Best mid-winter ‘bare root’ plants

Thinking of buying some fruit trees or special roses? You’ll get the best choice by ordering ahead for direct delivery of ‘bare root’ plants in mid-winter.

Apple tree plants can be trimmed and packaged ready for posting.

Thinking of buying some fruit trees or special roses? You’ll get the best choice by ordering ahead for direct delivery of “bare root” plants in mid-winter. Many varieties sell out quickly so get your orders in as soon as possible.

“Bare root” describes the way nurseries supply deciduous plants in winter. They’re grown in-ground, then dug when dormant, washed clean of soil, trimmed and packaged ready for posting. They’re much cheaper than potted plants and it’s a common way to buy roses and deciduous fruit trees such as stone fruits (peach, nectarine, plum, cherry, apricot), pome fruits (apple, crabapple, pear and quince) as well as berries (raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries and redcurrants), grapes, mulberries, figs and nut trees.

The choice of fruit trees is vast, including many dwarf varieties for small gardens, but it’s vital to check compatibility with your climate and whether you need a second variety for cross-pollination.

Many deciduous ornamental trees are also sold bare-rooted, including flowering plums and cherries, birches, maples, ash and many others.

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Slim fit

Narrow, upright trees are ideal in small gardens where space is precious. Ginkgo ‘Lemonlime Spire’ (pictured below) is a new form of the ancient maidenhair tree, bred to grow just 5m tall and 1m wide without pruning. The lime-green, delicate leaves turn butter yellow in autumn before falling. It’s ideal for formal gardens, as a vertical accent plant and in containers.

Ginkgo Lemonlime Spire.

A new form of the ancient maidenhair tree.

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Q&A

How and when can I propagate more plants from my frangipanis? Garry Waldron, Broome, WA

Use plump, healthy branches of any length, ideally when leafless. Cutting on an angle allows moisture to drain away and maximises surface area on the cutting where roots will form. Keep the cutting in a dry, shady spot for two weeks for callus tissue to form, then plant into an open, free-draining mix. Water in, then leave sheltered and undisturbed, watering only when dry. Cuttings in leaf can succeed; cut the leaves off leaving a stub of petiole, rather than pulling them off, to minimise sap loss.

My fiddle-leaf fig, growing in full sun, lost 60 per cent of its leaves during the hot summer. How can I rejuvenate it? Elizabeth Moulton, Queensland

Ficus lyrata is a popular houseplant; never plant it in a garden as it can grow huge and has invasive roots. It likes bright, indirect light and morning sun, but will burn in hot sun. You can prune the stems hard, cutting just above a leaf node, to remove damaged parts and stimulate branching. If pot-bound, re-pot it. Apply soluble fertiliser and Seasol. Move it to a better spot but be aware that changing location can cause temporary leaf drop in Ficus species.

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How can I deter the caterpillars on our golden cane palms that eat and then glue together the leaves to hide inside? Trish Moller, Port Macquarie, NSW

These caterpillars are the larvae of orange palm-dart butterflies. Check for them at night, when they’re feeding; you can use a caterpillar spray such as Dipel or Success Ultra. Remove leaf shelters with the grubs inside by day. Their natural predators include wasps and birds.

Send your questions to: [e-mail]. The best question for May wins a Cozze 13” gas pizza oven worth $399 with stainless steel paddle ($60) and cutter ($30).