Spruce Bare Root Storage

[mtholton]

With apple tree planting, turkey hunting, (attempted break in at my property) and fishing opener this weekend, I forgot I still had 300 spruce trees on order from Chief River. Just got the notification that they will be arriving tomorrow minutes after arriving home from a turkey hunt out there (got one by the way:)... At the earliest I could get over to my land would be Monday or Tuesday which would be 5/6 days needing to store them. Fortunately, looks like lows in the 40's and highs around 60 during that period in MN. Given it will be 5 to 7 days of total storage, how worried should I be?

If I understand correctly, I should take them out of the box, our of direct sunlight and wet the paper daily, but not soak. Any other tips from the pros to give them a fighting chance?

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Stick them in a culvert if u have a big enough one relatively near by. Stays plenty cold an dark. Plug one end if concerned about wind draft.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Keep the roots moist and keep them in an unheated garage and you will be fine. If the roots look really dry when they arrive I typically soak them in a bucket of water for a few hours before placing them in moist leaves, newspaper, straw, etc.

 

[cavey]

If you have a large coleman type chest cooler or the shipping box is decent, when you get them, check the roots, if they are shipped in wet packing material re wet that up, if there is not enough wet material shipped with the trees add some more(that happens alot), Make sure you get moisture deep into the root bundles often just spraying water on them wont get to the center roots if they are bundled up tight. Anything from shredded paper to to sawdust will work, even wet dirt for added moisture to keep them stored in. Keep them in the box or cooler still wrapped up in the plastic they were shipped in. If your garage is cool keep the box on the cool floor away from sunlight on the box... I would drop a bag of ice or a hunk of block ice into the cooler and you will be good to go for that week.

Like Ben said if they look dryish a good soak wont hurt that would ensure that the roots wet. Dry roots are your biggest concern, second to heat.

 

[H20fwler]

I wrap the roots in a moist old beach towel, wrap the plastic back around them then throw them back in box and keep them on concrete floor in garage. I've kept them over a week like that and been fine... fruit or conifers.