Air Pruner Fabric Plant Pots

What are Air Pruner Fabric Plant Pots?

If you want to give your plants the best root zone possible, you'll want to use Air Pruner Fabric Plant Pots. Air Pruner Fabric Plant Pots create more roots, deeper in the potting media by air pruning. They're the perfect plant holders to give your plant the best chance of success.

What Is Air Pruning?

Air pruning is a natural result of the roots meeting the sides of their growing media. It happens in nature, for instance, if a tree is growing on a bank, and its roots grow out of the side of the bank, the roots naturally dry out and fall off (air pruning). When air pruning happens, it triggers the plant to grow more lateral (side) roots further down the root, deeper into the media. The result is a thicker mass of healthy roots taking up more nutrients and water.

More roots provide the plant with more opportunities to absorb nutrients and water. With traditional plastic pot plant holders, when roots reach the pot's edge, the roots are forced down, until they hit the bottom of the pot, then they circle the container in search of a friendlier environment. This soon results in plants becoming root bound. As roots circle, minimal lateral branching occurs, resulting in poor nutrient uptake.

More Roots = More Fruits

Roots are a fundamental part of plant productivity, as they act as both the digestive system and feet of the plant. Good Root health is a strong indicator of the future success of a plant.

Air Pruning Fabric Plant Pots Promote Stronger Roots

Good root health is determined by a lack of pathogenic organisms including fusarium and Pythium which turn roots brown and make them smell bad. Strong, white roots are healthy, and this is what we’re aiming for in our indoor gardens. A strong root network will have a solid architecture, meaning an even, uniform spread of lateral roots with many root hairs. If plant’s get root bound or roots start circling the bottom of the pot – end yield will be affected!

Root architecture is determined through an interaction of plant genetics and local environmental influences; So the species of plant and how you grow it will have a massive impact on the architecture and structure of the root network. Using an air pruning pot prevents roots from circling and encourages root growth throughout the entire medium, leading to more productive plants.

The roots perform two main functions for the plant; anchoring the plant in place, as well as up-taking essential nutrients and moisture from the substrate. A healthy network of roots will facilitate the plant in carrying out these functions, so it’s important you have a strong focus on building healthy roots, with a high number of root hairs.

What Types of Roots Do Plants Create?

On the whole, plants tend to produce three types of root:

• Tap root
• Secondary / Laterally branching roots
• Tertiary roots / Root hairs

The Tap Root

The Tap Root is the first root to emerge from a seed, it grows straight down towards a water source. It works to anchor the plant in place. Only plants grown from seed have tap roots.

Secondary / Laterally Branching Roots

Secondary / Laterally branching roots help to anchor the plant in place and provide the plant with a larger area to uptake nutrients and water.

Tertiary Roots / Root Hairs

Tertiary roots / Root hairs have a large surface area to allow the plant to access all the different nutrients and water it needs. Most of the essential elements are absorbed by the root hairs and transported along the branching roots, into the tap root, then up the plant to the leaves. Your plants use nutrients for photosynthesis and other metabolic processes.

Fabric pots work on the physical principles of these types of root, bringing only positive effects. Your plants will not be stressed when roots are ‘pruned’ – the tips just get dried out, which encourages more roots to grow deeper in the medium. Other methods of pruning roots require a sharp implement, which can leave plants vulnerable to attack from pathogenic microorganisms through the open wound. When roots air prune, pathogens cannot enter the roots via the wound, since the tissue dries up and self-seals.

What Are The Benefits Of Fabric Plant Pots Over Traditional Plastic Pots?

Fabric pots have several benefits over traditional plastic pots. They're suitable for growing any tree or plant that you can grow in traditional round plant pots. The benefits of using Air Pruner plant pots include:

1. Air Pruning Roots

The benefit of our air pruning pots is their air pruning capability. Air pruning results in a thicker mass of healthy roots. More roots provide the plant more opportunities to absorb nutrients and water. With traditional plastic pots, when roots reach the pot's edge, roots are forced down until they hit the bottom of the pot then they circle the container in search of a friendlier environment. Plants can soon become root bound. As roots circle, minimal lateral branching occurs, resulting in poor nutrient uptake.

What makes the fabric Air Pruner Pots so unique, is when the plant roots reach the container's edge, its laterally branching roots grow through the porous fabric, and when they meet the air on the outside of the pot, they dry out and are naturally pruned (fall off). The pruning process creates a more productive, dense, fibrous root system that improves the uptake of water and nutrients.

2. Aeration

The breathable, porous fabric pot allows air to enter the root zone from all surfaces of the container. This aeration provides a healthy environment for the roots as well as supports beneficial microorganisms and bacteria. This aeration provides oxygen to the roots, which is essential for the metabolic process in taking up minerals and nutrients. Oxygen is also necessary to diffuse carbon dioxide away from the roots caused by the respiration of root cells and microorganisms. Roots without adequate access to oxygen will result in weak plants that exhibit stunted growth and are much more likely to fall sick to pests and diseases.

3. Drainage

A common problem with traditional plastic containers is poor drainage leading to anaerobic condition that result in soil borne diseases like Phytophthora, Fusarium and Pythium, responsible for devastating root rot. Due to the breathable, porous fabric, excess water can easily drain from the container, keeping moisture at an ideal level for healthy plant growth.

4. Temperature Control

The construction of fabric Air Pruner pots allows air to penetrate the sides of the container, keeping it cool when exposed to direct sun on hot summer days or the intense light of an indoor grow light, through the process of evaporative cooling. Plants will be less stressed during uncontrollable heat spikes such as heat waves, as well as better insulated against cold floors.

5. Quality & Durability

Air Pruners give horticulturalists a single, extremely durable solution for all fabric-pot needs and growing environments. Perfect drainage and aeration allow optimal water and nutrient uptake, yielding rapid, optimal plant growth throughout each growth cycle. The fabric also allows air to easily reach your plants’ root zones, delivering superior drainage and creating a healthy, fibrous root environment.

These porous material planters are reinforced with marine-grade thread. The pruner pot's robust stitching allows the container to withstand constant moisture and prolonged UV exposure. When filled, the pots retain a self-supporting form and structural integrity, even in challenging climatic conditions, including during irrigation and transport. The larger volume containers have integrated handles, so moving plants is quick and easy.

In testing, the fabric gave in to load stress while the stitching maintained integrity. This provides the confidence that these pots can cope with the heaviest substrate, even when wet!

6. In Hydroponic Applications

You’re probably familiar with air pruning pots being used to grow impressive soil and coco based plants but when used indoors, not only do you have the unique combination of air root pruning and aeration of the root zone, but fabric air pruning pots are the ideal container for some of the most popular hydroponic systems (Ebb-and-flow; Drip circulating; bottom fed) because nutrients and air can easily pass in and out of the porous fabric. The fabric can be used like a filter during the drain cycle, allowing only the nutrient solution back to the reservoir. This gives the grower the option to use peat, coco, soil and many other media without clogging lines or pumps. Our fabric Air Pruner pots can be washed and reused for many cycles.

7. How Long Do Fabric Plant Pots Last?

Depending on use, Air Pruner fabric plant pots can be reused for up to 4-5 cycles indoors or up to 3 years outside. The durable fabric allows for washing. Marine-grade stitching maintains the pot's integrity, even in the most challenging of environments.

What Sizes Are Air Pruner Pots Available in?

Air Pruner fabric plant pots are available in a range of sizes to suit your needs. Fabric plant pots are available in propagation sizes all the way through to harvest. You can re-pot your plants in full confidence that they are creating the best root system possible as they grow and develop. Fabric Air Pruning plant pots are superb, if you're growing hungry, aggressive, fast-growing annuals, like tomatoes.

Fast growing annuals thrive in Air Pruning plant pots. The fact air pruning creates more lateral roots allows the hungry plants to access more nutrients and really pile on the growth, especially during the vegetative stage of growth. Larger plants with more roots means more fruits. You'll love the additional yield you can get with air pruner fabric plant pots.

Air Pruner Plant Pots Technical Specification

How to Use

Air Pruners are perfect for growing plants of any species to any size, they'll fit seamlessly into your current grow room with few, if any, changes to your normal regime in plastic pots. Plants in Air Pruners are easy to transport, since the containers come complete with carrying handles.

Air Pruners can be integrated into many existing hydroponic systems like ebb and flow, dripper and bottom fed but you can also just use trays and handwatering, .

If hand watering fabric Air Pruner pots, it’s recommended to keep a saucer or tray under your plants as when hand watering, its recommended to give a 20% run off during the wet cycle to ensure the entire medium is wet - keep saucers under your plants or trays for a larger number of plants, as without them, this run-off would simply flow onto your floor and flood your room each time you water.