American Nurseryman -Jan 2012

When using the root bag system the plant is always in a root pruning container Shaw says that all propagation containers for woody plant production are reused they usually last for four or five cycles We encourage our customers to bring back our 5 gallon containers and give them 50 cents per pot off their next purchase he adds Root bags used for growing on and the breakaway tray for perennial plant sales are the only things we cant reuse Growing on Trees at Possibility Place are grown in root bags measuring 12 inches deep two sizes 12 inches and 18 inches are employed According to Shaw a tree thats transplanted with a root bag retains 60 to 70 percent of its root structure Considering that a B B tree retains as little as 5 to 15 percent of its roots one can see the advantages Shaw compares the difference in simple terms When using the root bag system the plant is always in a rootpruning container from start to finish The plant is sold with the bag in place although it must be removed prior to planting Possibility Place also employs a 5 gallon container program which the company started in 1999 It has taken us about 8 years to feel we have a good idea of how to do it Shaw claims The parameter was to put a plant in a container and never touch it again reducing labor until it is sold moved to a 15 gallon or thrown out The container is one of the few that let the roots escape the container he continues All the containers are mulched in The roots grow into the mulch this reduces watering by 50 percent The mulching also reduces soil temperatures in the container for better roots All shrubs and trees are grown in the 5 gallon containers and most of the trees in root bags Very few shrubs go in root bags The difference is we can grow a bigger plant in the field We have recently started growing in 15 gallon containers this system may be the future but we will have to see The perennials program Native perennials grasses and sedges are grown from Midwest seed in a practice thats similar to woody A native sphinx moth caterpillar is attracted to coralberry Geum triflorum prairie smoke Continued on page 10 from start to finish SEED ROOT TREATMENT Advanced Mycorrhizal Root Inoculum with Beneficial Soil Biology THE PROFESSIONALS CHOICE FOR SEED STARTING AND TRANSPLANTING Easy to Use Non Toxic Non Pathogenic Non GMO 100 Natural Environmentally Safe Putting Down Roots Continued from page 7 8 JANUARY 2012 American Nurseryman www amerinursery com