Colanders

[GroveKeeper]

I thought I would add another post to this thread.

I was just removing the wire from one of my crape myrtles. Two months ago I severely root pruned it and placed it in a colander. Tonight I cut the tie wires, and the crape as rooted so strongly into the colander that I can lift the whole thing by holding just the trunk of the tree.

You can see all of the little root tips poking out of the side of the colander and being air pruned

 

[GroveKeeper]

Root tips poking through the holes in a colander and being air pruned

An example of the milk crate pot, lined with window screen

 

[sorce]

cheap and effective.

I posted the purchasing pages here....

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

I could make about 60 decent size pots with this.....they are just as durable as they were in spring.....so I'm figuring I'll get at least 5 years.....but I'm pretty sure it will be longer.....like forever!

On the ground.....you can staple it around wood.....onto wood.....or fold it all into a pot itself.....That you can slip into a bonsai pot for show like Anthony does!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

milk crate pot,

I like this a lot.....but I would cut it down to proper height..2-4in....and use the top to make 2 more!

Sorce

 

[GroveKeeper]

I like this a lot.....but I would cut it down to proper height..2-4in....and use the top to make 2 more!

Sorce

The milk crate are for bigger trees or trees in training. If you want a lower pot with the same stability and durability, there are shorter varieties of crates out there.

An added bonus of leaving the milk crates intact is that they have funtional handles which make moving trees easy.

 

[sorce]

The milk crate are for bigger trees or trees in training. If you want a lower pot with the same stability and durability, there are shorter varieties of crates out there.

An added bonus of leaving the milk crates intact is that they have funtional handles which make moving trees easy.

Can't argue that.....or can I!?

Well.....the only milk crates that WILL last....are the ones that are technically illegal to own yes? The milk company ones!

Can't go stealing short ones!

I can argue that are way too deep for training.....really no need to go growing all them roots down!

To me....the purpose of a colander is to get your rootball where you want it from jump....if you gotta cut half the bottom off of perfectly good feeders....you gotta get all that back again.

Sorce

 

[GroveKeeper]

Can't argue that.....or can I!?

Well.....the only milk crates that WILL last....are the ones that are technically illegal to own yes? The milk company ones!

Can't go stealing short ones!

I can argue that are way too deep for training.....really no need to go growing all them roots down!

To me....the purpose of a colander is to get your rootball where you want it from jump....if you gotta cut half the bottom off of perfectly good feeders....you gotta get all that back again.

Sorce

Fair points.

I don't know about the legality of owning them. My family sort accrued them over the years. I'm sure there is a way to buy them from a factory. I know home depot sells a type of milk crate, but I'm unsure of the durability. But if they give you at least 3-4 years of use, they're worth 10 dollars. You can also spray them with a UV resistant paint.

As for the depth, that's a matter of preference, in my opinion. Some people like deeper pots for trees in training because the tree will have more space for root growth and thus produce better top growth. But if you wanted less soil, you could always fill the crate half way and keep the structural integrity of the crate.

 

[watchndsky]

why would they be illegal?

 

[Ironbeaver]

why would they be illegal?

They are marked as, and remain property of the dairy/distributor. They have to be swiped from grocery/convenience stores. At one point, they actually changed the dimensions so that LPs would no longer fit in them to deter theft for that purpose.

 

[GroveKeeper]

They are marked as, and remain property of the dairy/distributor. They have to be swiped from grocery/convenience stores. At one point, they actually changed the dimensions so that LPs would no longer fit in them to deter theft for that purpose.

After a very brief googling, I found a variety of places selling milk crates. Whether they'll hold up to the sun is another question but you can always hit them with some spray paint for plastics that prevent UV damage. A bonus is that you could spray paint your milk crate to color coordinate with your tree.

So, I doubt it would that hard to legally obtain milk crates for the purpose of using them as bonsai pots. Or bread/soda crates.

 

[Ironbeaver]

Years ago, (I, and I'm assuming Sorce are very old) there was no internet with which to buy milk crates. Any not in dairy possession must be presumed stolen.

 

[Anthony]

The Chinese stores often sell 17" x 6" in size colanders ----------- really need bigger than that ?????????????
AND they are cheap in Imperial Red !!
Only $3.00 US
Good Day
Anthony