Nature Hills Root Booster
Root Booster Packets
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Preorder Shipping Schedule
We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.
| Zone 3-4 | Week of March 30th |
| Zone 5 | Week of March 16th |
| Zone 6-12 | Week of March 2nd |
Shipping Rates
Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected
| Under $50 | $9.99 |
| $50 - $99.99 | $14.99 |
| $100 - $149.99 | $16.99 |
| $150 - $198.99 | $24.99 |
| $199+ | FREE |
✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
Understanding Our Container Sizes
At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes
Quart
Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.
#1 Container
Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.
#2 Container
Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.
#3 Container
Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.
#5 Container and Larger
Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.
Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?
Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.
Root Pouch Containers
Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:
- Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
- Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.
Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.
Full Root Pouch planting guide
Choosing the Right Size
| Size | Plant Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Quart | 6 mo to 1 yr | Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings. |
| #1 Container | 1 to 2 yrs | Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners. |
| #2 Container | 2 to 3 yrs | Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment. |
| #3 Container | 3 to 4 yrs | Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size. |
| #5 and larger | 4+ yrs | Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact. |
Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.
Plant Sentry™ Protected
Your order is protected by our compliance system that:
- Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
- Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
- Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases
Description
Nature Hills Root Booster - Big Gains With Mycorrhizae Support
- Easy to Apply
- Supports Healthy Plant and Root Growth
- Formula Improves Micronutrient and Water Absorption
- Helps Plants Get Established in Your Landscape Much More Quickly
- Delivers Improved Plant Nutrition to Plant Roots for Years
- Beneficial To Nearly All Plant Species, Including Trees, Shrubs and Perennials
- Healthy Plants Show Increased Resistance to Disease And Pests
- Can Be Added During Planting
- Can Also Be Applied After Planting to Support Established Plants
Falling in love with gorgeous new plants from Nature Hills? Be sure to add a bag of Nature Hills Root Booster for each plant to give their root systems a tremendous kick-start.
Root Booster will help grow roots faster, for bigger and healthier trees, fruiting plants, shrubs, and perennials of all types. It gives your plants what they crave!
There is no better way to support the growth of foliage, flowers, and fruit than by adding Nature Hills Root Booster. This formula is recommended and used by commercial greenhouse growers, the bacillus 4 blend is far superior. Why it is superior to just a mycorrhizal fungi blend? Root Booster stimulates roots at least as well as the fungi, but it also generates nitrogen and fights unwanted fungi.
Use at planting time for both bare root and potted plants. You can even buy additional bags to support the needs of established plants long after they've been planted.
While plants take care of themselves above ground, Root Booster's special ingredients support mycorrhizal fungi and will protect the roots below ground.
Remember that healthy plants and stress-free can better resist pest and disease issues! For best results, order a pack for each plant. It will help your new plants become established faster, and support the feeder roots to break down nutrients and take up water faster too!
How to Use Nature Hills Root Booster to Improve New and Established Plant Performance
- Use at least 2 ounces per gallon size container or 2 ounces per foot of height.
- For bare root plants, wet roots then apply a coating of Root Booster and plant.
- For potted plants, place the plant in a dug hole.
- Root Booster should be added to the soil that comes in contact with the root ball of your new plant. Mix Root Booster to the backfill soil used in the top 8 inches of the planting hole.
- To use Root Booster on established plants, simply sprinkle the contents of the packet all around the soil surface. "Scratch it" into the soil using a garden fork.
- Water it in well.
How Nature Hills Root Booster Works
Root Booster gives plants an important fungal partner that supports mycorrhizae. It might sound strange, but mycorrhizae actually play an important role in plant nutrition, soil biology, and soil chemistry!
There is an age-old symbiotic relationship between mycorrhizal fungi and plants. Plants rely on support from these nutrients and moisture. Without it, they can struggle to survive!
Nature Hills Root Booster is an easy mycorrhizal inoculant. It allows beneficial fungus to support the needs of your new and existing plants.
In just a short time, helpful fungal hyphae (which are microscopic filaments) will colonize the soil surrounding the root system. These tiny hyphae help your pretty host plant's root cells to get access to water and micronutrients from the soil.
Adding Root Booster decreases the risk of transplant shock. At the same time, it increases the absorption of water and nutrients.
Healthy plants are better able to ward off disease and pests. Root Booster works to naturally increase resistance.
Best of all, mycorrhizal symbiosis lasts for many years! When you introduce it to a plant, it will colonize the roots. It stays with the plant as it grows and matures.
Root Booster will not only help plants become established quicker, but it also works to improve your soil. Once this clean, powerful approach is in place, you will find the soil will improve year after year, and not be depleted.
Give your new plants what they need. Nature Hills Root Booster is an outstanding mix of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas and other critical nutrients to support plant root growth. Add to your order today!
Specifications
-
Botanical Name
-
Bloom PeriodEarly Fall, Late Fall
-
Does Not Ship ToAK, HI, ID, WA


