About this product
Rootrainers are the thing a lot of sweet pea growers swear by, and once you've planted out a seedling from one you can see why. Each cell is a narrow grooved channel that steers the roots straight down. When a root reaches the air at the bottom it stops, and the plant sends out more roots higher up instead of circling round the pot.
The Deep version has 32 cells, each 12cm deep, and it's the one to choose for anything that makes a long root quickly: sweet peas, climbing and broad beans, sweetcorn, and perennials you want to overwinter. The cells come in hinged books that open like a book, so you can check the roots and lift each plant out without tearing anything. A holding tray and clear lid turn it into a small propagator.
They're reusable plastic, so wash them at the end of the season and they'll go again next year. Filling them is a little fiddly the first time: close the books, stand them in the tray and fill the lot with compost in one go. Autumn is sweet pea sowing time, so these are worth getting now.
