As roots grow in containers they eventually reach the container
walls. In hard sided containers, these roots, upon reaching walls, start
circling to seek a friendlier environment. These root systems exhibit a
few strong roots growing in circles with very litlle branching. They
are often bound upon themselves and can produce a strongtap root groeing
through the containers bottom. These characteristics can hinder the
plants rate of growth and in some cases its chances of survival when
transplanted.
In Smart Pot the bags fabric prevents the roots continued
longitudinal growth, in effect pruning it, causing the root to develop
masses of lateral fibrous roots. Root systems that develop in a smart
pot have a much greater mass or volume than those found in hard-sided
containers and have root balls that contain many more roots then found
in a hard-sided container of similar size.
The fibrous root systems produced in Smart Pots are more efficient
and enable plants to maximize water and nutrient uptake in the limited
surrounding soil mass.