Landscape contractors and home gardeners can choose from a wide variety of plant material in North Carolina. Plants are grown by various production methods, e.g. bare-root, balled and burlapped, fabric container and plastic container. Some large landscape trees are mechanically dug with a tree-spade and placed in wire baskets. Each of these harvesting and growing techniques is acceptable, but requires a specific planting and management technique. Advantages of planting bare-root plants are mostly economical.
Plants are less expensive to produce because of the ease of harvesting, storing and shipping.
Many species respond well to bare-root harvesting. A greater portion and longer roots are retained after harvesting and roots are easily inspected at planting time. Damaged roots can be trimmed and girdling roots can be removed before planting. Bare-root plants should be planted while they are completely dormant. There is an acceptable, standardized formula for sizing rootballs, which is the American Standard for Nursery Stock.