Lately my work has been throwing out lots of milk crates and I was just wondering, is it possible to use them as a grow pot? I was thinking of using landscape fabric on the sides and bottom to keep the soil in.
But would this work as an effective grow pot?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Milk crate as a grow pot, possible?
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 243
- Joined: July 19th, 2015, 9:11 pm
- Favorite Species: ficus
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Location: Melbourne
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 207
- Joined: March 24th, 2013, 7:24 pm
- Favorite Species: Backea
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Bonsai Club: Ausbonsai
- Location: Ocean Shores
Re: Milk crate as a grow pot, possible?
Anything that holds soil and drains would work.
From what I've learnt, the key is to first decide what you want to achieve. Fruit boxes are popular because they are large and low cut, so you get a large mass of shallow roots. If you are growing on in a milk crate by the time you buy, cut, and attached the landscape fabric, you could have bought a cheap black plastic pot which would have a similar volume.
The crates are good for benches though!
Cheers,
Nigel
From what I've learnt, the key is to first decide what you want to achieve. Fruit boxes are popular because they are large and low cut, so you get a large mass of shallow roots. If you are growing on in a milk crate by the time you buy, cut, and attached the landscape fabric, you could have bought a cheap black plastic pot which would have a similar volume.
The crates are good for benches though!
Cheers,
Nigel
- wrcmad
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 551
- Joined: April 25th, 2014, 10:57 pm
- Favorite Species: Maple, JB Pine
- Bonsai Age: 36
- Location: Northern NSW
- Has thanked: 143 times
- Been thanked: 81 times
Re: Milk crate as a grow pot, possible?
I reckon it'd be fine - I once used an old washing basket lined with a hessian bag - the hessian only lasted a year, but it got me by.bonsai_beginner wrote:But would this work as an effective grow pot?

-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 243
- Joined: July 19th, 2015, 9:11 pm
- Favorite Species: ficus
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Location: Melbourne
- cre8ivbonsai
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1154
- Joined: February 5th, 2010, 5:31 pm
- Favorite Species: :-)
- Bonsai Age: 9
- Bonsai Club: Waverley
- Location: Sth East burbs, Melbourne (VIC)
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Been thanked: 2 times
Re: Milk crate as a grow pot, possible?
NAHamilton wrote:The crates are good for benches though!

Cheers, Ryan
Today I know more than I did yesterday, but less than I will tomorrow
Today I know more than I did yesterday, but less than I will tomorrow
- fossil finder
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 267
- Joined: April 17th, 2015, 4:33 pm
- Favorite Species: swampys
- Bonsai Age: 2
- Location: NSW
- Been thanked: 1 time
Re: Milk crate as a grow pot, possible?
Plastic gutterguard/netting cable tied to the crate might help contain growing medium. I can envisage though that large roots may be difficult to untangle from the very strong crate. I'd stash as many as you can as they would make handy stands for bonsai. I have used them stacked three high as a repotting bench?........you can never have too many milk crates!!
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 243
- Joined: July 19th, 2015, 9:11 pm
- Favorite Species: ficus
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Location: Melbourne
Re: Milk crate as a grow pot, possible?
I'll definitely grab some for make shift benches!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Jason
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1543
- Joined: November 23rd, 2012, 1:00 pm
- Favorite Species: Melaleuca and Callistemon
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Bonsai Club: Bonsai Society of WA
- Location: Perth
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: Milk crate as a grow pot, possible?
Yeah, i've got a growing collection of them myself. They make perfect bonsai stands for the backyard, or good seats when i'm working on a tree 

Have a question? The AusBonsai Wiki most likely has the answer!
Looking for a Nursery or Club near your? Check out the AusBonsai Directory which lists them all

Looking for a Nursery or Club near your? Check out the AusBonsai Directory which lists them all
