Which RootMaker® Works Best for Me?

We get it, there is a wide selection of RootMakers. Since the invention of the Original 4-pack, there are now five thousand skews in our product line. Okay, I might be exaggerating a bit but there is a reason for each design/style, and size: growers have asked for it. The answer to “which RootMaker is right for you” depends on what you want to grow, how you want to grow it, and to what size. Here are a few examples of growing pathways you may want to follow.

Propagation
So for starters, any plant you want to grow will benefit from a start in our air root pruning trays.

“Hey, one decision down!”

Not so fast. Do you want the 105-, 60-, 32-, or 18-cell propagation tray?

“Nuts!”

Good point! Seed size can be one way to help determine this first step. Tiny seeds = tiny volume (105 or 60); large seeds = large volume (32 or 18).

Also consider the form of the plant. Plants with large leaves like oaks and maples will benefit from greater spacing such as with the 18-cell tray. Plants with smaller leaves and an upright form such as pine trees can go into 32-cell trays.

And what is the plants’ growth rate? Are you carefully monitoring your production, or should you build in a little timing cushion? Timing is important. Once a fibrous root system has been created, it is time for the next transplant step. If plants are left in RootMakers for too long, the benefits will begin to decrease and water management may become more difficult due to the unique high concentration of roots. The length of time in propagation trays varies greatly but is typically no more than 2 to 4 months.

Transplanting
If you are growing small bedding plants, your next move may not even involve a shift to another RootMaker®. Those lettuce or pansies in the 60-cell trays are ready to go straight to the destination garden or flower boxes.

And then there are homeowners who enjoy what our larger containers provide without further transplanting. Many use 3, 5, or 15-gallon RootMakers® for blooming, foliage, and fruiting patio plants. RootTrappers® of similar or even larger sizes are extremely water conserving and stable. And then there are our RootBuilder® kits. While in these special planters, even though this container may be the plant’s final dwelling, root pruning continues. Commonly, this results in faster maturation, increased flowering, and heavier fruit set.

We’ll discuss some other RootMaker® options in a future post. In the meantime, shoot us a note regarding what you want to grow, how you want to grow it, and to what size… and we can point you to a path. Or two.