Scratch test

To test if your bare root plant is alive please do a scratch test. 

To do this, scratch back a small section of the branch with a thumbnail or sharp knife. It should come away easily. If underneath it is green, the plant is fine, and just needs more time and warmer weather. If it is brown, the plant is dead at that point. Sometimes the tips of smaller branches will die back, but the plant is OK. If you find a brown branch, move closer to the main stem and repeat, and check the main stem itself. If you find green lower down, prune back to where you find green, and it will shoot from there. If the main stem is brown, the plant is unfortunately dead.