Root Growth with the Groasis Waterboxx

  Roots are not something many people consider when thinking about plants and their health, but they truly are very important.  Like an iceberg with much of its mass hidden beneath the surface of the ocean, the roots of a plant or tree, although invisible, can determine whether that plant is able to make it through a drought or strong wind.  Deep roots are necessary for these two main reasons.  

 Skyscrapers must have excellent foundations, which extend well beneath ground level to prevent toppling over in high winds.  Similarly, for trees to remain upright in gales they need a well developed root system.  When large trees are bought from nurseries they are almost always in small pots, because consumers generally want a large canopy and forget about the hidden root system.  You frequently bring the tree home to find that the roots have been circling at the outside of the pot for years.  These roots are a mangled mess, and the tree will have difficulty reorienting them downward as many are now facing sideways.  This means that, once the tree is planted, the roots will stay near the soil.  This is bad for two reasons: First, a shallow root system makes the tree prone to collapse in wind. Of more consequence recently, however, shallow roots virtually guarantee that the tree will not make it through periods of drought, when the top layers of the soil have all of their water evaporate.  

A tree with deeper roots, penetrating down farther into the soil, can tap the moisture at those deeper levels and bring it to the growing tree.  It is for this reason that well developed trees can grow in the desert, but new trees are hardly ever established there.

The Groasis Waterboxx was designed with root structure in mind.  It is designed to be used on smaller trees (less than 2 inches in diameter, of the type grown from seed or available from www.arborday.org) that don't already have deformed root systems.  The Waterboxx slowly releases stored water, about 50 mL (10 teaspoons) a day, directly beneath the tree in a vertical water column.  This vertical water column induces the tree to grow its primary root straight down, providing stability and eventually reaching ground water.

Originally from Groasis.com

Once the root reaches ground water, it will experience a burst of growth from greater water availability and the Waterboxx can be removed and reused up to 10 more times.   Even in very dry areas, there is usually enough rain for the trees to grow if good root systems are developed.  If you are interested, you can buy the Groasis Waterboxx here or learn more about the Groasis Waterboxx here. We would love to hear your comments below - to leave one, please click on "Comments".