Captain Ralph Edward Reiger

Fighter Pilot, Inventor, American Grower

The Smart Pot story begins with him

1922

Born in Morton, Illinois; moves to Oklahoma City at age six

1942–45

Volunteers for the Army Air Forces, flies 105 combat missions, Captain, 365th Fighter Group/386th Squadron, aircraft nicknamed "Lil' Okie"

1947

Marries Betty Claire Neill

1952–1978

Merrill Lynch, rises to Vice President

1980

Experiments with fabric containers at The Tree Farm in Guthrie

1982

First successful August harvest proves air‑pruning advantage

1984

Founds Root Control, Inc., begins selling Root Control Bags nationwide

1990s–2000s

Smart Pot® brand expands from commercial growing to retail gardeners

2010

Ralph Reiger passes away in Oklahoma City at age 88

Today

High Caliper Growing manufactures Smart Pots and Root Control Bags in Oklahoma City

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From the cockpit to the canopy

As a young Oklahoman, Ralph Reiger loved problem solving and hard work. He wrestled and played clarinet at Capitol Hill High School, attended the University of Oklahoma, then volunteered at the start of World War II. As a fighter pilot he flew 105 combat missions over Europe, advanced to Captain, and helped the 365th Fighter Group support Allied ground forces from D‑Day forward. His squadron was the first U.S. Air Force unit stationed on mainland Europe after the landings, only about a thousand yards from enemy lines, and among the first to fly into Paris after liberation.

Returning home, Ralph married Betty Claire (Claire) Neill in 1947, finished his degrees at OU and UF, and rose through Merrill Lynch to become a top producer and Vice President. In 1978 he chose a new mission: he retired early to start The Tree Farm near Guthrie, Oklahoma.

The problem that changed an industry

Guthrie was not a nursery hub. Skilled crews for ball‑and‑burlap harvest were scarce, tree spades were expensive, and Oklahoma summers were unforgiving. Working with advisors at Oklahoma State University, Ralph tried something unorthodox in 1980: he sewed porous fabric into containers and grew trees directly in the ground.

I wanted a better way to grow strong trees and move them safely. The answer was in the roots.

Captain Ralph Reiger

The first harvest in August 1982 brought the breakthrough. The trees not only survived hot‑weather transplanting, they thrived. The fabric had naturally air‑pruned the roots, creating a dense, non‑circling root system that established faster after transplant.

Ralph turned invention into enterprise. In 1984 he incorporated Root Control, Inc. and began selling the Root Control Bag to progressive nurseries across the country. Over time he earned seven U.S. patents for root pruning and transplanting methods, and donated thousands of trees to Oklahoma City communities in the mid‑1980s.

From Root Control Bag to Smart Pot

As growers experimented, new applications appeared. Some used the fabric above ground, others for aquatic plants. The product needed a name that matched its performance. A longtime customer offered the perfect phrase: “Call it Smart Pot, because it makes growing smarter.” The name stuck.

Smart Pot moved from commercial orchards and tree farms into backyard gardens, greenhouses, and rooftops. The same root‑focused science that made transplanting safer also made vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals more vigorous, with cooler media temperatures and fewer circling roots.

To reflect a broader mission, Root Control, Inc. became High Caliper Growing. Today, Smart Pots, Big Bag Beds, and Root Control Bags are manufactured in Oklahoma City with American materials and labor, and used by home gardeners and leading institutions alike.

A legacy of service and standards

Ralph’s values were simple, and demanding: integrity, ingenuity, and care for people. He built a company that still carries those standards.

What sets Smart Pot apart today?

Made in the USA with American materials and labor
Certified BPA and lead free, safe for organic growing
Scientifically validated: independent white‑paper studies show lower substrate temperatures, improved root architecture, and faster time to market versus plastic pots
Trusted at scale: adopted by major commercial nurseries and high‑profile projects (including Harvard rooftops and Fenway’s gardens)
Proven for decades: millions of plants grown since 1984

Family, community, continuity

Ralph and Claire shared 62 years of marriage and a growing family. As Smart Pot evolved, their son Kurt Reiger returned to Oklahoma City to help build the business, eventually becoming President. The company still operates with a family mindset: long‑term relationships, responsive service, and pride in American manufacturing.

For professional growers & partners

Looking for the proven commercial system? Explore Root Control Bags and the Smart Pot Pro line used by leading tree farms.

- Learn about Root Control Bags: Click Here

- Smart Pot Pro for Nurseries: Click here

For retail buyers, explore our Smart Pot collection, raised beds, and more.
- Shop Smart Pot: Click here
- Find a Retailer: Click here

Trees Market Ready Three Months Earlier When Grown In Smart Pots - per Florida University

Plants in Smart Pots Reach Market Size 3 Months Faster (UF/IFAS Study)

In exciting news for both gardeners and the environment, Smart Pot partnered with the University of Florida on a recent study led by Dr. Tom Yeager and Ted Gardner. The study focused on the growth of Viburnum suspensum, a popular flowering shrub, in Smart Pots compared to traditional plastic containers. The results were impressive: Viburnum suspensum grown in Smart Pots matured 3 months faster, reaching market readiness significantly earlier.

Shrub Rose Responses To Production In Smart Pots And Conventional Containers Using Two Contrasting Substrates

For years, skeptics have questioned the efficacy of Smart Pots, often citing concerns about overheating in the sun and increased watering needs. But a recent study conducted by the Texas A&M University Department of Horticulture Sciences has put these doubts to rest, delivering compelling evidence that Smart Pots promote superior growth compared to conventional plastic containers.

Department of Environmental Horticulture, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Fabric Containers Increased Irrigation Demand but Decreased Leachate Loss of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Compared With Conventional Plastic Containers

A recent study at the University of Florida found that using fabric Smart Pots had a number of positive effects on both the plant and the environment when compared to growing in standard plastic containers. Published in HortScience, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, (HortScience 57, 2022) the study found –