Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

  • Home
  • Recommended Tools
  • Products
  • Categories
    • Complete Guides
    • Gardening
    • Growing
    • Landscape Design
    • Plant Care
    • Propagation
  • Contact
  • About Mike
Home » Miscellaneous » How to put a ball and burlap on a bare root tree that has been previously dug.

How to put a ball and burlap on a bare root tree that has been previously dug.

Updated : April 15, 2021

6 Comments

Different kinds of Japanese maples. These root balls were actually put on the trees weeks after they were initially dug.

One of the most important things you need to learn as a gardener is that there is a digging or transplanting season that has a beginning and an end. Digging season starts in the fall, usually around Thanksgiving, after deciduous plants have lost their leaves. Digging season continues through early spring. Once plants start to leaf out, you have to stop digging and transplanting.

Japanese maples balled in burlap, ready to be sold.

I do all of my spring digging as early as possible, often beginning in February. Because I don’t want the burlap to rot before the selling season even begins I dig the trees, then heel them into my compost pile. Then right before we start selling I pull them out and “build” a root ball on them. See the video on this page to see how that is done.

21 Plants That Are Easy to Grow and Sell Like Crazy
Watch the video below to see how to “build” a root ball on a tree that has already been dug.
Building a root ball on a bare root tree.

Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond. Until then, by any and all means stay inspired!

Take a gander at these posts...

  • Tree Stump Removal Instructions
  • Check Out My Billy Goat Outback Brush Cutter!
  • 37 Ways to Know You’re Addicted to Gardening
  • Hydrangeas: When do I prune them? Why didn’t they flower?
  • Pittsburgh Steelers Fans

Comments

  1. Magdalene Snowdon says

    November 22, 2021 at 4:22 pm

    Can I get on your mailing list, please?
    How much does it cost to subscribe?

    Reply
  2. Magdalene Snowdon says

    November 22, 2021 at 4:19 pm

    Can I get on your mailing list, please.

    Reply
  3. john w says

    June 21, 2021 at 8:14 pm

    Hi Mike, it doesn’t look like you reply to YouTube video so I thought I would ask here. I was wondering what size is mikes Plant Farm in Perry? And how is the acreage divided? How much do you have for sales and staging? How much do you have for growing in propagation? Any information is super helpful. I love your site and I’ve been learning a lot for several years now

    Reply
    • Mike says

      June 22, 2021 at 7:20 am

      John,

      The property is 4.5 acres but the nursery is less than one acre. Probably about 1/10th of an acre. Over the years we’ve actually made it smaller but doing so hasn’t affected sales that much. I really don’t have different growing and sales areas. The only area where customers can’t shop is the propagation area.

      Reply
  4. Mickey O'Neill says

    April 28, 2021 at 12:10 pm

    Nice Tutorial, Mike.
    Hey–when you mention products I take you seriously because you’ve been doing this for so long. Also, I can tell by the way you handle the trees and plants and tools that you’re the real deal, so again I take your recommendations seriously. For example, in the last two weeks, I bought your recommended bypass pruners, the sharpening tool, and some Dip ‘N’ Grow. But I don’t think you got credit for my purchases because I didn’t find links for them in the articles I read or anywhere on the website. I’d love to see you get more for your efforts. You probably have affiliate links somewhere, but if you tune up your site you’ll probably make a little more money. Just my two cents’ worth!

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 29, 2021 at 7:49 am

      Mickey,

      You are absolutely right, we are so bad about that. We have a couple of affiliate links on the site, but not many.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Busting Gardening Myths!

Posted On May 1, 2022 By Mike

How to Move Heavy things the Easy Way.

Posted On April 13, 2022 By Mike

21 Plants that are Easy to Grow and Sell Like Crazy!

Posted On March 25, 2022 By Mike

Hardwood cuttings of Dappled Willow.

Rooting Dappled Willow from Hardwood Cuttings and Starting a Fun Little Business with Nothing but a Handful of Sticks.

Posted On March 21, 2022 By Mike

Tips and Tricks for Growing Plants from Seed.

Posted On February 2, 2022 By Mike

What is a Plant Patent and How Do they Work?

Posted On November 12, 2021 By Mike

Dianthus, Appleblossom Burst

Fall Plant Sale at Mike’s Plant Farm!

Posted On August 8, 2021 By Mike

Mike McGroarty sucks at landscape design.

My Landscape Design Skills Suck!

Posted On May 8, 2021 By Mike

Japanese maples balled in burlap.

How to put a ball and burlap on a bare root tree that has been previously dug.

Posted On April 15, 2021 By Mike

Mike McGroarty interviews a successful backyard grower from Tennessee.

Mike Interviews a Very Successful Backyard Grower from Tennessee.

Posted On February 23, 2021 By Mike

Complete Guides

Growing, Rooting and Propagating Dappled Willow in Tree Form from Cuttings.

Growing Seeds, Winter Sowing, in Milk Jugs and Kitty Litter Jugs.

The Correct Way to Pot Rooted Cuttings, Nursery Stock Liners and other Plants.

Training Arborvitae and other Conical Evergreens to Grow with a Single Leader.

How to Propagate, Root Cuttings, of Dwarf Alberta Spruce.

Recent Posts

Mike McGroarty sucks at landscape design.

My Landscape Design Skills Suck!

That's what he told me. He said my landscape design skills totally suck. Or something to that effect. Last summer when I did a post about landscape lighting some helpful visitor to my website suggested that I stick to growing plants because I was a … Read Full Article

Japanese maples balled in burlap.

How to put a ball and burlap on a bare root tree that has been previously dug.

One of the most important things you need to learn as a gardener is that there is a digging or transplanting season that has a beginning and an end. Digging season starts in the fall, usually around Thanksgiving, after deciduous plants have lost their leaves. … Read Full Article

Mike McGroarty interviews a successful backyard grower from Tennessee.

Mike Interviews a Very Successful Backyard Grower from Tennessee.

See more photos and learn more about Nathan and his nursery here. Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond. Until then, by any and all means stay inspired! I often share this quote with Our Members . . . “Until one … Read Full Article

Red Prince Weigela

Red Prince Weigela

Red Prince Weigela is one of the best selling plants that I grow. I guess it's the striking red flowers that attract attention that make it such a great seller. Red Prince grows well in zones 4 through 8. Red Prince loves full sun but it will also … Read Full Article

Bare Root Japanese Maple Trees about to be Heeled in.

Digging and storing bare root trees for later potting.

These are rules for digging trees and other plants. Only dig trees or plants when they are dormant. Here in Ohio dormancy occurs usually right before Thanksgiving, after we've had at least on night with temps down around 28 degrees F. or lower.That's when … Read Full Article

Copyright © 1999-2022 · McGroarty Enterprises Inc. · Privacy Policy · Earnings Disclaimer · Terms of Service