Pond basket sizing, in ground

[The Warm Canuck]

In store vid says it’s from mine in bc and PH neutral blows my mind they will ship that here for winter traction product . They put limestone on 1/2 the roads and every parking lot in the province

It's definitely lava rock and I think the price is reasonable. I've been using it since last summer.

 

[River's Edge]

In store vid says it’s from mine in bc and PH neutral

If this is what you are referring to it is lava and excellent, Ph slightly below neutral, excellent shape and structure for medium Bonsai mix particles. Mined in BC by the Canlava corporation. I have been using it for over a decade since I found out about it.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

If this is what you are referring to it is lava and excellent, Ph slightly below neutral, excellent shape and structure for medium Bonsai mix particles. Mined in BC by the Canlava corporation. I have been using it for over a decade since I found out about it.

No, its called "Lava Grip". Is advertised as a slip retardant to be used instead of salt for icy surfaces.

 

[River's Edge]

No, its called "Lava Grip". Is advertised as a slip retardant to be used instead of salt for icy surfaces.

I checked the website and It is from the same mine, same manufacturer. packaged and sold for a different purpose! I would have to check to see the size comparison but it is the same black pumice with identical physical characteristics. I suspect it may be cheaper sold as a traction aid rather than for the horticultural industry. I purchase it in 20kg bags by the pallet. At the time I purchased my last pallet I believe it was 75 to 80 bags. The weight is an issue for shipping so I had to use a truck and trailer combination.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

No, its called "Lava Grip". Is advertised as a slip retardant to be used instead of salt for icy surfaces.

It's definitely lava rock and I think the price is reasonable. I've been using it since last summer.

That’s great just had alarm bells go off like I said . Seen the damage from limestone . As you know here in the east it’s not that easy to get . Pumice or other volcanic products . . The granite has worked well for me. Main reason I mentioned it was your concern of what to use for your cm grow bed . That was reasonable priced . And avail in quantity . Always glad to meet a fellow Canuck in the insanity . What do you like to grow

 

[The Warm Canuck]

I checked the website and It is from the same mine, same manufacturer. packaged and sold for a different purpose! I would have to check to see the size comparison but it is the same black pumice with identical physical characteristics. I suspect it may be cheaper sold as a traction aid rather than for the horticultural industry. I purchase it in 20kg bags by the pallet. At the time I purchased my last pallet I believe it was 75 to 80 bags. The weight is an issue for shipping so I had to use a truck and trailer combination.

That's interesting. Yes, I noticed it also says pumice on it but I thought pumice was white, so I just assumed its lava rock and they miss characterised it.

I wish I had that issue of being able to buy a pallet load ! Haha

 

[The Warm Canuck]

That’s great just had alarm bells go off like I said . Seen the damage from limestone . As you know here in the east it’s not that easy to get . Pumice or other volcanic products . . The granite has worked well for me. Main reason I mentioned it was your concern of what to use for your cm grow bed . That was reasonable priced . And avail in quantity . Always glad to meet a fellow Canuck in the insanity . What do you like to grow

Yes, I'm going to look at the granite for my bed. Thanks for that.
This is only my second year doing Bonsai. I only have about 10 trees. JM, Amur, Mugo, Scotts, Chinese Elm, Eastern Red Cedar, Nana Juniper.
I hope to do a lot of propagation this year and hopefully buy a bunch of pre bonsai. I'm also looking to buy one nice mature tree, just to have something in the refinement stage.
How about you?

 

[Lorax7]

Be very careful with the bag of lava rock sold as traction aid Be absolutely sure what your buying. . I’ve seen the dead trees to prove it . Soak it in water 24 hours and PH test it . Good chance it’s limestone or at least partly .

No need to wait 24 hours or use any pH test strips. Mr. Wizard’s home science experiments to the rescue! All you need is a bit of vinegar. Splash some vinegar on the rock and watch it for a minute. Do you see any bubbling happening on the rock where you splashed the vinegar? If yes, it’s limestone. If no, you’re good to go.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

I checked the website and It is from the same mine, same manufacturer. packaged and sold for a different purpose! I would have to check to see the size comparison but it is the same black pumice with identical physical characteristics. I suspect it may be cheaper sold as a traction aid rather than for the horticultural industry. I purchase it in 20kg bags by the pallet. At the time I purchased my last pallet I believe it was 75 to 80 bags. The weight is an issue for shipping so I had to use a truck and trailer combination.

Thanks frank

No need to wait 24 hours or use any pH test strips. Mr. Wizard’s home science experiments to the rescue! All you need is a bit of vinegar. Splash some vinegar on the rock and watch it for a minute. Do you see any bubbling happening on the rock where you splashed the vinegar? If yes, it’s limestone. If no, you’re good to go.

dud not know that cool simple test

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Yes, I'm going to look at the granite for my bed. Thanks for that.
This is only my second year doing Bonsai. I only have about 10 trees. JM, Amur, Mugo, Scotts, Chinese Elm, Eastern Red Cedar, Nana Juniper.
I hope to do a lot of propagation this year and hopefully buy a bunch of pre bonsai. I'm also looking to buy one nice mature tree, just to have something in the refinement stage.
How about you?

I started trying to kill trees about 22 years ago . I have a like for native trees . And pine . Love hate relationship with Eastern Hemlock partly why I quit insanity fir 10 years . Been back in the asylum for about 1.5 years now . You really only find the true crazies doing this . Glad to see you off to a good start . Planting in the ground and big containers . Where they can grow aggressively so they can become . Quality small but this is a great place to hang out and learn how to fool the doctors

 

[Cosmos]

I checked the website and It is from the same mine, same manufacturer. packaged and sold for a different purpose! I would have to check to see the size comparison but it is the same black pumice with identical physical characteristics. I suspect it may be cheaper sold as a traction aid rather than for the horticultural industry. I purchase it in 20kg bags by the pallet. At the time I purchased my last pallet I believe it was 75 to 80 bags. The weight is an issue for shipping so I had to use a truck and trailer combination.

That’s great just had alarm bells go off like I said . Seen the damage from limestone . As you know here in the east it’s not that easy to get . Pumice or other volcanic products . . The granite has worked well for me. Main reason I mentioned it was your concern of what to use for your cm grow bed . That was reasonable priced . And avail in quantity . Always glad to meet a fellow Canuck in the insanity . What do you like to grow

My group of bonsai buddies and I here in Québec have been using Lava Grip for 2 years or so as a main component of our mixes, to no ill effect at all.

Great affordable product, I love the diversity in particle size too and how resistant the particles are.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

My group of bonsai buddies and I here in Québec have been using Lava Grip for 2 years or so as a main component of our mixes, to no ill effect at all.

Great affordable product, I love the diversity in particle size too and how resistant the particles are.

For those who use pond baskets, or grow bags; does anyone solidify the bottom of their pot. Like put a disk of some sort, to inhibit lateral growth? It seems to me that this would help when digging up the tree, and also promote more horizontal growth.

 

[Maiden69]

For those who use pond baskets, or grow bags; does anyone solidify the bottom of their pot. Like put a disk of some sort, to inhibit lateral growth? It seems to me that this would help when digging up the tree, and also promote more horizontal growth.

yes, tile or inverted terracotta dish, whatever I can get my hands on that fit in the bag/colander

 

[River's Edge]

to inhibit lateral growth?

I expect you mean inhibit downward roots not lateral?

 

[The Warm Canuck]

I expect you mean inhibit downward roots not lateral?

Yes, my mistake.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

What I am trying to max a system .For my climate .USDA zine 4 Canada . So I have problems most of you guys in warmer zones don’t have . It’s still 2 feet of snow door to my winter storage froze shut -15c winter today . What I have done like the Peter Chen vid . Black plastic nursery container drains at the sides on bottom . Coarse gravel / bark on bottom of pot . Bonsai soul and tree in development . 1/4 pit buried in garden . Cut the escaping drain hole roots in fall . Winter storage is I heated insulated garage. Drill fresh holes around pot and replant in spring . Normally only get second year out of pot . As I add more holes . They are junk . Idea come from tree nursery . And bonsai guys do this also . The devil that has to be defeated is the winter wind . Dedicating tree killer . In the ground is fine when the roots establish . But then you have to get the tree out eventually. In a pot frozen even buried conifers. Have a tough time or you lose them . So trying to come up with best system for growth . In development where the pots come out every fall . Especially trying to stretch what can be grown zone wise . Any ideas from experience

 

[The Warm Canuck]

The main one is decomposed granite. I will have to look at the quarries in the area and see what they have. Decomposed granite is used a lot for landscaping, as the city is moving to a "less greener" look to conserve water.


I am moving a few trees hopefully this weekend, I will take some pictures. I guess it depends on the bag, some bags don't entrap the roots, just prevent them from pushing through and eventually they start circling the bag just like a pot. The Rootpouch brand entraps the root tip, pruning it and creating finer ramification. If you look at cmeg1 CM Bonsai thread, I knew about grow bags for a while, but never thought about using them for bonsai till I saw his thread. That link is of one of his JBP seedlings, this is what I expect from my trees as well.


There is another brand that claims to do the same thing as Rootpouch. Root maker.

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rootmaker.com

There is only one distributor for Rootpouch in Canada, Hydrofarm Canada. https://hydrofarm.ca/pots-containers?specs=4309

Root Pouch

We manufacture fabric planting containers, made from recycled water bottles and natural fibers. Designed in partnership with professional growers across the world.

rootpouch.com

So I found some root bags locally. The brand is Rhizopot. Looks like same type thing as the other name brands. I bought a bundle of the 1 gal, ones. They're pretty deep, 8.5" deep x 7"dia. I'm cutting them down to 5" to make them more suitable for bonsai. I'll also be putting a disk of some sort in the bottom to stop vertical growth.

I'm pretty excited for these bags. I also bought some pond baskets to compare.

 

[Maiden69]

So I found some root bags locally. The brand is Rhizopot. Looks like same type thing as the other name brands.

From the description in the picture, they are slightly different. Rootpouch prunes by entrapment, not by air pruning.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

nice planters you got there


hahaha