RootMaker Air Pots - 55 Gallon RootBuilder II Expandable

The RootBuilder^® II expandable air pruning pot has revolutionized horticulture containers. The design has been refined for decades. The air pruning pot walls are manufactured of thermoformed HDPE and will last for multiple seasons. The unusual air pruning pot design creates better plant growth in multiple ways. Healthy bacteria are able to release more nutrients to the plant due to the well-drained and aerated grow media, and the root system structure of the plant is dramatically improved from the increased airflow pruning the root tips. This air pruning process begins with the tap root. As soon as the tip is dehydrated from contact with the air, the subsequent pruning that takes place stimulates lateral root growth. At that point, every new root is guided to an air hole along the air pot wall where it, too, will be air pruned thus further stimulating additional lateral root branching back at the stem. This repeated process causes the tree to develop a massive amount of outward-pointing fibrous roots. More lateral roots enable the plant to absorb more water and nutrients, stimulating faster plant growth. These root-building air pots produce a dense mass of fibrous roots with NO circling. When the tree is eventually planted into the landscape it will be healthy enough to instantly establish itself into the soil. Roots power the plant. Their importance cannot be ignored.

Benefits of RootBuilder^® II Expandable Air Pruning System for Tree Nurseries

Exceptional growth rate using the RootBuilder^® II Expandable Container System in tree nurseries makes it possible to shorten the production time by up to one year. Compared to field-grown trees, growers may see an increase of 50% from the same area of land. Plastic nursery containers cause root deformity by way of root circling which clearly affects the trees’ growth rate. On average, a tree without root deformity grows faster (sometimes as much as 40% more) and increases the rate of growth as the trees mature. The benefits of growing in RootBuilder^® containers are not limited.

Time and money are spent hauling trees back and forth to the potting shed when it comes time to shift up in container size when using traditional smooth black plastic nursery pots. The Expandable RootBuilder^® Air Pruning System eliminates those costs. You choose when and how much to increase the size of the container ON SITE in the field as your seedlings grow.

RootBuilder^® II Expandable Air Pot Containers for Cannabis

Pick the right pot, and you’ll see your cannabis plant develop into a vigorous specimen, offering you as many buds as its genetics allows. Time, thought, and minor financial investment in selecting a high-quality growing container is more than worth it. RootBuilder&trade II air pot systems allow the roots of the cannabis plant to stretch out and search for oxygen without getting constricted – just like it would do if planted in the earth. When roots start to feel themselves getting close to their oxygen source, they harden at the tip – a process known as pruning. This allows them to stop growing while maintaining their health. Normally, especially with mother plants, cannabis growers must do this manually, which can be tedious at best and exhausting at worst. With the RootBuilder^® air pots, that all happens without extra effort on your part. There is virtually no risk of becoming rootbound. Additionally, storage of the RootBuilder^® II is extremely easy – remove the cable tie and you have a flatten panel easily stored.

RootBuilder^® II Container System Offerings

The RootBuilder^® II Air Pot System is available in three offerings:

1. Kit – easy to assemble pre-cut air pruning sidewall panels, base, and cable ties (5 sizes: 1 pint; 1 quart; 1-, 3- and 5-gallon)

2. Pre-Cut Air Pruning Panels – flat, pre-cut air pruning sidewall for larger air pruning pots (7 sizes: 15-, 20-, 30-, 40-, 55-, 70-, and 100-gallon)

3. Air Pruning Rolls – 96’ air pruning pot sidewall rolls for you to determine cut size (2 heights: 17” and 34”)

What is included in the panels? The air pot sidewall & fasteners.What is the life expectancy of the RootBuilder® II? 10-12 years.
What is the benefit of the RootBuilder® II Expandable Air Pot Container? In short, flexibility and reduced labor costs. Shifting up requires time and labor to transport trees with a trailer back to the potting shed and then back to the field.  With the expandable RootBuilder container, you shift up directly in the field simply by expanding the container on site.  The RootBuilder expandable design allows you to overlap the sides so you can then expand making a larger container as your tree grows.

Why isn’t a base included? Since this is an expandable container, each grower will have the freedom to choose the ultimate size of the container.   You will want to purchase for your exit strategy.  If you know you will sell at 30-gallons, that is what you should purchase even though you may start out using it as a 15 gallon and expand as the tree grows, eventually expanding to 30 gallons.  Some growers prefer to use it directly on the ground, some growers prefer to have a base.  It all depends on your production set-up and exit strategy.

Do the protrusions stick straight out?  No.  And that is unique to the patented design.   Having the protrusion angle downward creates a cooling effect from the sun when used in the field.  Internal temperatures are reduced an additional 10° to 20° because of this design.

Do plants need to ship in the RootBuilder® II air pot container?  No.  The fibrous root ball will stay together once the sidewalls of the RootBuilder container have been removed.  Simply cover the root ball with black stretch wrap (clear stretch wrap will cause a ‘greenhouse effect’).  This will give you re-use of the air pruning container.

What plants benefit from the RootBuilder II container system?  Improved root systems benefit all plants.  The seed of every single plant starts out with a taproot.  The sooner that taproot is stopped, and secondary branch roots are stimulated, the greater the benefits.  Some plants are more forgiving than others, but in general the woodier the plant, the more dramatic the results in the RootBuilder® II air pot system.

It is recommended to use a soilless mix for 1-gallon and larger containers. The following recommended recipe is based on a cubic yard of mix before adding fertilizer etc.

• Ground Pine Bark, Peat, and Sand (60/20/20 by volume)
• Micromax® micronutrients (1.5 pounds)
• 17-7-12 Osmocote® (14 pounds)
• Dolomite usage depends on the minerals dissolved in your irrigation water and specific grow site elements