The Love to Grow Haxnicks business is enjoying booming sales of its Rootrainers, a propagating tray for seeds, plugs and cuttings which opens out like a book to avoid damaging the baby plants.
Rootrainers have specially designed cells with grooved sides that encourage the main root to grow towards the drainage opening at the bottom where the tip makes contact with the air and dies off, encouraging vigorous root growth.

This air-pruning produces a faster formation of straight roots without root balls which is particularly good, says Haxnicks, for growing sweet peas where a long, vigorous root system is 'the key to strong plants and bountiful blooms'.

When the plant is ready to be re-potted, the cells open like a book for easy removal of the plug.