Bareroot or Potted? What's the difference?

Bareroot Plants

Bareroot plants are plants that are shipped with bare roots; which is to say without soil. Bareroot plants have a number of benefits for both the nursery and the customer.

One of the main benefits of bareroot plants is a wider availability compared with potted plants. State agriculture regulations are complex and many states cannot ship, or receive, plants that are potted because of the potential for disease and pests that can be carried by soil. By eliminating soil, those plants can be made available to more growers nationwide.

Another major benefit of bareroot plants is that they can be shipped more safely (and less expensively) as larger and older plants could be shipped in a pot with soil. That means they are closer to fruiting age when planted and come with a more developed root system.

Potted Plants Potted plants, conversely, are plants that are being grown in pots with soil. Potted plants come with their own set of benefits that we shouldn't overlook. One of the biggest advantages of potted plants is that they are, for practical purposes, already planted. That means less preparation time and labor is required by the home grower before the plants are delivered. It also allows for them to be "held over" for a number of months if planting conditions are not favorable and waiting to plant them later is best for them. Being potted also allows the plant to maintain a lot more of its feeder roots, the small thread-like roots that seek water and nutrients in the soil. For this reason some plants MUST be grown and shipped in pots to survive and thrive.