Growth Technology - Clonex Root Riot Tray

A tray of propagation plugs made from composted organic material, supplied moist and inoculated with micronutrients. The tray is included.

The tray is not the packaging, the tray is the tool

Loose plugs are awkward to work with. They fall over, they roll against each other, and the moment you want to move them you pick them up one at a time and disturb exactly the root tips you are trying to protect. The tray holds each plug upright in its own hole and lets you lift a whole batch in one movement: into the propagator, out of the propagator into the light, and eventually to wherever you plant them out.

It changes the watering too. You do not water onto the plugs but into the tray, and the medium draws the moisture up from below. That keeps the top of the plug relatively dry, which reduces the chance of rot at the stem, and wets the plug evenly rather than on one side.

If you already have the tray, buy the plugs alone. They are listed separately here as a refill bag.

Why these plugs are compost rather than wool

Root Riot is made from composted organic material, with a spongy structure that holds water while letting air through. The medium is inoculated with micronutrients and biologically active ingredients, so a freshly taken cutting has something mild available at once and you are not feeding from day one. The whole thing goes into the pot when you plant out: there is no need to remove the plug.

Technical Specifications:

• Type: organic propagation plugs in a tray
• Manufacturer: Growth Technology
• Composition: composted organic material
• Pre-treatment: inoculated with micronutrients and biologically active ingredients
• Supplied: moist and ready to use
• Suitable for: cuttings and sowing, in soil and in hydroponics
• Storage: seal unused plugs airtight against drying out

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to soak the plugs first?
No, they arrive moist. If they have dried out anyway, dip them briefly in lukewarm water and let them drain.

Do I remove the plug before planting out?
No. The material is organic and goes into the pot with the plant. The roots grow straight through it.

Can I use it for seed as well?
Yes. The same plug works for sowing; you drop the seed into the existing hole and pinch the top lightly closed.

Do I also need a propagator?
For cuttings, yes. Without a lid a rootless cutting loses moisture faster than it can take it up.