Grow boxes

[DaveL]

Hey guys,

I have a stock pile of nice tung and groove timber taking up space in my garage and was thinking about making a dozen or so grow boxes with it. However I have a few queries before I set out and find out later I've done it all wrong! Especially after reading this article.
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics% ... otting.htm

Whilst I do have space for ground growing i'll admit I'm opting for the grow boxes mostly for aesthetic purposes and ease of proper care/training. They will be set up on high benches right near my water tanks and hopefully tagged with some nice carvings for a bit spice .

So back to the questions, what rough dimensions should i be looking at? I was think along the lines of your standard Styrofoam fruit box size. I was also going to add a good layer of coarse stone to the bottom of each box to aid with drainage.

Is there anything else I should be looking at? I'm open to all ideas at this stage. Thanks in advance

P.S If they turn out nice I might have a few available for trade purposes.

[Mitchell]

I am looking at making some also. Size of your box would reflect the results you are trying to achieve. For growing purposes your suggestion sounds appropriate, just make sure you leave adequate drainage on the bottom. Perhaps lay the bottom planks with a 3/4 inch gap between then drop in a cut piece of fly screen or mesh to stop the medium falling through. Alternatively lay the bottom planks together, as with the rest of the box and drill a dozen or more 1/2 inch holes for drainage.

In a perfect world it would be great if you could allow a 3/4 gap around the mid section of the box. If it were to be two planks high, then leave a gap in between them for side ventilation. However this will mean more work on bracing the corners with inch/inch timber to allow the gap.


Use screws too, don't glue it, this will allow you to pop it open for easy re-potting.

[Bretts]

The easiest way I have found is to use two thicker pieces for the ends then screw or nial the other two sides and bottom to these. Might be prettier ways but this is nice and simple.
I found one I made I did not leave a big enough gap on the bottom pieces they had swelled and sealed it off with no drianage Luckily it was an olive and they can take anything

[DaveL]

I think I will make a solid bottom and drill 20mm holes with a spade bit to avoid any problems with drainage.

Mitchel I could jigsaw a few slits in the side of the box. Do you think this type of ventilation will stimulate more growth?

I will be using the larger boxes for growing on trees (in special cases in the ground out the backyard), I'll make some smaller boxes for refining, propagating cuttings/seeds and playing with potting angles (a bit hard in the ground).

[MattA]

Hey Dave,

The size of your box will be determined by what you want to achieve, the size of a fruit box is fine for growing on most small nursery stock, the size of the stock will determine how big if it happens to be bigger collected stock.

To give you some idea I have boxes ranging from the size of a small drawer for a collected Glochidion up to 1mtr square for a large melaleuca. I am going to have to build another about 1.2mtrs x1mtr x 50cm deep to take a plum that i am digging soon.

Matt

[Jamie]

gday dave

check this article on grow boxes and training pots, air pruning pots, the air pruning pots are a great way to get a fine dense feeder root system, it also has some very interesting ideas

http://knowledgeofbonsai.org/pots-slabs ... ning-pots/

jamie

[Handy Mick]

Guys, I put a couple of peices ot timber under the box aswell, just like a pallet I suppose, the purpose being, 1) to allow air flow, 2) you can put on ground if you like, and, 3) ease to pick up, especially if they are big.

Jamie
Great site that.

[DaveL]

Got to love sick days! (apart from the being sick part)

Thanks everyone for the tips, the information you guys gave me was exactly what I was looking for and made a lot of sense .
Anyways without further a due here is one of the smaller grow boxes I made today. It still needs a bit of tidying/sanding/sealing even so I think it looks a tad nicer than a plastic pot.

Also can you please give me feed back on the drain holes, there are five 20mm holes. Will this be sufficient? Keep in mind I'll be putting a layer of coarse gravel down before potting mix.

[Jamie]

gday mate

nice work, i think a few more holes wouldnt hurt! i would probably add another 5 holes or more. other wise will look a great deal better than the plastic or foam!

jamie

[Glenda]

I love the carving on the side. What does it say?

Glenda

[DaveL]

Thanks guys,

Drum roll..................... it says 'Bon-Sai'. Very imaginative I know

I need to have a look through my books for the Kanji of growth or growing

[Bougy Fan]

Gee Dave I wish I had that much free space on my bench in the shed I had heaps of kwilla decking offcuts and screwed together the outside as you have. But then I screwed 2 pieces across the bottom to the underneath of the sides. These act as feet but they hold in the bottom pieces which are loose. Then if you have a rootbound tree in there you just lift the tree and bottom out from the sides. Or if it's a bigger box sit it on a besser block and pull the sides down. Not my idea - I read it in a thread here

[Handy Mick]

G'day dave,
Too swarve for a gro box mate
More holes cannot hurt
Mick

[DaveL]

Revised Drainage holes and sealed. Ready for fly screen, gravel and myrtles that are ready to be dug!

[bonsaibruce]

Greetings,
My use of grow boxes is to grow a tree on. The tree is ready to work and pot when the Grow box is falling to bits. If you make the box too strong/flash you will not be forced to work the tree. The boxes look too nice and maybe you should make some display stands. I have made grow boxes from old fence palings and small nails. When the sides fall off, time for a real pot.
Happy bonsai,
Bruce