Bonsai hack #182

[Eckhoffw]

Actually my first “bonsai hack” I’ve thought of posting.
So,....Because screen mesh for drainage holes is soooo expensive. -sarcasm.

I was wondering if anyone has tried using adhesive mesh drywall tape to cover drainage holes.
Does it break down and fall apart?
Just curious. I have an excess of it.

 

[Potsofgreen]

I dont see why it wouldnt work? The only issue i see would be the adhesive on it but since its on the bottom of the pot and draining out i dont think it would affect the soil at all? thats a pretty good hack and im kicking myself now for buying the the mesh...i have a ton of fiber tape lying around...i used to have access to countless hair nets when i worked in the food industry and i would keep my used ones and ive used those for drainage mesh before

 

[coltranem]

I use it on nursery pots which have multiple holes and a bottom that is no quite flat.

 

[moke]

I use it on seeding starter pots, no issues with it breaking down yet.

 

[canoeguide]

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/pot-mesh.34255/

Someone on here posted photos of them using it to cover the gaps in the bottom of wooden grow boxes also.

 

[Dav4]

I've heard of people doing just that. The only concern I have is the mesh getting clogged due to it's relatively small gauge.

 

[bonsaichile]

I use it regularly, have for the last 4 years. I can attest that it works extremely well, it does not break and it does not get clogged whatsoever.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Good idea. I also like that its narrow... easier to cut. Im sure the adhesive has very little impact on anything. Will try this in future.

 

[shinmai]

I use it all the time. Just make sure the bottom of the pot on the inside is clean and dry so the tape sticks. I also usually cut off and discard the first couple of inches on the roll, because the cut end seems to lose some of its adhesion for some reason.
I also have some great matte-finish plastic Chinese grow pots [twelve for thirty bucks via Amazon] with perforated bottoms, and the holes are just a teeny bit too big, so I line those with mesh tape as well.

 

[sorce]

I just Tried scraping some out of the bottom of a concrete mixing tub with DE.

Like...

With a handheld garden rake and the shit wouldn't come off! Couldn't tear it.

Works.

Sorce

 

[PABonsai]

Couldn't tear it!

That's because it's fiberglass.

 

[canoeguide]

I have to say that I'm torn between the practicality of these mesh tapes and the satisfaction of making and using those figure-8-ish "staples" to wire screens into drainage holes. I'm not sure why that's so satisfying.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Thanks for the feedback ya’ll!
I figured people have thought of doing this. glad to hear it works alright.

 

[penumbra]

Done it many many times in everything from seedlings to large grow boxes.

 

[Shibui]

I also use it on all pots. The adhesive doesn't stick too well on used or wet pots but I've got used to not screwing the tree around in the pot so the mesh stays put in the right place. Works fine. Definitely no problems with drainage or clogging.

 

[eryk2kartman]

I used either windows screen mesh - the one for mosquitoes that you can install in the windows, pretty cheap and coming in huge sizes - for 10 euro you get like 1x2.5m
but recently i started to use Ikea carpet underlay, this is like 3 euro for 2x0.6m sheet, its a bit more flexible and soft, you need to cut slightly bigger to hold it in place but for that price you cant go wrong.

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www.ikea.com

 

[leatherback]

Yeah, I have the stuff in my box as quick fix. The downside is.. When roots grow through it, it can be hard to remove and I typically find it results in more damage than with the normal mesh (I found you can buy the regular meshby the running metre if you look for the mesh in gardenstores online; I got some 10 metres of the stuff to cover my pots agains the ^*^(^%&(*& birds looking for grubs in fall.

 

[Shibui]

The downside is.. When roots grow through it, it can be hard to remove and I typically find it results in more damage than with the normal mesh

I don't understand? Roots grow through, yes, and around and under. By the time I get to repotting it has been swallowed by all the new roots. Roots are trimmed off with shears and the old mesh goes into the waste bucket with the roots that have been cut off. New piece of mesh for the pot - no problem???

 

[leatherback]

no problem???

hmm. Just saying it is a bit more of an effort. Especially if you live in a country where the roots and the mesh go in differnt bins.

 

[TN_Jim]

I use this with no issue.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Gardner-0-5-ft-W-x-50-ft-L-25-sq-ft-Black-Roll-Roofing/1006803