Commercial Growers

Question

What is commercial graft root stock? What would it grow into if I let it grow? How do commercial growers start the big flats of plants (Boston ivy)? I bought some with runners rooted into other pots. I can understand watering, but heat and light would seem a bit difficult to provide.

Answer 1

The root stock depends on the plant. Typically, a hardier but inferior (either in fruit or flower) plant of the same species.

With plants like Boston Ivy, they will lay down roots anywhere they touch soil. So commercial growers just need to lay a few pieces of the plant down and they root and grow. They have massive greenhouses with overhead watering to take care of light, heat and water.