Knit Fabric In-Ground
To installation Knit Fabric containers, start with an auger of the same size or larger, equipped with a depth control gauge to ensure a consistent depth of 12 inches. It’s crucial to level the bottom of the hole to avoid creating a “bowl” effect. Place your container in the hole and hold it open with a plastic expandable sleeve. Fill the container with field soil. At least one inch of the Knit Fabric container should remain above soil line to prevent roots from escaping over the top. For optimal results, keep the sides of the fabric container straight while packing the backfilled soil.
Harvesting
Harvesting Knit Fabric Containers is relatively easy. For smaller containers (8” to 12”), you can easily use a sharp digging spade to cut around the outside of the container before lifting it out of the ground. For larger containers (12” and up), popping them out of the ground with the forks of a front-end loader or skid steer work very well. This ensures a smooth and efficient harvesting process while minimizing damage to the plants.
An Accumulation of Energy
In the Knit Fabric container, small roots extend through the fabric but are unable to expand, creating a constriction that leads to root branching and an accumulation of energy. This design simplifies water management in the field while protecting the root system from temperature extremes. When harvesting a tree in a Knit Fabric container—typically available in sizes ranging from 8″ to 24″ (with special orders for 30″, 36″, and 48″)—the fabric is removed upon harvesting. This ensures that the majority of the root system remains intact and well-branched, allowing the tree to establish itself horizontally in the surrounding soil rather than just growing downward.