Designers Vision 

Trentcom has been heavily involved in Research and Development since it began. Rocket^®Pot, was the culmination of 8 years of research. This was only the first step in achieving Trentcom's Goal. Company Director Peter Lawton explains:

"In my lifetime I have seen complicated processes involving many mundane tasks simplified. The household washing changed from scrubbing on a washing board in a bucket, to the automated process used modern domestic washing machines. The complicated processes that were once essential in completing this task, are now simple. Propagation is a complex science with a touch of art. The pursuit of perfect seedlings will ultimately lead to a completely mechanised propagation process. It will deliver perfect trees every time. Rocket^®Pot is the core of that process"

Rocket^®Pot KS1020 fills a gap in available propagation equipment. 
 - Air pruning cell trays have helped but they
 - Are all tapered just where roots want to grow.
 - Prune the radicle too short and too early 
 - Are too small for proper calliper development
 - Make grading difficult

Rocket^®Pot KS1020 needs a precise environment for very high-speed use - in the future 

Rocket^®Rack is the launching pad for Rocket^® Pot KS1020

The system design:

1. Controls water use, air flow and bottom heat
2. Relies on a cohesive root ball – from 3D air root-pruning
3. Cuts out potting up steps 
4. Can be used outdoors to yield trees that tolerate the local environment.
5. Maintains close proximity of cells for naturally straight trunks
6. Uses only that water that the tree transpires – in a closed system 
7. Admits and collects rain and excludes hail and destructive birds
8. Will need to be adapted for snow – a rarity in Australia

Rocket^®Pot KS1020 features 

1. Vertical walls - mandatory to accommodate outward/downward growing roots
2. A radicle length of at least 180 mm – double current practice
3. Cell volume of at least 1500ml = 1.5 litre for serious street and park trees
4. Natural air root-pruning of the radicle - in air - under the base
5. A straight radicle - now possible in the fine Rocket^®Mix (growing medium)
6. Air root-pruning of vertical roots that emerge after the radicle is pruned  
7. Air root-pruning of the laterals – at the walls
8. Humidity control under and around the cell
1. To prevent root escape
2. To empower the propagator to determine how many active root tips to offer , under the base and at the wall cusps
3. To participate in frost control
9. Heating that fits into the cell base
1. To make outdoor winter propagation feasible
2. To control growth rates
3. To participate in frost control – particularly with a gas booster
4. Much cheaper than electric element heating

Rocket^®Rack features

1. Mass production capability
2. Two day installation of packaged commercial (50 rack) systems
3. Shipment in 40 ft shipping containers (50 racks)
4. Handling by:

1. crane or fork lift truck or
2. a special inbuilt nursery straddle truck, or
3. Special purpose but simple nursery trolleys

5. Complete with pots filled with Rocket^®Mix (Optional)
6. Provides shelter and seating for workers (Commercial)
7. Can be weighed very frequently and automatically (commercial)
1. Permitting watering every three days or more (typically)
2. Flooding when there is 25% or more air in the root ball
8. Provides for an optional cloche during germination
9. No installation required in single rack retail systems