Green and White Plants
Root Starter / Bulb Growing Pot
Root Starter / Bulb Growing Pot
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Ideal for:
Alocasia Corms, Cuttings, Seeds
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Thriving Plant Guarantee — 30 days
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Thriving Plant Guarantee (or refund + replacement plant).
At Green and White Plants, your experience doesn’t end at delivery. We want your plant to thrive at home — that’s exactly what this guarantee is for.
If, despite following our recommendations, your plant undergoes an irreversible loss of overall vitality, we will guide you to stabilize and recover it. And if we still can’t save it, our guarantee applies:
✅ Refund of your substrate order
✅ Replacement plant (up to €100 per order as a store credit, usable on one or multiple plants)
Guarantee conditions
- Report any issue within 30 days of delivery by email to contact@greenandwhiteplants.com.
- Use the mix exactly as received: do not blend it with other soils and keep it as-is, without additions.
- Your purchase was made directly on our website: greenandwhiteplants.com.
- You are using the correct substrate for the plant, as indicated on our product pages.
Still unsure? Read what our customers say on our website: See reviews.
📦 🚛 Next-day delivery For all orders placed before 12 PM, Monday to Thursday
Formulated and prepared in France
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Our Root Starter is assembled and quality-checked in France. Each kit is built to provide a clean, stable, ultra-humid environment—ideal for waking up bulbs and seeds safely.
Description & Information
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What is the Root Starter? The Root Starter is a transparent pot designed to create a microclimate of over 90% humidity, while keeping the bulb out of direct water contact. What’s inside: • 1 transparent pot • horticultural biochar (activated charcoal) • 1 protective grid • labels to identify the bulbs/seeds inside How to use it (simple & highly effective): 1) Place your bulb (or seeds) on the grid. 2) Fill with water right up to the grid level so the biochar becomes fully hydrated. 3) Important: the bulb should never sit in direct contact with water. Why it works: Biochar helps reduce—often prevent—rot by keeping the environment more stable and “clean.” The pot’s structure maintains very high humidity, ideal to restart cellular activity without drowning the bulb. Optimal temperature: 25–30°C In this range, dormancy breaks more easily: abscisic acid (ABA) (the hormone that maintains dormancy and makes growth “risky”/limited) decreases, encouraging cytokinin activation—hormones linked to cellular wake-up and renewed growth.
Root Starter - FAQ
What is Root Starter used for?
Root Starter is designed to promote rooting and acclimatization of Alocasia bulbs, even the most fragile, in a controlled environment.
It stimulates roots while limiting stress and the risk of loss.
What's the ideal temperature?
• Optimal temperature: 25°C to 28°C
• - 22°C → growth slows down
• + 30°C → risk of rot increases
Does it require 100% humidity?
Yes, humidity close to 100% is recommended at the start to promote root emission.
• Light ventilation every two to three days is sufficient to prevent imbalances and limit the risk of mold.
Should I water?
Yes, but very little.
• Add only 12 to 15 ml of water when the system is almost empty.
• Water should never be in direct contact with the grid or the bulb.
• Use a syringe to deposit the water directly at the bottom of the container, under the grid.
• The Root Starter works primarily thanks to ambient humidity, so there is no need to water more often.
Should I add fertilizer?
No. Root Starter contains enriched biochar, which already provides the necessary nutrients for root development. No additional fertilizer is required.
Can I use tap water?
Yes, but it depends on the quality and pH of your water:
• Ideal: pH between 5.5 and 6
• Some regions have very alkaline water (pH 7.5–8) → risk of rot for fragile roots
• Tips:
• Let the water sit for 24 hours to reduce minerals
• Or use osmosed water
• If possible, measure the pH and adjust with products like "pH Down"
Light: necessary or not?
A bulb (corm) does not photosynthesize, so light is not mandatory. Heat and humidity are the most important components. Bright indirect light is important when the first leaf starts to emerge.
• Avoid direct sunlight to prevent overheating the system or creating algae deposits.
• Tip: You can place a small, light black veil over the Root Starter to dim the light.
• This protects against direct light.
• This also helps maintain the temperature around 27–28°C if you have difficulty reaching it.
How long before the first roots appear?
• 1 to 3 weeks for the first roots
• Sometimes longer depending on the bulb's condition
Root Starter accelerates the arrival of the first roots.
You can be pleasantly surprised very quickly, even with bulbs that have been dormant for several weeks.
Patience remains key, but your bulb may wake up faster than expected!
Mold on my bulb, what should I do?
A white deposit is often non-hazardous saprophytic mycelium.
To prevent fungal rot (Pythium, Fusarium, Phytophthora):
• Remove decaying organic matter (bulb peels)
• Clean any deposits (substrate residues, bacterial biofilm)
• Maintain a clean and controlled environment
My bulb is getting soft, what should I do?
• A bulb must remain firm.
• If it becomes soft, it is often a sign of rot.
Recommended actions:
• Remove the bulb
• Cut off affected parts
• Disinfect
• Resume the procedure under controlled conditions
When to repot?
As soon as the root system is well developed and the first leaf starts to grow.
Avoid repotting too early so as not to slow down growth.
How to repot?
1. Prepare the substrate: use our specially designed substrate for young plants and plants from in vitro culture. As well as a thin layer at the bottom of the pot, with our "active drainage layer" bottom substrate.
2. Choose the pot: a 7 cm (0.25–0.30 L) pot is ideal for starting.
3. Gently remove the roots: remove the roots from the grid and the culture medium without breaking them.
4. Arrange in the new pot: place the roots evenly, without them touching each other.
5. Acclimate: maintain moderate humidity for the first few days to promote rooting and avoid stress.
Can Root Starter be used for all plants?
Mainly recommended for:
• Alocasia (corms and bulbs)
• Struggling tissue culture plants
• Sensitive young plants
Why pretreat with peroxide?
Hydrogen Peroxide:
• Eliminates bacteria and fungi
• Cleanses the bulb
• Greatly reduces the risk of contamination
• Facilitates the assimilation of nutrients released by the substrate
My bulb isn't growing, what should I do?
Possible causes:
• Temperature too low
• Bulb dormant
• Lack of humidity
• Weakened bulb
In some cases, you just have to wait.