Bare-Root Vs. Container-Grown Trees: Which is Best For You?

Why plant a tree? Or, rather, why not plant a tree? They add dozens of benefits to your garden with lasting ramifications for animals, the soil, and surrounding plant species. An anonymous Greek proverb says it best: “Society grows great when old persons plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” 

When choosing specimens for your yard, you’ll have three options—bare-root, ball and burlap (B&B), or container-grown trees. Ball and burlap are common in the landscaping trade, but less so for home gardening. We’ll cover bare-roots vs. container saplings here, as they’re the easiest to lift and transplant.

No matter which type you choose, you know that you’re boosting biodiversity in your local environment. Trees provide flowers, seeds, and habitat space for wildlife, making them incredible additions regardless of where you garden. So, which is best for you, bare-root or container-grown?

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The Short Answer

Whether you should grow a soil-free or container tree depends on the current season, your garden goals, and how you intend to raise the sapling. Trees with bare roots are free of soil; they endure the winter in sawdust bins. Container-grown trees are specimens with bare roots that live a year or two in pots with soil.

These trees are exclusively available during cool months, while container specimens are available year-round. Opt for bare roots if you can—they naturalize quicker, establish easily, and grow better than container specimens. Choose container-grown trees if they’re out of season.

The Long Answer

So, which type of tree will work best in your garden? Although soil-free specimens are excellent options, some gardeners may not find them available. Warm climates often don’t get cold enough for deciduous species, and evergreen varieties need containers to thrive.

It Depends On The Season

To strip a tree of its soil and feeder roots, you’ll first need to give it some special conditions. The most common types you can buy with bare roots are fruit trees, deciduous ornamentals, and shade trees. They need cool temperatures so the rough stripping process doesn’t affect them. This is why they’re only available from late fall through early spring.

Once spring warmth arrives, the saplings start to sprout roots and buds. They’ll struggle to thrive if they break dormancy while out of the ground. Warm temperatures will dry them out and they might not establish themselves in your yard. Only purchase saplings that have bare roots while the garden’s soil is moist and other deciduous species lack leaves. 

Container-grown specimens are available year-round! The pots offer their rootballs a cozy home so they resist drought, freezes, and harsh sunlight. They may have bound roots or weak growth, but you can peruse nurseries to find proper saplings that establish quickly. 

Warm gardens in zones 11 through 13 might not get cold enough for bare-roots to perform well. Opt for container species if temperatures stay above 40 to 50°F (4-10°C) throughout the year. 

Some Species Need Pots

Some plants aren’t available with bare roots! Evergreen conifers and broadleaf species never enter dormancy. Their health will quickly decline if you shake the soil off their roots. Find them available as B&B from late fall through spring, or container-grown year-round. 

The most common types you can buy with bare roots are fruit trees, deciduous ornamentals, and shade species. Woody shrubs like roses, forsythias, and witch hazels are also available during cool months. Most plants that enter winter dormancy and lose their leaves can have roots free of soil. Some, like ginkgos and hawthorns, need containers even while they’re dormant.

The Cheapest Option

Woody specimens without soil will always be cheaper than those in containers. Because they lack soil, containers, and stakes, they have fewer inputs for tree growers. This means farms can offer them for less money per tree than container specimens.

If you’re growing your soil-free tree in a container, you’ll have to find these inputs yourself. Use a self-made soil mix with compost, bark, and organic materials with perlite or vermiculite for drainage. Large containers are best; they allow your tree to grow as many roots as it needs to succeed.

The best way to plant bare-root species is in the ground. They’ll quickly latch onto the native soil and establish themselves quickly. With this technique, you won’t have to find potting soil, containers, and stakes. 

Watch for Weak Trees

It’s easy to inspect tree roots when they’re free of soil! You can pick them out of their sawdust bins to examine their roots, branch structure, and trunks. Container-grown plants are a bit different. It’s difficult to see their root structure, and they may have circling roots constricting their growth.

Worry not—there are easy ways to tell if a container-grown species is healthy and ready for transplanting. First, look at the drainage holes of the container. See if roots are sprouting out of the holes, as this indicates that it’s root-bound. Ask the nursery owner to remove the pot from the tree to see if roots are circling the bottom of the pot.

After ensuring the tree has a healthy rootball, you’ll want to turn your attention towards the branch structure. Look to see if the trunk is intact and healthy without wounds, then find the canopy. You’ll want a specimen without crisscrossing branches. Single-stem structures should have a main trunk with scaffolding branches, while a multi-stem one has many stems with offshoots. 

To Stake or Not To Stake

To stake or not to stake, that is the question! You most likely won’t have to stake soil-free saplings, as they’re sold young and they establish quickly with little support. They latch thick roots onto native soil clumps, creating a strong defense for winds, ice, and snow. 

Container specimens, on the other hand, may need additional support to help them adapt to their new home. If their canopy is so large that it bends over, you should stake the saplings until they’re strong enough to hold their weight. You’ll also want to add stakes if the saplings don’t right themselves after windy storms or if they lean excessively. 

Add stakes using this simple process. Dig two opposing stakes into the planting hole outside the tree’s root zone. The space between them should face the direction of the strongest winds. Place the transplant in the hole, then backfill it with soil. Secure the stakes to the tree with wire-free supports that use cloth, yarn, or rubber.

How to Find Large Specimens

Some of us gardeners want big trees quickly! Maybe you want a living windbreak or a hedge to surround your yard with privacy. Large species are difficult but not impossible to find. Your best bet is hiring a landscaper who can peruse wholesale nurseries with immense specimens.

If you’re on a budget, you can also find large specimens at specialty nurseries. Because they handle such large species, they’ll have the machinery and delivery vehicles to bring a tree safely into your garden. 

You’ll need container specimens for varieties larger than eight to ten feet tall. Trees often need containers 15 gallons or larger when they’re this big, and those pots are incredibly difficult for one person to lift. Find a friend to help you transplant it, and use safe digging and moving practices to avoid hurting your back or knees.