Retrofitting aerating root pruner

Abstract

Disclosed is a retrofittable aerating root pruner (RARP) adapted to be detachably mounted on the inner face of the side wall of a plant container having drain ports at the bottom of the side wall thereof, which is an elongate rectangular flat or hemi-cylindrical sheet member with wings along both its long sides which fit snugly against the inner face of the side wall of the plant container when the RARP to form a conduit extending to the bottom of the plant container. The RARP is mounted at its upper end to the upper edge of the plant container and at its bottom end by an extension which projects through a drain port and mounts on the outer surface of the bottom of the plant container. The upper portion of the sheet member is solid to restrict the amount of water which can flow directly into the conduit and exit out the drain port and the remainder contains a plurality of apertures so that the conduit provides ambient air access to the planting medium along the length of the and thereby promotes enhanced aeration of and uniform distribution of water in the planting and creates an air root pruning effect on the roots of a plant growing in the plant container. An apertured cutter plate which fits in the RARP can be used to mechanically sever plant roots which penetrate the RARP.