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Advice for bare rooted plants please

caroallcaroall Posts: 21
in Plants
I ordered some bare root peonies and poppies in June to be delivered in September.  We have had no significant rain since June so the soil will be far too dry to plant them.  I am now planning on planting them in pots when they arrive and then plant them out in the Spring.
What combination of soils would be best to plant them in multi purpose compost, John Innes no 3?  Your advice would be appreciated as I've always been able to plant them in the garden as soon as they arrive.  Many thanks

Posts

  • BiljeBilje Posts: 811
    From my perspective it depends how big they are when they arrive. I’ve only ever received relatively smell plants. I’d plant them in a pot that’s just big enough and use multi purpose. If they grow on well pot them on I’d then use 1 third JI 2 and 2thirds mpc plus grit..
    im fortunate I have a cold greenhouse and a cold frame so they get winter protection but they’ll grow very little, if at all, over winter so they don’t require a lot of nutrients. Good luck
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    If they're going to be planted out in the spring I would just use multipurpose. They don't need long-term nutrition, just something for the roots to grow into and get moisture from.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Yes that’s what I do on the odd occasion that I buy plants .Just your general multi purpose stuff to keep them alive and tickling by till next spring .Presumably we will have have had rain by then .Still nothing here in North Bucks rain wise .
  • caroallcaroall Posts: 21
    Many thanks for your help.  Multi purpose it will be then.  Hopefully we will have had plenty of rain in West Herts by then too.  Hosepipe ban came into force today so lots of time to be spent with cans of water.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    As they have most likely been grown outside in soil,  there’s no need to buy compost,  garden soil will do,  they’ll be growing in soil next Spring anyway. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Garden soil alone can get a bit claggy in a pot, particularly if they're going to be in the pots all winter. Even my sandy stuff seems to get quite compressed if I use it in pots without mixing in some compost. I suppose it depends on the soil though. Nice organic-rich stuff would probably be fine on its own.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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