Makeshift bonsai bench and some easy options

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Mevans
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Makeshift bonsai bench and some easy options

Post by Mevans »

Last night I mentioned my plans to build a cheap (and rental property suitable) bonsai bench to a family member, they gave me a set of heavy duty supermarket wire shelves to mess around with.
This morning I came up with the below easy setup:
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While this doesn't get my bonsai up to eye level, it keeps them off the ground, away from crawly bugs and the soon to be hot pavers in the Perth summer.
Are there any downsides to using this heavy gauge wire shelving? It was told it shouldn't rust, but could it possibly get too hot in the sun and affect the roots in the pots?

The pergola that they all live under is the best I can come up with for a location where they get a good amount of sun while being protected from excessive midday sun and rain.
The front half of the pergola they're sitting on in the above photos gets morning sun and the second half of afternoon sun, I'll have to see whether it's too much sun when summer hits. They were happy there over autumn/winter
However being in the middle of the backyard, they're subject to winds coming between the gaps of the neighbours houses. For particularly strong winds they're in danger of blowing over, proven by the recent spate of strong winds in Perth. I'm thinking I could tie the pots down to the benches? Or getting them into heavier pots may be the way to go.

How do you deal with wind when bonsai aren't placed against a major wind block like a fence or wall?
The examples of bonsai benches / displays I see online tend to be out in the open with no roof overhead, but i'd imagine this may not be suitable for hot Australian summer days.

A easy yet more permanent and higher off the ground solution i'm considering is this, involving a few cinderblocks, standard size pine decking and some short bits of wood to hold the decking together and secure it against the cinderblocks:
http://kusamurabonsai.org/MemberStories ... index.html

And another option would be to take a limestone block and chisel a recessed section into the top side of the block, leaving three edges untouched as "walls" to hold a wire or other kind of shelf in place. Another un-chiseled limestone block would then be placed on top to lock it in.
Below is my sketch of this idea, with a shortened version of the finished product on the right hand side
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shibui
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Re: Makeshift bonsai bench and some easy options

Post by shibui »

I live in a relatively cool part of the country but we still get days over 40C My trees live in the open as much as possible. More sun = more compact growth. Shade = elongated shoots. I do cover most of the nursery with 30% shadecloth when it gets really hot - usually Jan - March but I have managed to keep some trees in full sun all year round. This requires excellent watering skills but can be done.

There's no problem with gal mesh shelves. Heat transfer will not be a problem.

Wind can be a problem as you have found. Winds are usually worse around the equinoxes so should settle down a bit from now on. Many growers do tie pots down to protect from strong winds. This makes it harder to rotate the trees so they get even light on all sides but better than broken trees and smashed pots. Shade cloth can make an effective wind barrier if required.
http://shibuibonsai.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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