Different Ideas for really big pots

[MattA]

I thought I would start a post to share my thoughts and hear others ideas on possible alternatives to a traditional pot for really big trees...

The tree that has got me thinking is this old girl viewtopic.php?f=132&t=5558 the plastic clamshell it is in has cracked & split open in several places so needs replacing. While a large traditional pot would be nice, it is not within means so I have been thinking about alternatives.

I have a large round fibreglass tub that is approx 25cm deep with straight walls, its big enough but damn ugly & uninteresting with straight sides & no lip or feet etc.

I have seen pots made from timber, including posted here viewtopic.php?f=133&t=2131&p=21068. I really like the idea but would use recycled hardwood making it even heavier.

Thats the next point, weigh... I am seriously considering using this tree as a centre piece in my front garden so the heavier the better in my opinion. And that lead to my next thought.. making one insitu by casting concrete (a mate works in a prefab plant)... Tempting but with needing to treating inside to prevent leach & the outside to change the colour It all gets too much effort...

I am now considering stacked stone with a lining of permeable membrane to stop soil falling out. I have a load of sandstone that will need reusing as i rebuild the gardens to take the old girl and few other bits & pieces. Initially i thought a typical drystone construction. This would mean straight sides with maybe a top cap that overhangs and it would have to sit solid on the ground...

...or would it.....

I am now thinking of making something similar to a gabion from chainlink fencing & then stacking the stone inside this frame, it would then be lined with fabric etc. With a caged construction I could have a small pedestal or even feet to give seperation from the garden while still being part of it.

What do others think of this idea???

What other alternatives would you consider for a display pot?

Matt

[Handy Mick]

Matt, I think to answer this question we need a photo.
This tree sounds huge, or is it?
I have a big Bonsai, as tall as me in pot, it is in a large concrete barrel pot atm, you should be able to get one 2nd hand or free easy.

Mick.

[cre8ivbonsai]

Hey Matt that's one big wisteria, I like sound of a combo ... Stacked sandstone outside with concrete cast inside (Inc drainage) ... You definitely wouldn't be moving that around Does the wisteria flower after the last repot? Fairly old so I'm guessing it does, be sure to show us pics in spring 'in situe'
Ryan

[MattA]

Mick,
Theres a pic of the tree its for in the first link, Wisteria sinensis that stands over 4' tall & is approx 25cm+ across the nebari... Its currently planted in one of those kids clamshell plastic pond/sandpit's. She is not light, taking 2 of us to slide (not lift) it around

Ryan,
I dug the tree last spring & it tried to flowerstraight away, then spot flowered thru till feb. If I go with the stone option I wont concrete the inside for same reason i discouted making an entirely concrete pot... possible leaching. Lined with geotech fabric will prevent any soil falling thru the gaps but still allow for drainage. I have used this method for raised garden beds and it works a treat.

The gabion system is one i havent ever tried before.... I might have to have a little play & see what i can come up with, even if it doesnt end up holding the wisteria it could be interesting... I will post pics of what i get up to

Still keen to hear others ideas for possible alternative pots.

Matt

[miyagiman]

what about using a suitably sized tyre, (truck or tractor), cut one side wall off it to make a pot shape, then build up or cover the outside of it with your rocks or sandstone. maybe someone can suggest another external decorating idea. just a thought from miyagiman.

[MattA]

Hey Miyagiman,

Thanks for the input, I really like old tyre plant pots, Its pretty amazing what can be achieved with them. However, I have tried to stay away from using anything that could lead to long term contamination of the soil, in the case of tyres the main concern is the Cadmium they leach into soil & ground water over time when used as a landscaping material.

I have also avoided using any treated pine due to Arsenic, hardwood soaked in engine oil & allowed to dry before being buried will be sound longer than any treated pine & wont cause the same poisening of the ground. If the hardwood is old growth & well matured then termite damage is limited to the outer edges, beyond that the wood is too hard even for them.

Poly styrene boxes are another no no in my yard due to the chickens strange obsession with eating them

[cre8ivbonsai]

Hey Matt, (just for my own info ) do you know if Poly styrene boxes leach contaminants into the soil at all?

... would the old half wine barrel be big enough?

[MattA]

Hey Matt, (just for my own info ) do you know if Poly styrene boxes leach contaminants into the soil at all?

... would the old half wine barrel be big enough?

I didnt know the answer to that one so attached is a bit from wiki.

Polystyrene foam is a major component of plastic debris in the ocean, where it becomes toxic to marine life. Foamed polystyrene blows in the wind and floats on water, and is abundant in the outdoor environment. Weathering by wind, sun, rain, and wave action degrade polystyrene to known and suspected carcinogens, including styrene monomer (SM), styrene dimer (SD) and styrene trimer (ST). However, styrene is an organic, naturally occurring substance in our environment and to date, no regulatory body anywhere in the world has classified styrene as a known human carcinogen, although several refer to it in various contexts as a possible or potential human carcinogen.

In my own yard they get eaten very quickly by the chickens, they cannot digest it so it simply fills up the crop until they cannot consume enough food & slowly starve (its not a nice way to go). When a new tree comes into the yard that is planted in one they make a beeline for it at full run... its quite funny the extent they will go to to work out how to get up to where ever i have put it until I get round to repotting and binning the foam.

Now the wine barrel.... A quick chat to a mate & i can get hold of a couple halves, 75cm wide by approx 40cm deep ... painted red... that will make a nice contrast I might just have to go and have a look at them, but maybe not for this tree. How would you secure the wine barrel & tree so it could not be stolen, if I did use them it would be in my front garden.

A friend joked to me about using a bathtub and I am warming to the idea as I type this... big old rusty clawfoot bath on a raised sandstone plinth surrounded by a select few old hybrid roses and more than a few Francis Dubreuil (France 1894)

FrancisDubreuil.jpg

Anyway back to the tub... I could install a false floor to aid drainage but also include the ability to shut the drain if i want to really flood the tree for a while, great for curl grubs It could actually work really well with more than enough root run to keep the old girl vigorous & healthy (priority #1)

Matt

[Graeme]

Why not make a fibreglass pot for your tree? If you want it to look like a Bonsai when finished. Fibreglass is easy to work with (with a bit of instruction) it is indestructable (nearly), heavy enough to stay where you put it, looks the part, after being painted. Mold would be as easy as scraping a hole in the ground to the shape you want and then laying the glass mat and resin in the hole. once cured pull the pot from the hole, brush off the excess sand and then paint. Two days from start to pot being ready to plant up. Another way would be to make a pot out of ply wood and laminate that with fibreglass, making sure to get a good covering over the timber, especially the drainage holes. Get you materials from a boat yard and it wont cost an arm and a leg either.

[cre8ivbonsai]

Matt, thanks for info on poly styrene - I don't think I'll grow anything edible in them after all It's a shame councils don't recycle this stuff (not accepted in our curb collection recycling) cause therefore I assume most of ends up as landfill / pollution pity I would have thought it could be recycled into some form of insulation product

Anyway I like your idea with the bath tub - "rusty clawfoot bath on a raised sandstone plinth" - could look quite classy if done right might be tough to find a suitable tub though... good luck

Ryan

[kcpoole]

Some really good ideas coming here. what about recycled Brick and just make your own what ever shape you want. Can be rendered and the render can be coloured to suit so you never have to paint.

the Bath is a great idea but I reckon you will have a hard time finding one. they are all in vogue now for the trendy Refurbs. old Cast Iron baths are a highly sought after item. if you had one you could sell it and by whatever you liked

Ken

[MattA]

Keep them coming..

Graeme, if I was to go with a tradional pot it would have to be a cloud pot.. I know my wood working skills are not up to that & I doubt I could make a mould unless I had one to copy from....
wanna make me one approx 85x65x40cm (inc feet & rim etc)

Ryan, Classy
not in my yard....Finding a tub is not hard, I can think of 3 around the place not far...

all are suitably rusted...

thats why they are not in some yuppies bathroom already...

one could become the central feature of my front yard tho