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Laurel purchase - bareroot or rootball?

Zippy87Zippy87 Posts: 6
in Plants
Hi. I wrote the below query on the brilliant laurel thread on here but thought it may not be seen so thought maybe I should post separately. 

I am just about to purchase some Laurel plants. Is it better to buy bareroot or rootball? I have read online rootball is better for the plant and therefore more likely to survive but they are about 5x the price so makes it £100s more expensive as I'm buying about 30 plants. Worth it or not? Do they grow better/bushier having come with a rootball? 

I have seen the advice to purchase 3ft plants and chop down to 2ft. Looking online around that size they are sold as 60-80cm or 80-100cm. Would the larger size be better as more in line with 3ft? It seems hard to find 80-100cm bareroot anywhere. 

Also is rootgrow worth it? Haven't seen much mentioned about it on the laurel thread. I already have blood, fish & bone to plant with them. 

Thanks

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The only real advantage of rootball is that you can plant at any time of year [ground conditions permitting] so it gives a bit more leeway.
    This is bare root season, and yes - the financial benefit is huge. 
    You can plant a little closer than you would with them, which is a back up if any fail, but generally, laurel is very tough and easy as long as it has decent soil and plenty of moisture until established. Your location - ie climate and site, are the main factors there.
    The F,B&B will be fine - no need for anything else.   :)
    As to the size, the 80-100 is ideal, but if you can't get them, then the smaller ones will be fine, again - as long as they have good conditions for planting. 
    A good mulch of anything - bark/compost/leaf mould etc after getting them in and watered will be beneficial   :)
    Which suppliers have you tried? I can recommend Hopes Grove. They've always been reliable, but I haven't looked to see what their stocks are just now.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I agree with @Fairygirl  😊 I too would go for bare root this autumn/winter. A huge financial saving and as the plants are more or less dormant they hardly notice the move. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Zippy87Zippy87 Posts: 6
    Fab thanks so much @Fairygirl and @Dovefromabove, that's super helpful. 
    I have trawled the entirety of Google looking for the best prices. I did check out scotsplants that was recommended on the other laurel thread but unfortunately they only have 40-60cm available this year. I think Hopes Groves were one of the few that had 80-100cm bareroot but they were £10 a plant, so quite expensive. The cheapest I could find for 60-80cm was from Gardeners Dream and Derwent Treescapes, but not sure what they are like. 3 Fat Pigs were also a good price but had terrible reviews online. 
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    You're into bareroot season, so bare root is a no brainer.

    I have always found that small plants transplant better than large , and soon overtake the bigguns in growth.

    I have found that pot grown plants of any species are today grown in peat-free compost thta doesn't rewet and causes problems of its own.  Also, the claim "potted" does not equate to "pot-grown".
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I bought mine from here, then cut 6inches of the tops on planting. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Hedges Direct are offering a 20% discount on pre-orders of bare roots.  Before the discount prices are 50/80cm plants at £6.99 and 80/100 plants at £9.99.

    Cherry Laurel Hedge | Prunus lauroceracus | Hedges Direct

    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I would have no problem with 40 to 60 cm they will soon catch up and may establish even more quickly.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • powermppowermp Posts: 10
    Zippy87 said:
    Hi. I wrote the below query on the brilliant laurel thread on here but thought it may not be seen so thought maybe I should post separately. 

    I am just about to purchase some Laurel plants. Is it better to buy bareroot or rootball? I have read online rootball is better for the plant and therefore more likely to survive but they are about 5x the price so makes it £100s more expensive as I'm buying about 30 plants. Worth it or not? Do they grow better/bushier having come with a rootball? 

    I have seen the advice to purchase 3ft plants and chop down to 2ft. Looking online around that size they are sold as 60-80cm or 80-100cm. Would the larger size be better as more in line with 3ft? It seems hard to find 80-100cm bareroot anywhere. 

    Also is rootgrow worth it? Haven't seen much mentioned about it on the laurel thread. I already have blood, fish & bone to plant with them. 

    Thanks

    Bareroot in my opinion as many have said!
  • Zippy87Zippy87 Posts: 6
    Thanks everyone, really helpful 🙂
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