Guide to RootGrow
There are many benefits to using RootGrow, but the main benefits are so that a newly planted plant can find more nutrients/water/food, won't need as much fertiliser, can establish quicker, and will develop an increased tolerance to poor soil conditions and droughts.
RootGrow is made up of something called mycorrhizal fungi- a completely natural, organic substance that's native to all UK soil types.
With that being said, as good as RootGrow sounds, we're often confused as to how to apply it to our plants and how much of it to apply...and that's exactly where we can help!
How to use RootGrow
The mycorrhizal fungi must come into direct contact with your plant's roots. You can either use a dry granule (which is used for pot grown plants), or something called a 'root dip' for bare roots.
Here is how you apply each one...
Pot grown plants
A handy trick we all love for using RootGrow to apply to your pot grown plants, is by looking at the circumference of the bottom of the pot. Dig a hole to the correct depth, check the width of the hole (should be about the same as the bottom of the pot), and sprinkle the bottom of the hole with enough RootGrow to lightly cover it. Follow with planting the plant straight onto the granules.
Very small plants (i.e., cell grown), will also need direct contact with the RootGrow granules. Begin by watering the plants well, then roll the root ball onto a tray of granules- whatever manages to stick to the soil will be enough.
This table here specifies how much plants each size pack of RootGrow will cover:
| 60g | 150g | 360g | 1kg | |
| Cell Grown plants | 20-24 | 50-60 | 120-145 | 330-400 |
| 2L Pot | 3 | 8 | 19 | 50 |
| 5L Pot | 1 | 4 | 9 | 26 |
| 10-15L Pot | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Bare root plants
Though you can use the RootGrow granules on bare roots, the most effective way to treat bare roots is with RootGrow dipping gel. All you do is mix the gel sachet with the water and RootGrow granules, until it thickens up, then dunk the roots in before you plant. It's that simple!
Please note- larger roots should only need to be dipped half way, whereas smaller ones should be fully dipped.
That being said, the amount of RootGrow you will need depends on how large the roots are. You can use this table below to estimate how much you will need for your bare root plants:
| Bare Root Plant Size | 60g | 150g | 360g | 1kg |
| 30cm | 21-25 | 52-63 | 126-151 | 350-420 |
| 30-60cm | 16-20 | 40-51 | 97-122 | 270-340 |
| 60-90cm | 12-16 | 31-42 | 75-100 | 210-280 |
| 90-120cm | 9-12 | 22-30 | 54-72 | 150-200 |
| 120-150cm | 7-10 | 17-25 | 41-61 | 115-170 |
| 150-180cm | 6-9 | 15-22 | 36-54 | 100-150 |
How RootGrow works
90% of all plants rely on Mycorrhizal Fungi to develop a strong, established root system, making it a necessity for plant growth and development.
Mycorrhizal Fungi works by extending the root system out into the surrounding soil, using a substantial network of fungal filaments. The thread-like filaments take up water and nutrients from large areas of soil, exchanging them for carbon from the plants.
This root system will link onto the roots systems of nearby plants/trees which then helps share the resources efficiently throughout all plants.
A fungal network like this can increase the mass of soil explored by up to 700 times! It's been noticed that plants with a lack of Mycorrhizal Fungi have ended up being poorly developed and have weak root establishments. Although most plants will develop their own mycorrhizal root system, RootGrow speeds the process up and will guarantee plant success- usually it will take up to 3 years for a strong root system like that to develop naturally, but using RootGrow can get the system to establish within one month!
RootGrow is a key to success in pretty much every plant. It will guarantee a strong mycorrhizal root system on your plants, and is especially useful when you need the plants to settle down quickly!
Full selection of RootGrow products
Needing further advice? Give us a buzz on 0330 555 1020 or send an email over to sales@glenmorenurseries.co.uk.