Fast Growth Method

[Bretts]

That's gold

[Vice]

just out of curiosity, would this also work for plants not destined to be bonsai? I Mean, could you use this method to jumpstart small saplings before putting them into the ground? bulk up store bought Berry bushes? Try and mature mango and avocado plants quicker so they take fewer years to fruit?
Also with the faster growth, would it be detrimental to transfer the plant from this setup right into the ground because the plant isn't used to the different growing conditions?

... does trunk size have anything to do with how mature the plant thinks it is?

[Petra]

[quote="Graeme"]So to it: Get hold of a large styrene box, and cut as many holes in the bottom as you can, without the bottom breaking.
If you dont mind Graeme, i want to suggest a handy hint for all of you who dont already know.

Heating a screw driver in a flame and then inserting into the styrobox
while at the same time stiring, makes for a perfect size hole without any breakages.

[Bretts]

Hi Vice
I would say this will not work with all plants/trees. The ficus is a veracious feeder and seems to like alkaline conditions that the DL gives. But I am sure there are other trees/plants that this would also work for.
I don't know much about the maturing of plants into fruit but would hedge my bets on the most vigorous coming into fruit first.
I have not taken one of these out of DL into a normal soil but I can't imagine it would cause too much trouble but think it would be safer to make sure it did not starve after leaving this mix.

Thanks for the idea Petra

[Hornet]

Could the tile or piece of lino be left out? I'm not really sure what its purpose is.

[Bretts]

You could I guess but it is meant to help the roots at the base flatten out

[Hornet]

ahh ok, so a broken piece of terracotta or the base of a plastic pot would be just as good?

John

[Bretts]

[Graeme]

Sorry, hadn't seen this thread for a while so answering questions is a bit long winded.
Petra, the heated screwdriver, or anything heated really, is a good way of putting the holes into both foam boxes or plastic containers - but (there's always a but) the holes produced are far to small for this method of plant growing. The holes have to be really large and it would just take to long "burning" the holes needed.

Vince, would be really warey of growing fruit trees using this method. As the roots are actually growing in raw fertiliser I believe it would be to castic an enviroment for most other trees. As I said in the original precis, the only trees I have tired the on are the Figs and a couple of Hibuscus. By all means try it, but only with one or two trees.

Hornet, the tile is there, as Bretts said, to train the roots into a flat pad, allowing really large trees to be planted straight into a Bonsai pot without having to cut into them to much. I am not sure if it is fact or not, but I seem to think roots grown horizontaly do not thicken as much as vertical roots in the same time span.

Bretts, you are a very naughty boy.......................

To all, I am sorry, if I remember I will come back tomorrow and fix all the grammar and spelling. An old mate, J. Walker has been visiting me tonight and he always leaves me a bit confussed.

[Bretts]

This guy shot back well in time. I wonder if I should have left the cut back until it had warmed up more so it could have made use of the leaves it had and maybe it would have budded back quicker when warmer.
Anyway it is starting to grow strong again so I thought it was time to load it up with a fresh dose of DL plus blood and bone. It got a good inch and a half layer of DL or 4 scoops of a dust pan. Then a couple of good handfuls of blood and bone (cheap stuff ).
I started to wonder if DL + BB at the same time was a bit much for it as it seemed to droop a little or not stand back up quick enough after I watered it through. It was not an extremely hot day but it was a sunny afternoon in full sun so I decided to put it in the shade for a couple of days which I think was a good idea as it soon looked much better.
Next time I think I will add the DL and the BB over a period of time.
The BB is not great quality whenever I add this stuff it is an instant water repellent and slows the drainage of the pot considerably.

001.jpg

[Graeme]

Hi mate, yes the B&B can be a bit water relelant, but I find if you just stir it into the pelletised chook doodoo you should be fine. Can't understand why the tree drooped, unless your ballance was a bit out, doesn't normally worry the tree. Don't worry about the B&B next time, I usually only add it every second load of Dy.... Pelletised Chook doodoo.

[Bretts]

Thanks Graeme,
I am not sure if you have given any measurements for how much DL and BB to add at later dates so I just chucked in my best guess. Maybe it was a little too much but all is going well again now.
Thanks again

[Damian Bee]

Mmmmmmmmm that dust pan......

[Andrew F]

I am hoping to try this with a green island fig that i want as a cascade, ive been told they are touchy compared to pj's and mb's.
Can anyone shed any light on this???

[Paul B]

great article and responses, I am going to give this a try this weekend.

A couple of questions, natives? how do you think they will fair in this mix and lastly I have an ailing trident maple, was in a very poor mix when purchased, is it worth trying this method so late in the season to get some trunk growth and maybe get some vigour back into the plant.

Cheers guys