Growers Comments

 
Growers Comments can be find on their Homepages

Here are some earlier comments:

Ian Brown - Mt William Advanced Tree Nursery

Please visit http://www.advancedtrees.com.au/  

We are proud to be recommended by Mt William Advanced Tree Nursery who have used RocketPot

Tree Growing System for more than 25 years.

See RocketPot in action at http://www.advancedtrees.com.au/tree-pictures-advanced.html

and http://www.advancedtrees.com.au/growing-systems.html

Rocket Pot Technology

The Professional Landscaper using the RocketPot Tree Growing System (RPTGS) can expect to "get it right first time every time". RocketPot Containers are the heart of a system. They root prune in three dimensions. There is a 20-mm air space beneath each container. Advanced trees grown in RocketPot containers have a multitude of downward pointing and non-circling root tips. Just like the walls. Three dimensional air root pruning is a reality now.

You can buy an advanced tree with confidence as part of the RPTGS. They have vastly improved shelf life in the grower's nursery without destructive root circling. When planted out, trees reach self -sufficiency in months - not years.

An abundance of apically dominant white root tips ensures consistent, reliable tree growth. Control of air and moisture is achieved by way of 5% open area in the walls and 10% open area in the cuspate plastic base beneath the container. The tree can "breathe" even with low porosity growing media.

Deep cusps guide root tips to desiccate in air. Several new roots emerge well back along the root and grow out to become leaders if the RocketPot is removed or to be desiccated if it is not removed. This process repeats again and again until the pore space is all used. The tree reaches an equilibrium state. Little growth occurs until the RocketPot is removed and the tree is planted. Given a well-drained and aerated planting site, the tree explodes into life again. It grows like a Rocket. The RPTGS advanced tree must be watered and maintained just like any other tree. But self-sufficiency can be achieved after one or two seasons instead of four or more seasons. The cost savings swamp any additional cost of buying a RocketPot tree. Typically, street trees cost $40 per year to water. RPTGS embraces 20 principles. The first 10 principles cover the nursery phase and the last ten covers planting and after care - see www.trentcom.com.au

In the nursery, RPTGS advocates direct seeding and early potting on into lower porosity media. The RPTGS nursery cuts pot-up steps to a minimum. It uses cylindrical containers to make space for root development where it wants to grow; outward and downward as in nature. Air space below every container cuts the risk of infection from water borne pathogens. Transfer from the nursery to the planting site is in ultra light tree vending bags. They cost about 12% of the RocketPot container cost. The vending bags weigh less than 10% of a matching hard wall container and reduce nursery waste. The bags are clear to show off the excellent root system. RPTGS recommends draining each and every plating hole for the tree's first year in its new location. Some ideas for drainage include intersection of recent trenches or curbside drains. Planting holes with depth equal to root ball depth and three times root ball diameter lead to good aeration and help drainage. RPTGS advocates backfilling with friable soil from the hole with little amendment (except in sandy soils) and flooding in, mulching and watering twice weekly till self - sufficient. Staking is often unnecessary because the squat wide root ball with hard edges resists wind throw. The advanced tree industry is sadly in need of research. The Australian Eucalypt is a challenge to any advanced tree grower. They get out of hand so easily without precise control of the root system from germination to transplanting, and careful management of water and nutrients. Growing and transplanting Australian Native Trees at an advanced age can be a breeze when you follow the RPTGS principles.

TreeNet will measure the outcomes of various tree-growing systems. Meanwhile we must rely on anecdotal evidence. The track record of RPTGS is excellent.

Consider buying enough RocketPot grown trees to experience the difference this year. Register your site with TreeNet -help establish which tree growing system gives the best results over the years to come.

Roger Farquhar -  Farquhar Landscapes P/L - Hunte r Valley  NSW

"My experience is that the RocketPot produces a plant with an increased trunk calliper & support root growth, which holds together well & is easier to handle for the installer. RocketPot plants require minimal staking & show little transplant shock. To date RocketPots give the best simulation in a nursery of the conditions experienced by an inground field grown plant.

Container grown plants are only OK if they are planted within a very narrow time frame i.e.

• Too early & the rootball breaks apart

• Too late & they are rootbound."  

Garry Lawes Land Developer and Nurseryman - Keilor, VIC

Refer to the pictures on Page 7. Garry grows many of the trees used in his subdivisions.

He comments -  “I water all of the trees after planting in the street. Trees grown in RocketPot containers establish sooner than those grown in any other system I have tried.”  

Ron Symons – Specialist tree planter - Melbourne

Ron has not tried many RocketPot grown trees yet but is interested to try them.

"Good root growth is the most important aspect of establishing street trees

Normally I am using a two year maintenance program.  If the tree has not re‑established in two

Years, it is likely to fail. Typically, I water 30 times per tree each year for two years. The

average water application ranges from 35 to 70 litres per tree.

Councils are looking for a long-term asset with a minimum of maintenance after 2 years

Councils are rejecting more trees, long term quality is more important than cheap unsuitable trees that will not establish or require long term costly maintenance”  

Paul Deering - Whitsunday Tropical Trees

“The new RocketPot containers are working well for my nursery. We want to produce a better product . RocketPot adds value to our trees. Muraya and Syzigium work well in RocketPot ‑ we get more compact growth. The elevated base gives better tree health”.  

David van Houten ‑ Rowood Trees, Harrington Park NSW.  “I have ceased staking trees grown in [squat] air root pruning containers. Staking is only necessary occasionally when the tree is very tall with a bushy head. Trees in air pruning containers outgrow those in bags and hard wall containers - particularly hard wall  stock planted in a small hole. Skilful watering saves time and trees"

Improvement in root structure and caliper development

John Skehann – Coomera River Nursery Queensland

“I have noticed a significant improvement in the root system and caliper development of certain trees when grown in 40 litre RocketPot containers and compared with 40 litre bag grown trees. Particularly Flindersia australis, Backhousia citriodora and Auracaria cunninghamiana”  

Improvement in shelf life

Rodney Cox - Mirvac

Lend Lease Village Consortium '2500 trees were delivered to us in RocketPot containers. They were planted in the ground in the RocketPot containers within specially aerated cavities to give a temporary tree presence during the games. (System design by David Lawry). After 9 months in the ground we removed them and 2000 are in good condition and re-useable. The balance of 500 were not useable only because roots escaped to the soil via debris in the hole. The trees we salvaged will be used on other projects"

ADVERTISE your trees .   We have just introduced RocketSpot , a listing of established trees grown in RocketPots by  participating growers.  Any grower who uses our product is welcome to list their trees. If you would like to be listed on our web site please contact Trentcom Australia.  Naturally you must be using our product. For more details or inclusion please contact us........  to  E-mail - please click here