At our house we've grown potato plants from promising eyes until the leafy stems trail all over the windowsill. It's not hard to propagate some plants. But others aren't all that easy. The problem is that roots need to be protected from light while newly emerging leaves must stay above water. These issues are elegantly solved by a clever product called Rootcup.
Rootcup's creator is Michael Good, head of the product development company good3studio. Good is an engineer who has brought to market products such as iPhone5 and Acura TL. He created these durable Rootcups from a non-toxic proprietary elastomer. The raw material is common beach sand. In fact they're so study that the company will accept returns to donate to educational projects. The assembly and packing is done in San Francisco by a non-profit workshop providing employment to people previously unemployed due to disability.
I got the chance to try out both the original Rootcup and Big Rootcup. Some bulbs that didn't get planted last fall are now blossoming on my kitchen table and eager rootlets are emerging from a rosemary cutting. Next I'll be trying something more challenging, sprigs from my tulsi plant. I can see why Rootcup works so perfectly. Not only are the roots in the dark where they're supposed to be while the sprouting leaves are in the light above the water, but the lid's shape captures evaporation so the cuttings need little attention. Fungus and mold won't stick to the elastomer, and with each reuse the entire Rootcup can be sterilized in boiling water or in the dishwasher. Plus there's no condensation or leakage. Hooray for fostering new life without mess or fuss! Find handy propagation tips on the Rootcup grow page and Pinterest boards.
Rootcup perfectly incorporates function, design, and sustainability. What's not to like? Only one thing. I've come to enjoy the look of my sprouting plants snuggled in their Rootcup homes so much that it's hard to remove them to the larger pots they soon deserve.
