Root Quality & Air-Pruned Production

Roots the most important part of every plant we ship you. They are critical to the success of trees, in both the short and long term. Bad root systems compromise your profits and the future urban forest.

Root faults start in the nursery with the containers trees grow in and how young plants are handled and potted. Solid- walled containers allow circling and kinked roots to develop. Planting too deep buries the root collar, while stuffing a long root into a shallow hole creates a j-root. Any combination of these might lead to crossing or girdling roots at the future planting site.

This year we transitioned our entire lineup of #1 and #2 into air pruning containers to compliment our already existing program of air pruned seedling trays. This means the great quality trees you’ve come to expect from us just got better!

Air root pruning:

exposing root tips to the air outside the growing media naturally prunes the root tip. This

eliminates root circling and promotes a better root structure, causing the plant to grow new roots in the growing media, producing a more fibrous root system that will perform better for you.

Potted Trees:

We only use air pruned seedlings or cuttings into #01 and #02 containers that utilize air root pruning. When we can, we raise the plants up, potting the root collar even above it original position. This starts the tree with an advantage.

•Slotted bottoms with solid sides, always elevated off the ground
•Slotted sides and bottoms, always elevated off the ground

Seedling Trays

and Plugs:

Air pruning is a game changer for species that grow with tap roots like oaks and black gum and those with course roots like hornbeam and beech.
•Open bottoms
•Slotted sidewalls
•Elevated for air flow beneath