Awful plant pots with over large holes.

[Mitty]

Is it me or am I looking / paying in the wrong place. I have done a lot of repotting this year and have got through 100 or so plastic pots for growing on and pre-bonsai work. I was given a number of young acers and various other seedlings. I notice that the Stewart brand pots have small and very useful cuts at the bottom edges. So , I get away without using sheet after sheet of mesh. I tried the cheaper black pots, but they are peppered with large holes in the base : makes the mesh more expensive than the pots ! . I also tried another brand which look like Stewart brand, but then spend ages cutting through the badly cut nicks in the bottom.
I would rather spend my money my money on bonsai equipment. Has anyone else a word or two on this subject? Many thanks.

Mitty

 

[f1pt4]

Is it me or am I looking / paying in the wrong place. I have done a lot of repotting this year and have got through 100 or so plastic pots for growing on and pre-bonsai work. I was given a number of young acers and various other seedlings. I notice that the Stewart brand pots have small and very useful cuts at the bottom edges. So , I get away without using sheet after sheet of mesh. I tried the cheaper black pots, but they are peppered with large holes in the base : makes the mesh more expensive than the pots ! . I also tried another brand which look like Stewart brand, but then spend ages cutting through the badly cut nicks in the bottom.
I would rather spend my money my money on bonsai equipment. Has anyone else a word or two on this subject? Many thanks.

Mitty

Put larger media on the bottom. I use the large 1" growstones. Then back fill with whatever substrate you use. You can probably even use drainage stone from any big box store, or landscape supply company. Some soil might seep out if you use an organic mix but eventually it evens out.

 

[Tentakelaertje]

With some plastic nursery pots I used moss, half composted leaves or potting soil instead of sheet. Drains like a stuffed up mofo, but is quite convenient when you run out of sheets.

 

[jeanluc83]

I've had good luck using the fiberglass drywall mesh tape.

 

[hemmy]

I covered the holes on a few cheap nursery cans during repots, before I realized it was unnecessary. That was also when I realized that a cheap modified nursery mix works just fine for growing on trees that get potted up or repotted often. I guess the nurseries aren't so dumb after all. A little mix is lost over time but as long as you aren't taking your trees for walks it is minimal.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Pond baskets...

07239076 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

 

[VAFisher]

Pond baskets...

07239076 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

These are great and they're like $1.50 at the nursery I go to.

 

[sorce]

Sticks, stones, pine cones, chunks of old clay pot, bark nuggets, paper wads, stryrofoam, hair......

Sorce

 

[cbroad]

Yeah at my nursery we use broken terra cotta pot shards or glazed pot shards

 

[bonsaibp]

I've had good luck using the fiberglass drywall mesh tape.

Beat me to it- I either use this or I stuff packing peanuts into the holes.

 

[cbroad]

@VAFisher
What nursery do you get those from? I haven't been able to find those anywhere locally... I have a few from my store that we were tossing but that's it. Went to Griffins Greenhouse Supply on Midlo and the guy had no idea what I was talking about.

 

[Stickroot]

Pond baskets...

07239076 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

Yep, love them!

 

[Barry]

@VAFisher both Lowes and HomeDepot carry pond baskets

 

[VAFisher]

@VAFisher
What nursery do you get those from? I haven't been able to find those anywhere locally... I have a few from my store that we were tossing but that's it. Went to Griffins Greenhouse Supply on Midlo and the guy had no idea what I was talking about.

Strange's in Short Pump. In the inside section near the fungicides and stuff.

 

[VAFisher]

@VAFisher both Lowes and HomeDepot carry pond baskets

Cool. Haven't seen them there but I'll look again.

 

[Barry]

http://www.homedepot.com/s/pond%20basket?NCNI-5

 

[cbroad]

Thanks, I've never seen them at the box stores either, I wish ours did carry them. I guess I totally missed them at Strange's... If you're looking for the typical red and blue plastic colanders, there's a Korean bbq restaurant with an Asian market attached a little east of Robious on Midlothian. Last time I was there they had some that were around 20" or 24".

 

[jcrossett]

Sticks, stones, pine cones, chunks of old clay pot, bark nuggets, paper wads, stryrofoam, hair......

Sorce

Forgot diapers

 

[Alain]

Any kind of colander from the dollar store with Napa oil spill diatomite pure or mixed with: +- pine bark +- osmocte or miracle grow in gravels

 

[Alain]

Pond baskets...

07239076 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

Nice elm btw