On the few occasions I’ve bought plug plants, the compost they’re in is always stuffed with roots. Is it some trade secret? Or, more likely I’m doing something wrong? These plants always seem to make rapid progress, no doubt down to the extensive rootball. Any thoughts?
Hiya Freddie The plugs are developed and brought on in perfect conditions to produce fast vigorous growth. So, no I dont think there is any trade secret (Incidentally, I loathe the hessian/whatever root bags plugs usually arrive in......I always remove them and I am convinced they grow better without them)
Good evening Frederick . During the time I worked at the nursery propagating shrubs, we gradually progressed from doing the cuttings in seed trays - about 40 per tray, depending on the variety, to using plug trays. At first the trays had cells with smooth sides, and the cuttings seemed to do quite well. As we potted the cuttings into 7cm pots from the plug trays we noticed that the resulting 'liners' grew much stronger because the roots had not been disturbed during the potting on process. Then we were able to use plug trays with ridges in each plug which appeared to train the roots to grow into them and disturb the roots even less - progress! Our shrubs - sold on to garden centres and various other outlets were top quality and much sought after. Then came the flood of plants from the continent ... the EU interlopers and the whole scene changed dramatically. It became a 'quick fix buy `em cheaper job' and that seemed to be when the plug 'hairnets' appeared on the scene. Those plug plants were potted on by machine and the whole thing became a money making scam as far as I`m concerned. It can take surprisingly little time and effort to sow a few seeds, maybe in a plug tray, and bring them on as a DIY project - it is what gardening is supposed to be all about. Everyone seems to be in such a rush to have it all quick these days.
Well @Freddy we all like a bit of jiggery and even the occasional pokery..... but those seedlings brought on in their own little snug environment (without the dreaded hairnets) prefer their own little un jiggered and pokered spaces so their little roots can get big and strong without being rudely disturbed. Thus the nice intact little plants can be most suitable - in particular for the purpose of planting up hanging baskets and the like :glad: