My Growing Benches

[Bretts]

Break some off Asus send it my way and I will chuck in an extra trident

[Joel]

It's not hard to find around here Brett. I have found it at several local nurseries (not bonsai) and a particular chain of hardware stores which aparrently im not allowed to write about.

I find my blood grass is extremely easy to grow. I have some in a very small blue pot that sits in water, as Asus mentioned. Works a treat. My larger "supply" of it grows in a bigger pot filled with a mix of half bonsai soil, half peat moss. It grows really well with peat, as the pH is suitably low. I also cut mine back near the end of winter.

Very nice display Ken! Its very nice to see somebodies full collection, and not just their one prized tree, or one they just bought. It really shows your dedication to the art. Nice trees mate

JayC

[Bretts]

I got my last lot of Ebay I think it is always for sale there but I have not seen it at Bunnings.
Thanks for the growing advice I will be sure to try again in spring even if Asus doesn't send me any

[Asus101]

Mine isnt big enough to split yet, I have only has it about 6 months. Its now starting to push a lot of new lengths.

[Macros]

Hey Ken,
Yes it is a Maple in the back row, a Trident infact. I picked it up at the AABC show in Melbourne a few years ago.
The only close up pics I have are from the other day, and from when I bought it.

This is from the day I bought it

Image000.jpg

This is it now, but no leaves

TRM.jpg

Thanks,
Mac

[kcpoole]

Bretts asked me the oter week if I can show my water collection system on my growing benches.
I was Planning a slight modification to them as I have a bit of a problem thia year with Root rot, and what looks like Fungus infection on a few of my trees that has caused a few opf them to go heaven
dunno why, but never had any problem before, and the only thing I can think i maybe my pots did not get enough circulation around them on the benches as they sit flat on the steel and are packed on there pretty close together 'cos I have too many
Any way here is some pics for the way it started out.
I use Old Stramit roofing iron 450mm wide, in 3 - 4 M lenghts, sitting on Besser blocks. Sloped slightly to allow water to run off, and at the end of the sheet I have suspended a split lenght of 40 mm Plastic pie which drains into a large tub. I Take water out by bucket to hand water all my trees on poles and large pots daily.

Eventually I will attach a Pump to the drums and get a few more of them, and use these to auto water all my trees via sprinklers and drippers. I will do this over the next year.

Enjoy
Ken

[kcpoole]

I have turned over the Stramit sheets, and laid a top over it using Steel Mesh so that all the pots sit above the surface an inch or so. This will allow air to circulate under and around the pots, and allow me to easily hose it out to get rid of the leaves and rubbish
the drain is the same system

[kcpoole]

I thought I took a photo of the wire mesh I used but must have not:-(

As you can see it in some of them below you can get the idea anyway.

as I fertilise, the runoff all ends up in my drums which I reuse to hand water the other trees I save money on Fert that would be wasted otherwise. When I top up my trees with Dynamic lifter, I find that the juice that leaches out to the drum, I get to use it several times too

I have one other bench elsewhere it the yard I still have to do, and I will also pipe the runoff to these drums as well

Ken

[Andrew_Davies]

I am just getting a proper area done for my trees, no more living in what my wife calls "the hovel". Will post end result as soon as I can.

[Bretts]

Thanks for the detail KC. That is a great simple setup and should be even better with the mesh now.

[aaron_tas]

great idea ken, well done

[kcpoole]

Nice spot andrew
Will it be lockable?

[Andrew_Davies]

It will be when it is finished Ken, that and the big dog (huge) and the one tonne bull out the front, I should be right.

[Gerard]

Hi Ken, I too have put some effort into preserving runoff water.
I have created a pond at waist height only 12cm deep and have my growing benches suspended above the water.
A drain directs overflow water into a holding tank.
Water is recirculated by a submersable pump into overhead sprayers which are on a timer (hot months only) and a water hammer feature.
I am too lazy to remove the shade cloth in winter so this area has only a few trees at that time of year.

water 004.jpg

water 006.jpg

water 003.jpg

garden 001.jpg

garden 004.jpg

[kcpoole]

Somewhat more elaborate than mine but good work Nice spot to sit and ponder

You could also use yours for Fish too