Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

What to stand root trainers on?

Collapse

X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 3
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 3 template Next
  • #1

    What to stand root trainers on?

    I've got quite a collection of deep (5") root trainers. In all the pictures in the catalogues they are in a frame which keeps them in the air. Am I right in thinking that the trainers shouldn't be stood on soil? Is an inert surface ok or do they need to be off the ground?

    Thanks
    "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."

    PS. I just don't have enough time to say hello to everyone as they join so please take this as a delighted to see you here!
    Tags: None
  • #2
    I think that if the trainers are stood on soil, the roots will extend into this soil and be damaged when lifted from the soil for planting out. I should visit the town veggie market and pick up a couple of blue trays the mushrooms come in. The dark blue ones are more robust than the light blue ones. These should be just right to support the root trainers you have. Cheers, Tony.
    Semper in Excrementem Altitvdo Solvs Varivs.

    Comment

    • #3
      Originally posted by Kleftiwallah View Post
      I think that if the trainers are stood on soil, the roots will extend into this soil and be damaged when lifted from the soil for planting out. I should visit the town veggie market and pick up a couple of blue trays the mushrooms come in. The dark blue ones are more robust than the light blue ones. These should be just right to support the root trainers you have. Cheers, Tony.
      Thanks. Do you know, (no, obviously) I've already got two with cabbages and cauliflowers in on upturned mushroom boxes with that in mind. So I have made the same logical deduction as you - the roots do have to hit the air at the bottom of the pot to make them work and spread roots sideways.
      "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."

      PS. I just don't have enough time to say hello to everyone as they join so please take this as a delighted to see you here!

      Comment

      • #4
        the frame's there too to stop them falling over everywhere

        Comment

        • #5
          Should have a frame and a base plus lid if sold as a pack
          Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better...Albert Einstein

          Blog - @Twotheridge: For The Record - Sowing and Growing with a Virgin Veg Grower: Spring Has Now Sprung...Boing! http://vvgsowingandgrowing2012.blogs....html?spref=tw

          Comment

          • #6
            Originally posted by VirginVegGrower View Post
            Should have a frame and a base plus lid if sold as a pack
            Yes, got all that but the frame that comes with them doesn't keep them off the ground/the bottom of the trainers in the air. When I said frame before I meant something made out of metal that costs about £35 and takes up (too much) space.
            "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."

            PS. I just don't have enough time to say hello to everyone as they join so please take this as a delighted to see you here!

            Comment

            • #7
              I just stand mine on my bench in the GH.

              Colin
              Potty by name Potty by nature.

              By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


              We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

              Aesop 620BC-560BC

              sigpic

              Comment

              • #8
                Mine are always just stood in a plastic tray, never any problems with them and never even considered suspending them.

                Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

                Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

                Comment

                • #9
                  Originally posted by marchogaeth View Post
                  Yes, got all that but the frame that comes with them doesn't keep them off the ground/the bottom of the trainers in the air. When I said frame before I meant something made out of metal that costs about £35 and takes up (too much) space.
                  Not sure I understand what you're trying to do with them. They come as a pack - at least proper root trainers do
                  Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better...Albert Einstein

                  Blog - @Twotheridge: For The Record - Sowing and Growing with a Virgin Veg Grower: Spring Has Now Sprung...Boing! http://vvgsowingandgrowing2012.blogs....html?spref=tw

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    this is what my rootrainers look like
                    Haxnicks Deep Root Trainers 32 Cells (12cm deep) - Deep Root Trainers
                    there's enough of a gap at the bottom to stop the roots growing out.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Mine are same as Taff's. Tried them for the first time last year and love them, buying some more this time. Don't suspend them and they're fine.
                      Granny on the Game in Sheffield

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        deep gravel trays from Wilko. You need to shave a couple of millimeters off the corners of the rootrainer frame to fit them in, but this doesn't affect the frames. The Stewart propagator vented lids (also Wilko) fit over even the long ones. Have successfully gerimated early peas, sweetpeas and marigolds using this set up so far.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          My root trainers have come with their own progator lids and the plastic frames fit in a standard sized seed tray so no need to buy anything special

                          Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

                          Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Is this thread over-complicating the roottrainer? I don't like them, but keep using them because they cost so much.
                            I wouldn't describe them as being "in the air" but I think I know what you mean Marchagoeth. I don't keep them on the ground/soil, they sit in the greenhouse with the other seed trays
                            All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              I got all the stuff taht goes with them, frame, lid etc but when I stand the trainers in their lttle plastic fram on say an empty bed in the tunnel there is not a clear/very big gap between the bottom of the trainers and the ground so I was asking do the need to be lifted up to make a deffinite break between then bottom of the poyta nd the ground so that the roots that stick out die and the rest of the roots become the thick, healthy ball we see in the pictures. My question was prompted by seeing these frames for holding the trainers and their plastic frames in. So thanks for all the interest and replies, I'm with Kleftiwallah:-

                              Originally posted by Kleftiwallah View Post
                              I think that if the trainers are stood on soil, the roots will extend into this soil and be damaged when lifted from the soil for planting out. I should visit the town veggie market and pick up a couple of blue trays the mushrooms come in. The dark blue ones are more robust than the light blue ones. These should be just right to support the root trainers you have. Cheers, Tony.
                              Last edited by marchogaeth; 06-03-2012, 06:50 PM.
                              "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."

                              PS. I just don't have enough time to say hello to everyone as they join so please take this as a delighted to see you here!

                              Comment

                              Previous 1 2 3 template Next

                              Latest Topics

                              Collapse
                              View All

                              Recent Blog Posts

                              Collapse
                              View All
                              Working...
                              X