Large poly boxes

[Homer911]

I have seen quite a few white poly boxes on the forum and was wondering where people get them from?

I am digging up a couple of large trees at the weekend and need some large pots for them. They will be in development foe quite a few years so nothing fancy. The sizes I'm looking for are about 60cm.

Im in south west Sydney.

Ta...

[Bonsaiforest]

Try persuading your local fruit & veg shop to give you a few... That's where I got mine... From smaller local stores they usually get thrown out anyway so I don't really see them wanting to hold onto them. If not offer them a couple of $$$ for each one and see what happens.

[Isitangus]

Try independent fruit and veg shops not the big supermarket chains.
Otherwise sometimes on gumtree in the freebies section also


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[kcpoole]

My local fruit shop charges $2 each for them.

Ken

[mjhc]

I get mine from a local family run fruit and veg shop for free. I just ask when getting my fruit/veg for the week. Generally they have 2 Sizes as well. Smaller ones (around 450 wide, 300 deep, 150 high) to bigger ones (around 600 wide, 400 deep, 175 high). They do weaken over time in the sun too.

[Homer911]

Cheers folks, appreciate it. I'll pop into my local veg shop and see what they have.

[Graeme]

I get mine from a local family run fruit and veg shop for free. I just ask when getting my fruit/veg for the week. Generally they have 2 Sizes as well. Smaller ones (around 450 wide, 300 deep, 150 high) to bigger ones (around 600 wide, 400 deep, 175 high). They do weaken over time in the sun too.

Give them a coat of water based paint and they last a looooooooooot longer. I paint mine Mission Brown and they look like unglazed Bonsai pots from a distance.

[wattynine]

I also find if you "burn" them it extends the shelf life as well.
I use my wife's brûlée burner for the task, it stops the white powder getting all over you and adds some rigidity to the box.
Just a light coating of flame to melt the exterior both inside and out.
Watty

[NAHamilton]

Give them a coat of water based paint and they last a looooooooooot longer. I paint mine Mission Brown and they look like unglazed Bonsai pots from a distance.

That's good to know. I used oil based spray paint and they kind of melted and cracked, I'm pleased I don't have to resign myself to white. A paint job looks much nicer in the garden.

Cheers,
Nigel

[mjhc]

Thanks for that info Graeme. I'll do it from now on. Cheers.

[Graeme]

Yep Nigel, oil based paint will dissolve the polystyrene as you found out, but if you use waterbased paint you wont experience the problem.

Remember some time back foam 'Rocks" were all the rage (not sure if it is still the case). Mineral solvents were used to "carve" the foam in a lot of cases and mineral solvents are what are found in oil based paint, so there's your reason. Water based paints will still, sometimes, etch the styro, but it is only minor and the paint covers the slight burn. Integrity of the box will remain. Also I don't paint the inside of the box either as I think it allows some "breathing room".