To prepare the root, all reccommend a good scrub with brush and water to remove all loose soil, debris, and loose feeder root hairs. i also pulled any weakly attached roots apart to ensure no dirty cracks remain. I still have some finer scrubbing to do, but ill let them dry for now in shaded spot. As a long time organics practicioner, i use a rent bucket to rot my weeds back down to solution for feedings after rains. To 'theRent' i send all feeder and smallish root bits as well as noxious weeds. Composting or otherwise process your organic wastes to keep your circle small is a good practice to have.