The Production of Pot-Pressed Plants
Pot-pressed plants are planted as cuttings in a field. There they grow, develop their roots and obtain nutrients from the soil. When the time comes to sell these plants, they are ‘pricked’ out of the ground, usually by machine. This means that the roots of many hedging plants are cut off and the plant is pressed into a pot for sale.
The disadvantage of this production method is that the plant’s vital root system is permanently damaged. The nutrient supply of hedge plants comes almost exclusively from the (whitish) root ends, while the (brownish) bulk of the root system is hardly able to supply the plant. If the plant now loses significant root shoots during pricking, it is disturbed in its nutrient uptake, at worst dies or at best needs a long period of regeneration after planting in your garden to form new root shoots before actual plant growth can continue at a normal rate. In terms of hardiness and resistance, pot-pressed plants are far inferior to pot-grown stock.
The Production of Pot-Grown Plants
The cuttings of pot-grown plants are potted with nutrient substrate, i.e. they are put into a pot. There they grow and develop their root system. The special thing about this is that the pot limits their root system in growth: they root within the substrate and, if sufficiently large pots are used according to the target size they are to reach at the time of sale, they are just as robust as specimens planted outdoors.
The great advantage of pot-grown plants over their pot-pressed relatives is that the existing root system is not pricked and thus cut off in the harvesting process. The plant retains its full vitality. If you buy a well-cared for and watered pot-grown plant, when you pull it out of its pot you will see that there is a sturdy, dense network of roots on the outside, the white ends of which are the important, nutrient-supplying root shoots. Pot-grown hedge plants arrive in your garden without any ‘start-up difficulties’, are resistant as well as healthy and continue their species-typical growth without delay.
A Tip
We strongly advise you to buy only pot-grown, quality hedging plants. Plants that are undamaged, perfectly cared for and nurtured guarantee a planting result that will give you complete satisfaction.
In conclusion, we can’t resist recommending the Saterplant® online shop for guaranteed first-class plant quality from North German production – for pot-grown hedge plants that will last for decades and give you pleasure.
PS: If you are interested in more extensive tips, please also read:
I want to plant, extend or replace a hedge: what should I know about buying hedge plants?
