About RPM Plants
What is RPM?
The Root Production Method (RPM) is a natural process found to positively affect trees, shrubs, and grasses, resulting in accelerated growth, increased root mass, early flower, fruit, seed, and/or nut production, and higher rates of establishment and survivability.RPM is composed of a series of horticultural practices including: collection of superior native seed stock, air-root pruning, greenhouse growing, acclimating to local conditions, balanced nutrition, soil microbial and fungal relationships, container growing in special media, and timing learned from over 20 years of field research.
Root Ball Comparison Oak Root Systems
1 yr. old RPM
grown root mass
grown root mass
1 yr. old conventionally-
grown root mass
grown root mass
How Does the Root Production Method Work?
RPM is a nurture process, versus a process that changes the nature of the plant, and actually nurtures individual plants to optimize root and overall growth and reach their genetic potential sooner.The RPM benefits to the individual plant do not carry over to next generation, except that the offspring are from superior genetic stock and very healthy parents.
The RPM Advantage
RPM Trees Grow Faster!
The process promotes greater basal diameter, shoot length and root volume, resulting in a tree that speeds to maturity three times faster that non RPM trees.
RPM Trees Have Greater Survivability!
Because of the consistent size and health of RPM trees and the extraordinary development of their root systems, survival rates in difficult field conditions approach 95% as compared with lesser survival rates of conventionally grown trees.
RPM Trees Produce Nuts, Seeds & Fruit Faster!
The RPM process results in trees that demonstrate early nut, seed and fruits production. Early nut production is critically important for natural regeneration as well as food for wildlife. The RPM process promotes greater basal diameter, shoot length and root volme, resulting in a trees that reach maturity three times faster than non-RPM trees.
RPM Trees Make Good Economic Sense!
RPM cultivated trees are cost effective and time-effective solutions for conservation and environmental projects seeking to enhance success rates in growing healthier and hardier trees with accelerated growth and regeneration characteristics, early fruit and nut production, and vastly improved survivability.
Compared with bare-root seedlings or direct seeding, RPM trees and shrubs have advantages and superior qualities for conservation, restoration, and other applications. RPM trees and shrubs are container grown and have a large fibrous root system that promotes higher survival rates, rapid growth, and quicker regeneration. The initial height of RPM trees (=4ft at less than one year) has been found to reduce the affects of deer browsing on tree growth and survival, and with the expanded root system RPM trees are better able to survive seasonal flooding and other stresses. RPM trees and shrubs have a lifetime accelerated growth rate and reach maturity earlier, resulting in seed production for regeneration and wildlife food in less than 5 years for most hardwood species. Because of these different growth habits, only 40-50 RPM trees are needed to canopy and regenerate one acre of land compared with several hundred bare root seedlings needed to achieve the same results.
