What is the deal with pond baskets anyway? Every tree I've ever put in a pond basket struggled immediately or died immediately. It's not hard to see why, either. Water flows straight out the sides so there's no air suction, so you get dry spots not matter how much you water. And if you're very unlucky, the tiny holes clog and the roots at the bottom drown.
I have killed or tortured the following species in pond baskets. Never again!
Japanese maple
Crepe myrtle
Wisteria <- how?
Bougainvillea
Rosemary
Privet
Zelkova
I simply don't get the appeal. All of the survivors bounced back immediately when in a proper pot.
In any case, here's a very unhappy, BS pre-bonsai privet in a pond basket (just to annoy you).
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