RootMaker Studies RSS

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...

Carl Whitcomb PhD, Lacebark Research Farm, Stillwater, OK Conventional round plastic containers are notorious for deformed root systems. The problem occurs with all plants of all species. However, the severity of the problem is greatest with woody trees and shrubs which need good anchorage to support the tops. Cutting or disrupting congested and circled roots at planting is often suggested, but numerous research studies have shown no benefits. Simply cutting holes in container sidewalls does almost nothing to help. In 1968, I created holes in sidewalls of one gallon containers only to find no benefits. In 1986, I created a series of larger triangular openings in smooth walled containers in...

Many plants and trees live to old age, but what happens to those that don't? You may have realized that some of the trees, shrubs and plants you've planted that were grown in nurseries and garden centers die in only a few years after planting in the ground. Sometimes, you will plant a tree only to have it wither and die a year or two later. While trees can succumb to disease and while poor soil can take a few years off a plant's life, most plants die early because they literally starve to death. Their root systems are just...

A Cool, Water Conserving Container that Shows Off Your Plants RootTrapper® containers have several distinct advantages over other fabric containers. RootTrapper® containers are cool. The white sidewall reflects heat. Temperatures against the inside wall of a RootTrapper® are 20 to 25 degrees cooler compared to a black plastic pot. RootTrapper® containers are so cool, they allow roots to survive against the sidewall even when exposed to full sunlight. RootTrapper® containers conserve water three ways: Cooler root zone temperatures reduce water lost to evaporation. With conventional black plastic pots, approximately 80% of water required is lost due to evaporation. Slow water exit. Water slowly...