Ground Planting in Colanders

[GoldfieldsBS]

Hello Ray,
Do you mind if I take some quotes and pictures from this thread and use in our club newsletter? I have only just joined tapatalk and found some amazing information. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this method. Paul S Goldfields Bonsai Society

[Ray M]

Hello Ray,
Do you mind if I take some quotes and pictures from this thread and use in our club newsletter? I have only just joined tapatalk and found some amazing information. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this method. Paul S Goldfields Bonsai Society

Hi Paul,
That's fine with me mate. The more we can enthuse people to get involved and have a go at different things the better.

Regards Ray

[RevoEvoS]

I think its time to move over to colander planting and from what I've seen on the net about Japanese bonsai 'masters'.Round Colander are cheaper $2.50 - 9.5cm and $3.50 - 14.5cm, way cheaper than plastic pots that cost $7-15.
Some extra research convinced me towards colander planting, however I do have a couple of question or two.

1. I have a brick paving car park that gets 40% (side of house at 8am-12pm)/40% (carport from 1pm-6pm) sunlight whereas the shaded area towards the fence would get 20% sunlight horizontally, if I planted the colander/tree in shaded area from start of Spring-Summer will that be ok?
2. Do you think its a good idea to plant it in the ground then take the colander/tree to brick pavement for 4-6hours sunlight then move it back to ground in relation to 1.? (Bad idea)
3. Colander/Pot planting combination - Pot would have a combination of organic soil and colander with tree gets bonsai mix, making it easier to move around?
4. I don't know

[Ray M]

Hi RevoEvoS,

I think its time to move over to colander planting and from what I've seen on the net about Japanese bonsai 'masters'.Round Colander are cheaper $2.50 - 9.5cm and $3.50 - 14.5cm, way cheaper than plastic pots that cost $7-15.
Some extra research convinced me towards colander planting, however I do have a couple of question or two.

1. I have a brick paving car park that gets 40% (side of house at 8am-12pm)/40% (carport from 1pm-6pm) sunlight whereas the shaded area towards the fence would get 20% sunlight horizontally, if I planted the colander/tree in shaded area from start of Spring-Summer will that be ok? There is no one answer to this question. It depends on the species of tree. Some species like shade, other species really need to be in full sun. I use a concrete path for a lot of my trees. It is about 25metres in length. Half of it is in sun most of the day, the other half is shaded by the house for half the day. I treat this as two separate areas. Trees that need a lot of sun are in the first half and trees that need more shade are placed in the second half. I also use the area that gets more shade for trees I have repotted etc. I will keep them there until I think they have recovered enough to be put into full sun.
2. Do you think its a good idea to plant it in the ground then take the colander/tree to brick pavement for 4-6hours sunlight then move it back to ground in relation to 1.? (Bad idea) Bad idea. No mate, the idea of ground planting is to gain the benefits of the roots being able to run free outside the colander. This is what will put growth on the tree.
3. Colander/Pot planting combination - Pot would have a combination of organic soil and colander with tree gets bonsai mix, making it easier to move around? This is a method you can use when you don't have enough ground to plant trees. If you put your tree/colander into a pot, make sure it is several times larger than the colander. You need room for the roots grow into. I usually put a good quality potting mix in the large pot and my bonsai mix in the colander. After I started using colanders I purchased a "Bonsai Today" 1992-4 Issue 20. Kusida Matsuo was using them for his Black Pines. When the colander filled with roots, he would put that colander into a larger colander and let the roots grow out of the first colander into the second colander.
4. I don't know

Hope this helps.

Regards Ray

[RevoEvoS]

Hi RevoEvoS,

I think its time to move over to colander planting and from what I've seen on the net about Japanese bonsai 'masters'.Round Colander are cheaper $2.50 - 9.5cm and $3.50 - 14.5cm, way cheaper than plastic pots that cost $7-15.
Some extra research convinced me towards colander planting, however I do have a couple of question or two.

1. I have a brick paving car park that gets 40% (side of house at 8am-12pm)/40% (carport from 1pm-6pm) sunlight whereas the shaded area towards the fence would get 20% sunlight horizontally, if I planted the colander/tree in shaded area from start of Spring-Summer will that be ok? There is no one answer to this question. It depends on the species of tree. Some species like shade, other species really need to be in full sun. I use a concrete path for a lot of my trees. It is about 25metres in length. Half of it is in sun most of the day, the other half is shaded by the house for half the day. I treat this as two separate areas. Trees that need a lot of sun are in the first half and trees that need more shade are placed in the second half. I also use the area that gets more shade for trees I have repotted etc. I will keep them there until I think they have recovered enough to be put into full sun.
2. Do you think its a good idea to plant it in the ground then take the colander/tree to brick pavement for 4-6hours sunlight then move it back to ground in relation to 1.? (Bad idea) Bad idea. No mate, the idea of ground planting is to gain the benefits of the roots being able to run free outside the colander. This is what will put growth on the tree.
3. Colander/Pot planting combination - Pot would have a combination of organic soil and colander with tree gets bonsai mix, making it easier to move around? This is a method you can use when you don't have enough ground to plant trees. If you put your tree/colander into a pot, make sure it is several times larger than the colander. You need room for the roots grow into. I usually put a good quality potting mix in the large pot and my bonsai mix in the colander. After I started using colanders I purchased a "Bonsai Today" 1992-4 Issue 20. Kusida Matsuo was using them for his Black Pines. When the colander filled with roots, he would put that colander into a larger colander and let the roots grow out of the first colander into the second colander.
4. I don't know

Hope this helps.

Regards Ray

Some were repotted into bigger pots when I purchased 4 before December and I purchased another 8 pre/starters. Main one I want repot currently would be the Flowering Cherry, current problems as mentioned in this thread viewtopic.php?f=132&t=19438. The other 2 are PJF and JBP pre starters from Ray Nesci which will also go into a colander, however would it be too late to replant these species as well as Shimpaku Juni, Cotonaeaster, Kyoto Serissa and Hinoki Cypress?

[Elmar]

RevoEvoS,

you can also get the raised garden bed kits and put them in the sunny areas, fill with potting mix and then plant the colanders in there ... That is what I have just done.

just a thought.

[Ray M]

Hi RevoEvoS,

Some were repotted into bigger pots when I purchased 4 before December and I purchased another 8 pre/starters. Main one I want repot currently would be the Flowering Cherry, current problems as mentioned in this thread viewtopic.php?f=132&t=19438. The other 2 are PJF and JBP pre starters from Ray Nesci which will also go into a colander, however would it be too late to replant these species as well as Shimpaku Juni, Cotonaeaster, Kyoto Serissa and Hinoki Cypress?

Here a couple of links to look at concerning repotting. Repotting and Species Guide
More info:
Flowering Cherry - I would certainly wait until you have a healthier tree before doing anything. That said, you received some good info in your thread on this tree. If it is root bound, doing a slip pot would be helpful. See below about slip potting.
Port Jackson Figs - These would be okay to do now.
Others on your list - Check the links concerning times a year to repot.

Slip Potting - If you know about slip potting, you could use this for repotting. The whole idea is not to disturb the root system. If this is done carefully, you can repot a number of species out of season.

Regards Ray

[RevoEvoS]

Hi RevoEvoS,

Some were repotted into bigger pots when I purchased 4 before December and I purchased another 8 pre/starters. Main one I want repot currently would be the Flowering Cherry, current problems as mentioned in this thread viewtopic.php?f=132&t=19438. The other 2 are PJF and JBP pre starters from Ray Nesci which will also go into a colander, however would it be too late to replant these species as well as Shimpaku Juni, Cotonaeaster, Kyoto Serissa and Hinoki Cypress?

Here a couple of links to look at concerning repotting. Repotting and Species Guide
More info:
Flowering Cherry - I would certainly wait until you have a healthier tree before doing anything. That said, you received some good info in your thread on this tree. If it is root bound, doing a slip pot would be helpful. See below about slip potting.
Port Jackson Figs - These would be okay to do now.
Others on your list - Check the links concerning times a year to repot.

Slip Potting - If you know about slip potting, you could use this for repotting. The whole idea is not to disturb the root system. If this is done carefully, you can repot a number of species out of season.

Regards Ray

Thanks Ray

[xIIRevoEvoS]

still the same person except with xii

[Luke308]

I have just spent the past week re-potting my deciduous trees and some have been in colanders for up to 3 years and the difference between regular pots and colanders is amazing!!

I only had the colanders on the ground or on my benches, NOT in the ground but the ones on the ground had roots escape into the earth and chunk up with some growth. All my trees are either grown in foam fruit/veg boxes or colanders and I have created some great roots/trunks in the space of 3 years. Now to build some branch structure.

I should have taken some photos whilst they were out of their colanders, but I was so busy re-potting I didn't think.

One other thing I have noticed is the difference between a nice open inorganic mix in the colanders VS traditional potting mixes. The open mixes had amazing fine roots.

I use approx 70% diatomite, 15-20% zeolite, and 15-20% pine bark mini nuggets (orchard size) for everything except pines which are in 100% pumice.

[Elmar]

Great discovery, Luke.
It's always good for theories to be proven... even if doubt wasn't there, prior!
I have 3 colanders and might just (finally) have a go myself.
Mtgs I you for sharing.


Cheers
Elmar

[Josh]

I have just spent the past week re-potting my deciduous trees and some have been in colanders for up to 3 years and the difference between regular pots and colanders is amazing!!

I only had the colanders on the ground or on my benches, NOT in the ground but the ones on the ground had roots escape into the earth and chunk up with some growth. All my trees are either grown in foam fruit/veg boxes or colanders and I have created some great roots/trunks in the space of 3 years. Now to build some branch structure.

I should have taken some photos whilst they were out of their colanders, but I was so busy re-potting I didn't think.

One other thing I have noticed is the difference between a nice open inorganic mix in the colanders VS traditional potting mixes. The open mixes had amazing fine roots.

I use approx 70% diatomite, 15-20% zeolite, and 15-20% pine bark mini nuggets (orchard size) for everything except pines which are in 100% pumice.

Yeah have to agree Luke, I use 50/50 diatomite and pine bark and love the fine roots you get from it in a collander. Makes puttig in a Bonsai pot easie .

Josh.

[kcpoole]

Great news Luke, Pity you did not get photos but hey you learned something so that is what counts.

Ken

[Ray M]

Hi folks,
I thought I would show this Swamp Cyprus before I do any more to it. It has been planted in a colander and then had a Ground Layer applied. I'll update photos after I life the tree and see what has happened with the roots.

_MG_4937-2.jpg

_MG_4938-2.jpg

Regards Ray

[[ Kane ]]

Hi folks,
I thought I would show this Swamp Cyprus before I do any more to it. It has been planted in a colander and then had a Ground Layer applied. I'll update photos after I life the tree and see what has happened with the roots.

_MG_4937-2.jpg

_MG_4938-2.jpg

Regards Ray

Excited to see this Ray.