Foam Inserts are an Effective Way to Increase Plant Life and Decrease Labor
Are you searching for a way to increase plant longevity AND decrease your workload? Wrapping a plant’s rootball using a quarter-inch thick piece of foam inserted into a water-tight, no-hole liner is a practice many Interiorscapers are using to accomplish this.
This foam and liner combination also adds stability and integrity to the rootball. You should fill with water to what seems like a third of the way to the top of the plant (see graphic).
This graphic illustrates how a simple foam liner benefits plant health
The plant hair-roots seek out the oxygen trapped in the foam.
“Despite the fact that the rootball is saturated, oxygen exchange is occurring within the hair-roots of the plant at the point of contact.” said Fred Scott, Vice President of NewPro Corp. “This gives the interiorscaper the luxury of more time between watering visits and extends the longevity for plants such as Peace Lillies, Ficus or Palms.”
You may not choose to sub-irrigate some plants, therefore the foam/liner combination may not be needed.
“By the time you need to replace the foam insert, it’s time to replace the plant anyway,” Fred added. “The presence of the foam will maintain the integrity of the rootball and help you avoid its disintegration all over your client’s carpet when it’s time to change or remove it.”
In the video below , Fred Scott guides inserts a new Peace Lilly into a foam insert/no-hole liner combo.
Five Benefits of the foam insert
- Increases the plant life
- Decreases labor with fewer visits
- Reduces chances of rootball rot from over-watering
- Foam drops into liner, liner drops into decorative container. When plant replacement is necessary, remove the no-hole liner.
- No messy clean up or replacement
Do you use, or would you consider using a foam insert in your practice? If so, why? If not, why not? Please include your answers in the “Reply” box below.
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Tags: #interiorscape, foam inserts, indoor planters, no hole liners, plant containers, plant pot, plant pots wholesale
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:12 pm
I have just purchased 15″ no-hole liners with foam to exchange for the 14″ grow pot on ficus lyrata. the slight difference in dimensions creates an air gap…should potting soil be added?
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Thanks for your question and thanks for being a customer, Karen! I double-checked with Fred Scott to see if it’s OK to add potting soil and YES, it would be fine for potting soil be added to fill in the air gap. – Mike