"Now is the time for all good men ..." No, no, what I should say is, "Now is the time for all good gardeners to be thinking bare-root!" Right now is the best time to be planting bare-root fruit and shade trees, deciduous flowering shrubs, grapes and cane fruit. We all like to save money, and a bare-root plant can" save you a considerable amount over the same plant in a container bought a year later. Planting now also allows a strong root system to develop before top growth begins in the spring.