Plastic container for training box?

[Vance Wood]

What kind of drainage hole are in the box? This is the most important thing in any container. Some containers designed for training purposes like the Bonsai Training Planter, the colander, or the pond basket, drainage is the primary interest in the device and the holes provide for the function. A bonsai pot must provide for drainage so as to this box that particular function has not been pointed out that I remember.

 

[Paradox]

That box would be a bit shallow for my taste because its not deep enough for most of the trees I've put into training containers so far. Even the tree you have posted is sitting pretty high in the box. I use something closer in size to what fredman has pictured.

 

[adamjcode]

@Vance Wood, good question. Versus the second photo in the original post, I added about 25 smaller drainage holes around the perimeter of the box to make sure no water pools there and also to give more air flow to the roots.

@Paradox, I am trying to get the roots to spread out laterally so I can a) encourage the nebari to thicken, thereby helping fix some of the ugly roots, and b) allow me to reduce the root mass that sits directly below the nebari, so later I can get the tree to sit lower in a proper bonsai pot.

 

[LanceMac10]

It looks like you should have been more aggressive with the root mass. Like, sawzall serious!! In my experience, you can be really ruthless cutting back thick roots and such on a JM. When were you going to do it? Better to get the simple stuff out of the way first. Especially if your using landscape nursery stock in five gallon buckets or bigger. I like to get as much of the clay off as I can, so just saw off what you don't need. Don't be timid, work them roots.

That container should work, if it's a little flimsy, try not to move it around a lot.

 

[adamjcode]

This was the first attack on the root mass in Winter 2014/15:



I also reduced about 2 inches of the top layer that remains in that photo.

Definitely need to invest in a sawzall though!