Bare root planting is a method—and usually the best method—of planting deciduous plants (those that lose their leaves in winter, such as roses, apples, or sycamores). Commercial growers raise the plants to salable size in their growing fields. Then in early December, they dig up the plants, clean and trim the roots, and ship the plants off to retailers. Normally, bare root plants are sold from bins of wet shavings...