I love this hobby and unfortunately do not live in a climate well suited for the plants we love to grow. Nor are there any nurseries selling these types of plants. My only recourse is mail order. On the GW forum, we've discussed receiving bare rooted plants a few times...especially when several of us were ordering from Thailand. Ever since the boys designed this wonderful forum, I wanted to put a little something out covering what I've learned over the years and what works for me.
I've certainly killed my fare share of plants since beginning this hobby. Let's just say that the shape of my learning curve would have been popular well back in Columbus' day...you know...the earth is flat theory? Anyway, I just didn't get it. After crying to Bryan Brunner often and some experimentation here at home, the sun was finally shining thru. Humidity. Boosting the humidity around the plant was the key. There are several methods for this. Oscar mentioned the other day about a misting station. This method is recommended by many. If I were to place a very large order from Thailand, I would most likely try and set this up.
The following quote below are little tidbits of experience and science I've received from a few folks a lot smarter than me in this game. You can take it as you will or not at all, but it makes sense to me...
Whether bare root roses or bare root fruit trees, from the tiny to 15' tall, 3" caliper trees...the key is to address the shock of the bare root process- the root hairs are mostly blown off or dead from exposure to the air and they are how water and nutrients primarily enter. The only way to minimize the chance that the non-functioning roots start to rot (besides fungicide) is to control soil moisture and you cannot do that in a oversized container. The smaller container is a temporary one to have better control over soil moisture until new roots and root hairs have flushed out. Can you go straight into the larger container? Of course, but then how it is watered is more critical and if it is a cool time of the year, the days are short, or the humidity is not reliably high, then you have made your life a bit harder. Well drained soilless mixes to get a plant established enable you to take advantage of better oxygenation in the beginning and then move it after reestablished into its final mix. Raising humidity helps to then maintain soil moisture at a lower level to again reduce the chance that a bacterial/fungal/viral infection will opportunistically appear due to favorable conditions (for the pathogen). Dead air in a plastic bag will accelerate the chance of rot, so it must be ventilated to a degree to allow for the exchange of fresh air.So over the years I've gotten to a point where I've achieved a very good keep alive rate...nearly 100%. Keep in mind that you will receive plants that only have a chance with divine intervention. Some of the ones I received from Thailand were beyond even that!
Sad but true. The following works for me. I hope it helps or at least opens the eyes of those thinking about ordering a bare root plant for the first time.
First things first...don't assume that the person sending you the plant knows what the hell they are doing. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You're paying a lot of money for something you obviously cannot get locally so make sure you get what you are paying for! Make sure the roots are wrapped in damp moss and wrapped in plastic. Never assume. Ask about the box. That guy in Thailand was using the cheapest and flimsiest boxes found on the planet...only one other person shipped worse than he did and this guy is from Hawaii but I will not mention any names...not Oscar and not Frankies. After pestering the guy in Thailand, he started sending my plants in sturdy boxes that have the full lid.
I always have proper soil mixes made up well in advance of the plants arriving. I make sure the mix has lots of perlite to help aerate the roots and allow water to drain well. I also have several different sizes of containers handy also to accommodate root ball sizes. After carefully removing the plants from the package and any plastic and ties, I immediately place the plants into a 5 gallon bucket of water with something like Thrive Alive and soak for about 15 minutes in the shade...all the while continuously spraying the plants with a hose. Does any of this help? It's all a part of my ritual now and it makes me feel better.
Next it's into the containers and a good watering.
I usually have a structure erected and covered in plastic with screening material over that to provide shade. I make sure some air can circulate. I will always try and keep the gravel/ground around the plants wet and even spray the inside of the plastic. I try and boost that humidity as much as possible. I used to put one of those ultra-sonic humidifiers inside and they really pump out the humidity. Unfortunately I've not come across one that lasts very long in my greenhouse environment. I will keep my plants under plastic for at least 2-3 weeks and usually until I start to see them flush new growth. I try very hard to water the plants only when I know for sure they really need watering...otherwise I let the humidity do its job. Don't rush to get the plants into full sun either. I will not attempt to transplant anything until well after a good flush and I'm confident the plant is doing well.
Here's something I learned the hard way and by doing it myself...I will no longer bitch about a shipper charging me $5 to bare root a plant. I've done it. Hate it. It's a pain in the butt. And if someone has a bunch of plants to get out in one day, then my hat's off to him or her. It's a lot of work to bare root, get it ready, and box up.
Well...that's it. Like I said, this works for me. There are a lot of good resources on this forum. We just have to ask for help. Don't lose a plant due to pride or being stubborn.