What to stand root trainers on?

[marchogaeth]

I've got quite a collection of deep (5") root trainers. In all the pictures in the catalogues they are in a frame which keeps them in the air. Am I right in thinking that the trainers shouldn't be stood on soil? Is an inert surface ok or do they need to be off the ground?

Thanks

[Kleftiwallah]

I think that if the trainers are stood on soil, the roots will extend into this soil and be damaged when lifted from the soil for planting out. I should visit the town veggie market and pick up a couple of blue trays the mushrooms come in. The dark blue ones are more robust than the light blue ones. These should be just right to support the root trainers you have. Cheers, Tony.

[marchogaeth]

I think that if the trainers are stood on soil, the roots will extend into this soil and be damaged when lifted from the soil for planting out. I should visit the town veggie market and pick up a couple of blue trays the mushrooms come in. The dark blue ones are more robust than the light blue ones. These should be just right to support the root trainers you have. Cheers, Tony.

Thanks. Do you know, (no, obviously) I've already got two with cabbages and cauliflowers in on upturned mushroom boxes with that in mind. So I have made the same logical deduction as you - the roots do have to hit the air at the bottom of the pot to make them work and spread roots sideways.

[taff]

the frame's there too to stop them falling over everywhere

[VirginVegGrower]

Should have a frame and a base plus lid if sold as a pack

[marchogaeth]

Should have a frame and a base plus lid if sold as a pack

Yes, got all that but the frame that comes with them doesn't keep them off the ground/the bottom of the trainers in the air. When I said frame before I meant something made out of metal that costs about £35 and takes up (too much) space.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I just stand mine on my bench in the GH.

Colin

[Alison]

Mine are always just stood in a plastic tray, never any problems with them and never even considered suspending them.

[VirginVegGrower]

Yes, got all that but the frame that comes with them doesn't keep them off the ground/the bottom of the trainers in the air. When I said frame before I meant something made out of metal that costs about £35 and takes up (too much) space.

Not sure I understand what you're trying to do with them. They come as a pack - at least proper root trainers do

[taff]

this is what my rootrainers look like
Haxnicks Deep Root Trainers 32 Cells (12cm deep) - Deep Root Trainers
there's enough of a gap at the bottom to stop the roots growing out.

[Florence Fennel]

Mine are same as Taff's. Tried them for the first time last year and love them, buying some more this time. Don't suspend them and they're fine.

[salome2001]

deep gravel trays from Wilko. You need to shave a couple of millimeters off the corners of the rootrainer frame to fit them in, but this doesn't affect the frames. The Stewart propagator vented lids (also Wilko) fit over even the long ones. Have successfully gerimated early peas, sweetpeas and marigolds using this set up so far.

[Alison]

My root trainers have come with their own progator lids and the plastic frames fit in a standard sized seed tray so no need to buy anything special

[Two_Sheds]

Is this thread over-complicating the roottrainer? I don't like them, but keep using them because they cost so much.
I wouldn't describe them as being "in the air" but I think I know what you mean Marchagoeth. I don't keep them on the ground/soil, they sit in the greenhouse with the other seed trays

[marchogaeth]

I got all the stuff taht goes with them, frame, lid etc but when I stand the trainers in their lttle plastic fram on say an empty bed in the tunnel there is not a clear/very big gap between the bottom of the trainers and the ground so I was asking do the need to be lifted up to make a deffinite break between then bottom of the poyta nd the ground so that the roots that stick out die and the rest of the roots become the thick, healthy ball we see in the pictures. My question was prompted by seeing these frames for holding the trainers and their plastic frames in. So thanks for all the interest and replies, I'm with Kleftiwallah:-

I think that if the trainers are stood on soil, the roots will extend into this soil and be damaged when lifted from the soil for planting out. I should visit the town veggie market and pick up a couple of blue trays the mushrooms come in. The dark blue ones are more robust than the light blue ones. These should be just right to support the root trainers you have. Cheers, Tony.