Air Pruning Pots vs Regular Pots : Growing Tomatoes

Take a look at the difference in roots of tomato plants grown in air pruning pots vs regular pots.
Regular (traditional) pots which have only a few small drainage holes at the base of the pot, have no where for roots to grow. Once roots grow to the length of the pot, they start to twist and curl back on themselves, leading to the condition known as root binding. Air pruning pots, like the Anderson Band pots I use for my tomato transplants, utilize large openings to effectively air prune the roots. Once the roots hit the air, they terminate and begin to send out new feeder roots through the soil block. The result is a healthier, more robust root system.
I use air pruning pots instead of regular pots to upgrade my tomato seedlings, resulting in a big, healthy root system and a reduction in transplant shock.

These are the pots I use--


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00:00 Intro
00:40 Traditional (regular) pot
01:17 Air pruning pot
01:45 What is air pruning?
02:10 Side by Side Comparison

[jefftbow]

I like to soak rootbound plant in water, split the root ball about halfway up from the bottom, them spread that out into its permanent home. That way the roots can venture in several directions and plump with water to prevent shock. Also transplant in the evening to alleviate stress. Your videos are always informative and concise. Thank you again for helping others learn this amazing hobby/lifestyle.

[darrylfolk]

Thank you Jenna! I learned something new! Very interesting! What to get some grow bags. I hear they air prune as well. I hear nothing but good things about grow bags for container gardening!

[burntorangehorn]

Hey Jenna! I bought a bunch of Superoots Air-Pots a few years back, and the propagation size ones seemed to do well for peppers. I actually haven't used them at all since going to soil blocks, although I would pop soil blocks into prop air-pots if I wanted to grow them larger before transplant. I currently use the larger air-pots for longer-term, woodier plantings, such as a bay laurel, lemon and limes, and blueberries. Since they're a little prone to drying out, I haven't tried tomatoes, cucurbits, or other water hogs, but they also did great for rhubarb. I'm actually thinking about using the small ones for propagating cuttings and seed-growing certain trees, though.

[williamaber]

Great information, thanks for sharing.

[jasonwarren]

This year I invested in Winstrip Trays by Neversink. Got some 72 and 128 module trays. They air prune new seedlings and produced the best plants for transplanting that I’ve ever had.

[johnjude]

I watch this twice maybe someday I'll show the my garden picture tour of my plants and you will think I've stolen your pictures.
Thanks for the teaching, I believe that gardener on the you tube " Nature Knows Best " spoke about the air pruring and I used Solo cups for they a deeper than the mini trays and I had little cropbound for I timed the season pretty good but then Dag knats runt most of my seedlings killing many and some stunted
Great topic Lady and you do good teaching thanks

[zinnialady]

I use the grow bags they make for seed starting.

[KerrysVids]

Thanks for the video, I like the results but cannot take them seriously because the air pruning pot in your test had a larger volume of soil than the traditional pot, please use the same volume containers if possible, so I can make use of the results.

[storytellerHD]

I know this is off topic so please forgive the sidebar. Where did you purchase that green and brown chair swing combo which you were sitting on? That design seems so cool and appears well constructed.

[rw]

What stops the soil from coming out the bottoms?

[jimmcintyre]

How does the soil stay? Especially those with open sides? (Sorry if this is a dumb question) Thanks

[johnjude]

What height do you want tomato plants to move into the garden.
Thanks

[johnjude]

I use Solo cups and a hot solder gun could burn any size opening and stay strong
Thanks

[davidcrosby]

Interesting. Didn't know that was a thing. I'm gonna try biodegradable pots next year. Coco coir or maybe cow pots. Maybe cut the bottoms off? Large peat pellets were great but I did have to transplant to Solo cups for some of the tomatoes I planted later in May. Peat is also supposed to be bad for the environment and sometimes grows mold on the outside of a pot. Ultimately I will try to be plastic free even if I have to return to clay pots.

[jon_raymond]

Could you not simply cut similar squares into the bottom of regular pots?