As roots grow in containers they eventually reach the container walls. In hard sided containers, these roots, upon reaching walls, start circling to seek a friendlier environment. These root systems exhibit a few strong roots growing in circles with very litlle branching. They are often bound upon themselves and can produce a strongtap root groeing through the containers bottom. These characteristics can hinder the plants rate of growth and in some cases its chances of survival when transplanted.

In Smart Pot the bags fabric prevents the roots continued longitudinal growth, in effect pruning it, causing the root to develop masses of lateral fibrous roots. Root systems that develop in a smart pot have a much greater mass or volume than those found in hard-sided containers and have root balls that contain many more roots then found in a hard-sided container of similar size.

The fibrous root systems produced in Smart Pots are more efficient and enable plants to maximize water and nutrient uptake in the limited surrounding soil mass.