The Root Guard 5-Gallon Gopher Basket is a preformed wire root barrier for shrubs, vines, berries, roses, young trees, and other new plantings with root balls comparable to a 5-gallon nursery container. It opens to approximately 12 inches in diameter by 14 inches deep. Construction includes 20-gauge steel wire, 3/4-inch hexagonal mesh openings, and galvanized sheet-metal seams, with the wire hot-dip galvanized after weaving.
Open and shape the basket first, then excavate a hole that accommodates it without bending the sides against the roots. Place enough backfill inside to establish the plant’s final depth. Set the root ball centrally and add soil in stages both within and around the mesh, lightly firming as you go. Follow the installation directions for leaving the green upper edge above grade; covering the rim can give a gopher a route into the protected root zone. Water deeply to settle the backfill, correct any soil subsidence, and maintain normal irrigation for the plant species. Continue checking outside the basket for fresh tunnels because the barrier protects one planting rather than the surrounding site.
Approximate size: 12 in diameter × 14 in deep
Hot-dip galvanized 20-gauge steel wire
3/4-inch hexagonal openings
Five-gallon planting size
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