the roots looked as if
they might well dry out. Since then the weather has been very cold and
night-frosts have become steadily heavier so I didn't plant the tree
this weekend. I'm hoping that as the roots of the tree are well buried,
the soil round them won't be frozen solid, but if that's the case I
might just as well have planted it in its final position.
I don't quite understand the theory behind the traditional advice not to
plant when frosts are expected. For how long after planting are roots
vulnerable to frosts? Is it the actual act of planting which is crucial,
i.e. if roots are exposed to freezing air during planting?
Any thoughts?
Janet G

Thanks

Will pop them in the greenhouse which has a frost free heater and some in shed and just keep an eye on them til frost has lifted (if it ever does up here)
I have planting instructions from nursery and have been chatting with the nursery, but it all seem to revolve round NO FROST!!
I'll check out the frost root theory when i start back college (ask the lecturers) i'm studying horticulture at moment.
Thanks for reply