Colanders

[Breeze46]

I have not used colanders before, but see them mentioned often. Any advantages to them over training pots?

 

[M. Frary]

Think of planting a tree in a colander like putting a turbo charger on your car. You can pump more water,fertilizer and oxygen through it to get better performance.
The other advantage is colanders will air prune roots when they reach the side of the colander. Not allowing them to circle the container. Effectively developing a mass of fine feeder roots.

 

[whfarro]

Welcome.
There is much information on this topic.

Please just use this forum's search feature.

The pros of colanders, discussions over colanders in the ground, double colanders, and much more has thoroughly been done.

If you have a question after reviewing all that, post your question on that thread and folks will be sure to guide you with your specific concern.

 

[Cypress187]

I have a few in pond baskets (nearly as good, but deeper and cheaper).

 

[sorce]

Amen.....

This is how I roll....

http://bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/those-pot-materials.18202/

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[lieuz]

Haha I remember there was a time when the colander thread came up a few months before and someone had mentioned how they cleaned out Amazon. I'm sitting here going through amazon for colanders and thinking to myself, who would go for the Joseph and Joseph brand? Gotta bonsai in style!

Um yes I'll take 10

 

[Vance Wood]

Colanders work well if you don't mind replacing them every three or four years. UV rays turn colanders into what you find at the bottom of a potato chip bag after a group of ten year olds have had their way with it.

 

[ColinFraser]

UV rays turn colanders into what you find at the bottom of a potato chip bag

Built in repotting indicator?

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes if you consider the repotting indicator as the pot disintegrating with the tree in it at the most inappropriate and inconvenient time imaginable. Usually when you go to pick one of them up and find the tree sitting on the ground while you hold what is left of the colander in your hands.

 

[ColinFraser]

Yes if you consider the repotting indicator as the pot disintegrating with the tree in it at the most inappropriate and inconvenient time imaginable. Usually when you go to pick one of them up and find the tree sitting on the ground while you hold what is left of the colander in your hands.

As useful as an inflatable dart board.

 

[Anthony]

Colanders also come in stainless steel from India and China.
Very durable.
What we use.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[whfarro]

Colanders also come in stainless steel from India and China.
Very durable.
What we use.
Good Day
Anthony

How hot would those get? You'd toast your roots in no time at all.

 

[GrimLore]

All I ever found different when trying baskets, colanders, and such items is that I needed to use a lot more time and water... Honest I may not understand in general but I have never seen better, worse, or different results using them.

Grimmy

 

[Anthony]

Whfarro,

Tropics, placement full sun, Dry Season 6 months or so, and no dry outs. Watering . around 4.30 p.m and 6.30 a,m . 3 passes each time 10 to 15 minutes apart.
Watering can.

Been doing that since we read about colanders, in Bonsai Today article in the 90's.
Organic component - first used cured manure, later compost. Inorganic - 5 mm crushed red brick, porous. 5 mm builder's gravel silica based.l

Plastic colanders we use if needed in the soil, buried under leaves. Stops the decay of the plastic..
Metal colanders on the metal stands.

However, ran a one year test of metal colander versus air pot [ Scotland ] let you know how it went, by the 2nd of January.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[eferguson1974]

One good thing about collanders is that you cant over water if you have decent soil. So far in my experiance there great for prebonsai or training, as root rot isnt a problem. I leave trees out in the six months of rain here with no problem. Pots and buckets stay too wet. I do notice that the sun degrades them quickly here. Like anything, results may vary. Overall I like them so far..

 

[sorce]

Colanders work well if you don't mind replacing them every three or four years. UV rays turn colanders into what you find at the bottom of a potato chip bag after a group of ten year olds have had their way with it.

That's why I chose to use the material I use.....UV resistant.....

F Colanders!

Sorce

 

[JoeR]

All I ever found different when trying baskets, colanders, and such items is that I needed to use a lot more time and water... Honest I may not understand in general but I have never seen better, worse, or different results using them.

Grimmy

Hmmm... I have found them to be a huge improvement myself. If nothing else, it at least eliminates circling roots. They do break down way too fast though. I bet pond baskets would be much better.


I would use some sort of UV proof mesh and make them myself but I haven't found anything that's cheap and effective.

 

[GroveKeeper]

Another alternative to colanders is to take a milk crate or some other similar storage device and line it with window screen or garden cloth. This allows you to have the effect of a colander in a much larger size. And the benefit of milk/soda crates is that they don't break down in the sun. My family used to own a food service business and we still have milk crates that are older than I am.

I made an air pruning milk crate pot today for a hackberry than I collected and tomorrow I'll take some picture of it(the others I have made) to show you the concept.

 

[jeanluc83]

I've often wondered if spraying the outside of colanders with the paint that is made for plastics would help them last longer.

 

[Stickroot]

I have had six of these plastic trainers for almost 10 years. They have been impressive to me, like a colander, but better looking and durable. Evilbay is where I bought them.
Yeah I know it's dirty.