No. I just dig a bigger hole.

I probably wasn't clear enough, Camp. What I meant to ask is do you tip the canes at the top? I dug really big holes so as not to prune the roots, some of which resembled a shaggy wisk broom.
I am sore all over today...but happy.

If the weather is warm and dry and the tips do not have clean cuts then I do. Warm dry means they will heal swiftly. I do not tip in cool, rainy weather when infections are more likely. I wait for those warm dry conditions, of which, unfortunately, this year we have too much.

Oh right, I see what you mean. Supposedly, we are often advised to do so....but I don't because I find it is all too easy to tread on little stubs.

There is a massive variation in sizes, of both roots and shoots. My current favourite vendor sends out bare-roots which are immense, exactly like besom yard brushes.

How many did you plant? I confess to never doing more than half a dozen at a time because I am far too tempted to shirk and skimp after exhaustion and boredom sets in.

I planted 8 in all...lasagna style gardening...touted to be easier, but after yesterday, my aching back begs to differ.
I have about 4 more coming, and then I am done for the season....unless I can't resist another trip to Chamblee's...and I feel the need growing.

I don't take anything off unless it's broken or damaged in some way. If the canes are green to the tips I leave the already healed cuts alone. Same thing with the roots. Only broken or damaged ones are taken off before planting. I soak the entire plant, canes and all, before planting.

I've never had to do that until I bought from a certain well known overpriced and overmarketed establishment in the UK. The state of the plants I was sent (in 3 different orders) was such that it necessitated me doing so. For some plants this meant that almost half of the cane lengths of what where far from overgrown plants had to go...
Nik

This post was edited by nikthegreek on Mon, Feb 24, 14 at 2:18