Rootmaker Growing Explained with Video
Rootmaker Video
Rootmaker Flat
After cold stratification, acid washing or soaking in water as required the seeds are planted in flats and grown on in our solar greenhouse over the winter.
Rootmaker Plug
The stepped up plug produces layers of air pruned roots.
Rootmaker 4" Bags in Cinder Blocks
Seedlings are transplanted from the flats to these green mesh bags that are placed in the holes of concrete blocks in our shade cloth covered hoop-house.
Katsura Plug After Season of Growth RM-4 BAG
Removing the bag root prunes the plant again and encourages greater branching and growth of the roots.
Katsura cercidiphyllum magnificum Pot vs Bag
Last April 2010 we put some Katsura plugs in 2 gal pots as well as in 4" bags. See two of the potted katsura in black pots placed infront of the bag in block grown Katsura.
Pot vs Rootmaker Bag
Although they got the same fertilizer, irrigation, and potting mix the 2 gal plants had smaller leaves, less branching, skinnier trunk and over a foot less height than the plugs put into little 4" bags at the same time. We see the same pot vs bag results with our rhododendrons and azaleas plus we get better flower bud set in the bags.
Rootmaker System is Effective and Efficient
Note thicker stem of Rootmaker 4" bag grown plant and the roots along the side ready to root out into the soil. Even though it used less than half the floor space and volume of expensive bark mix compared to the potted Katsura seedling, the Rootmaker product exhibits all around improved growth. The bagged seedling will outperform the potted one even more drastically in the next phase of potting up into a 12" bag vs a bigger 7-10 gal pot. The 12" and 24" bags are much more cost effective than the larger pots as well.
Rootmaker 12" and 24" Bags
Green mesh bags in foreground are the kind used for our in ground field grown trees. The white fabric bags are for above ground use only. These plants overwinter in the plastic hoop house.
NOTE: THE AVERAGE WOMEN GARDENER CAN PICK UP AND MOVE THE RM 12 PLANTS (soil less mix) is not heavy.
These plants are priced from $25 to $50
Solid Root ball from Rootmaker Bag
The Rootmaker system continually prunes the roots resulting in a fibrous root ball without circling roots resulting in a tree with enhanced transplant success and drought tolerance. Rootmaker trees generally require no staking. The plant was grown in a RM 12"white soft sided rootmaker bag.
Acer japonicum Upbagging from 12" into 24" Mesh Bag
We have been especially surprised by the growth rate of plants up bagged from the 12" to 24" diameter bags. Even the usually slower growing Japanese maples have put on over a foot of growth in a month and have had to be moved out of the lathe house. Our customers have also been impressed by the speed of growth of Rootmaker trees in their own garden.
Pot Grown Oak Roots Vs Rootmaker Bag Roots
The fibrous roots right side created by the Rootmaker system mimic root growth in nature. Besides improved water uptake and stability against winds without staking, Rootmaker roots will not strangle off future growth the way circling roots from pot grown plants can.
32 inch diameter finishing
Rootmaker Finishing System