How to Fertilize Bare Root Plants

Amend the Soil for a New Bare-root Plant

• 1

  Unwrap your bare-root plant from its container or wrapping. Immediately place the roots of the plant in a bucket of water. Allow the plant to soak for several hours.

• 2

  Dig the hole for your plant. Create a hole several inches wider and deeper than the plant's root ball. For a perennial bare-root plant or tree such as a hosta, hydrangea or maple tree dig a hole approximately 12 inches wide by 12 inches deep or more.

• 3

  Add three or four handfuls of peat moss or potting soil to the hole; use the trowel to stir the amendment into the soil. If your plant requires acidic soil, such as a blueberry plant or rhododendron, mix in several handfuls of pine bark mulch.

• 4

  Water the hole until the contents are moistened but not waterlogged. Shovel a few scoops of loose dirt back into the soil.

• 5

  Place the bare-root plant into the soil at the same depth that the plant was growing in its previous location, with the bottom of the trunk level with the soil line. Mound loose soil with your hand around the root as you completely refill the hole.

• 6

  Stomp around the plant onto the newly replaced soil, packing the soil down firmly with your foot. This will remove air pockets that could encourage root rot.

• 7

  Water the area thoroughly. Cover the soil mound with a 2- to 3-inch thick layer of mulch.

Fertilize a Growing Bare Root Plant

• 8

  Mix water-soluble fertilizer powder with fresh, clean water according to the manufacturer directions.

• 9

  Place the solution in a watering can.

• 10

  Pour the liquid fertilizer solution around the plant and on any leaves. The leaves will instantly drink up the fertilizer for quick nutrition, while the roots slowly absorb the liquid from the soil.