All Bonsai Nurseries in the USA should look like this.

[Adair M]

Just because they're doing it wrong doesn't mean we have to.

Riiiight...

You have trees of that quality? Come on, get real.

 

[Cable]

Riiiight...

You have trees of that quality? Come on, get real.

 

[Paradox]

In the first video, did anyone else notice that there were trees in wooden grow boxes? But not a single colander in sight! Our obsession with using colanders as training pots is misplaced.

Na its just easier than building a bunch of wooden boxes.
I dont have minions (glorified slaves) to do my work for me, I have to do it myself.

 

[MrWunderful]

If you put drainage mesh on the bottom, wood grow boxes are just custom, expensive, time-consuming-to-make Anderson flats.

Solid necro-bump quote-reply by Adair too

 

[Smoke]

I come back and read these and laugh my ass off..... You guys are a riot......

 

[Shogun610]

This dude is near me , helpful, good price on pre bonsai and ones in development. At same time he’s super talented and has high level material too, Kifu Bonsai, the few pics I took don’t even show the entire property, big place, has koi too.

 

[Smoke]

In the first video, did anyone else notice that there were trees in wooden grow boxes? But not a single colander in sight! Our obsession with using colanders as training pots is misplaced.

If one knows how to use them they serve a real purpose. If you don't understand the why, then yes you would be correct. They serve a purpose in growing Shohin and not much else, which is the way they are used in Japan. Just because you don't see them in one video does not mean they don't use them extensively.

Colanders do not grow material, they grow tight compact root systems allowing shohin trees into tiny pots. Most trees destined to Shohin after development are colander grown for about two years to prepare them for the tiny show pot...that is all.

In Praise of Colanders

 

[Gary McCarthy]

WOW!!!

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

In the first video, did anyone else notice that there were trees in wooden grow boxes? But not a single colander in sight! Our obsession with using colanders as training pots is misplaced.

Have you a chance to listen to the new BonsaiWire podcast?

Pretty good stuff.

The episode with Eric Schrader discusses colanders and the use of them in Japan. Apparently Jonus Duprich has visited nurseries in Japan that use them often.

Also, there’s an interesting exchange where they discuss how the Japanese are using colanders in different ways (including stacking) to grow trees.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

The episode with Eric Schrader discusses colanders and the use of them in Japan. Apparently Jonus Duprich has visited nurseries in Japan that use them often.

Also, there’s an interesting exchange where they discuss how the Japanese are using colanders in different ways (including stacking) to grow trees.

I'm not going to knock anyone who uses wooden grow boxes, and once you start getting into larger trees (anything perhaps taller than 24") it is almost a requirement.

However I make heavy use of 10" pond baskets and 15" Anderson flats because (1) I use a lot of them (2) they hold up well to the elements (3) you can stack them and let roots grow out the bottom into another container, and then lift the container and trim the roots.