Bare root vs potted stock - which does better in clay soil?

I planted 12 bare root oaks last fall in a heavy clay patch near Dayton, and 9 survived. The potted ones I put in the same area this spring (about 20 feet away) are all thriving so far. Has anyone else had better luck with one type over the other in tough ground?

2 comments

2 Comments

maxm6329d ago

...and honestly, I'm not sure the difference is all that real. People obsess over bare root vs. potted like it changes the whole game, but I've planted both ways in nasty clay and the results are always all over the place. Weather, how deep you dig, and how much rain you get that year probably matter way more than whether the roots were wrapped up or in a plastic bucket. 9 out of 12 surviving isn't bad for a first try in heavy clay, and those potted ones might look good now but give 'em a dry summer and see what happens. I'd say stop overthinking it and just plant more of whatever's cheaper or easier to get.

juliaa2528d ago

Yeah I gotta push back a little on that, @maxm63. The 9 out of 12 I got with bare roots is actually pretty decent for heavy clay, but I think part of the issue is how bare root trees handle transplant shock differently when the soil doesn't drain well. With potted stock you get that root ball and less disturbance, but in clay the roots sometimes just circle around in that perfect potting mix and never really push out into the heavy stuff. I've seen it happen where potted trees look great for a season then stall out hard. I'm not saying one is always better, just that the root structure thing is real enough that it matters how you prep the hole.