Launched at the IPM Essen, the new design for the Air-Pot® with its patented angled cones, is easier to work with, while enhancing the effectiveness of the air pruning process for better root development and stronger growth.
Jamie Single, Founder of the Edinburgh-based company, says: “At Air-Pot®, we’re confident that we make the world’s original and best air pruning container. But we’re constantly working to improve, advance and evolve the design. Now, after 30 years of refinement and innovation, and six generations of evolution, the best just got even better with the launch of the Air-Pot® 7 range. The radical improvement to the container that we’ve developed is the new shape of the cones, which encourages even better and more consistent root manipulation. The fact that it’s easier to fill is boosting the pot’s performance, as each cone can be filled and compacted properly, allowing the pot to do its job.”
In 2024, selected nurseries in Europe trialled the prototype Air-Pot® containers, including Hardy Eucalyptus at Grafton Nursery in Worcestershire, UK to grow Eucalyptus Azura for eight months. According to the company, the results showed even better root development.
Hilary Collins, CEO Grafton Nursery Ltd, says: “We have been using the Air-Pot Container growing system for well over a decade. We think the pots are fantastic at producing a vital and healthy, actively growing root-system for all our trees. When Jamie approached us about their new generation of pots – the Air-Pot® 7, we didn’t think it was possible to improve on what is already an amazing pot. However, the trial over this summer has yielded surprising results. Compared to the same species grown in the standard Air-Pot container of identical size, those trees grown in the Air-Pot® 7 have produced even better roots, fatter white roots and a higher root density. This demonstrates that for our trees at Hardy Eucalyptus, the Air-Pot 7 containers represent a significant improvement over the standard Air-Pot®. An additional bonus for staff is that the new container is MUCH easier to fill and compact.”
Evolved since inception in 1990, the design of Air-Pot containers ensures that plants develop healthy fibrous roots, without circling. Designed for good drainage and aeration of the growing medium, the Air-Pot provides ideal conditions for healthy bacteria to release more nutrients to the plant. The shape of the Air-Pot container’s wall guides each root towards an air hole where increased air in the growing medium dehydrates the tip, pruning it and stimulating root branching. The process repeats until there is a mass of healthy fibrous roots.
Carlos Guinand, Nursery Director Majestic Trees, says: “Our success as a company has been sustained in commitment, passion and professionalism by using our best ally to guarantee the best quality root system for our trees: Air-Pot®. It is early days to say too much about Air-Pot® 7… but we have used them to root out two difficult species to be grown in pots: Tsuga canadensis and Lagerstroemia indica. The results have been very encouraging.”
“Healthy roots mean better uptake of nutrients and water which equates to faster growth – this is good for the planet, as healthier and efficiently grown plants help combat the impact of climate change. One side effect of the climate crisis is that container growing is increasing but, as trials in Holland and elsewhere have shown, growing in an Air-Pot container is as good or better than growing in the ground. Our systems are also much more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Made from recycled HDPE, our Air-Pot containers are sturdy and reusable many times over, even in tropical sunshine, and they last for years. Plus, we manufacture with the minimum possible environmental impact,” explains Georgie Single, Marketing & Sales Representative at Air-Pot®.