Big Trees, Big Problems: Why Smaller Starts Grow Stronger
My Elderberry, 15 months after planting.
When I left my last job, I hinted that if there should be a parting gift in the works, I’d been eyeing a few elderberry bushes. My boss happily obliged, ordered two online from a local nursery, and sent them to my house. A few days later, I unboxed what looked like…dead sticks.
When I texted her a photo of my new “plants,” she was mortified.
Oh no! I sent you sticks!? she wrote.
We both laughed, and I assured her that these sticks were exactly what I wanted — the perfect way to plant a new tree or shrub: bare root and dormant.
Fifteen months later, I sent her another photo — this time of myself standing in front of a 10-foot-tall elderberry bush, full of flower buds. Those “dead sticks” have become the most vigorous, disease-free shrubs in my garden, and they’ve given me pounds of berries this summer.
If you know anything about elderberries, you know they grow fast, but I also planted bare root apple trees this spring. Again, they arrived looking like dead sticks, but once planted, they quickly sprouted leaves and took off. In the six months I’ve had them, they have grown at least two feet taller!
Why Bare Root Trees Thrive (and Why Fall Is a Great Time to Plant Them)
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of spring garden centers overflowing with glossy-leaved fruit trees. They promise instant gratification — flowers now, fruit soon. But the truth is, trees planted in full leaf are already stressed. They’ve been grown in warm greenhouses or shipped long distances, and by the time you tuck them into Tennessee soil, they’re juggling too much: new sun exposure, heat, and root disruption. They need to be closely watched for pests, watered frequently, and usually don’t grow much because they are just focused on staying alive.
Bare root trees planted in fall have it easy.
They’re asleep. Their energy is stored safely underground, and they’re not expending resources on leaves or fruit. That means when you plant them, they can quietly establish strong roots through the winter — roots that will support healthy, resilient growth next spring and for years to come.
Timing matters: In Tennessee, most trees and berry bushes are still in full leaf through early fall. Wait until they’ve gone dormant — typically later in November — before planting or transplanting bare root specimens. Many local nurseries dig and ship bare root trees during this window, when the plants are fully asleep and best able to settle into their new home without stress.
Come spring, these trees will wake up ready to grow, already settled into their home. They’ll be less likely to suffer transplant shock, need less watering, and have a natural resistance to pests and disease because they’re growing on their own schedule, not ours.
How to Feel Satisfied on Planting Day (Even Without Leaves or Fruit)
I get it — it’s hard to feel like you’ve done something exciting when you walk away from your garden bed staring at a stick poking out of the soil. But trust me, there’s something quietly powerful about planting in dormancy. You’re investing in the future — in next year’s blooms, and the year after that’s harvest.
To satisfy that instant gratification itch, try these tricks:
Add mulch and markers to define the space and make it look finished.
Plant a few herbs or flowers nearby — something green to enjoy this season while your new trees rest.
Take a photo. You’ll definitely want the “before” shot when you’re standing beside your lush tree a year from now, smiling like I did in front of my elderberries.
Whether you’re planting elderberries, apples, figs, or blueberries, resist the urge to buy the biggest potted specimen you can find. Start small, start bare root, and start in fall. The payoff isn’t instant, but it’s so much sweeter — and far more sustainable.
Sometimes the best gifts (and gardens) start out looking like nothing but a few sticks in the ground.
