Growing in the ground

LordHill

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I was watching some videos on bonsai and the gentlemen showed the difference between tree grown in a pot vs in the ground from the same seed run... obviously growing in ground is much faster, which made me think about my last outdoor grow (MJ).

What I did was use large smart pots, that I purposely left the bottom out of. The result was an area at the base of the plant that allowed me to feed as I needed, but it went into the ground and I never had to worry about watering it all summer.. Come time to chop it down I opened the pot and found an excellent root ball, and some very large roots heading into the ground.

My thinking is, if I did this with ground trees, wouldnt that make it very easy when it comes time to dig this tree up? Unwrap and go?

Maybe in over thinking this, terrible idea?
 

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John P.

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Seems a great way to build trunks, and not have to work too hard when it comes time to refine roots and branches.
 

LordHill

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Exactly. Maybe reinventing the wheel, but it would seem one could make it work in ones favor.

Theoretically one could even undercut the entire thing trimming the roots.
 

Forsoothe!

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In a pot sunk in the ground for two, but not three growing seasons works well. The first year will have good growth, the second year will fill the pot with roots and some will escape out the drain holes. If the tree is trimmed, root pruned and repotted in the following spring the cycle begins anew. If not, the roots in the pot will thicken greatly and fine feeder roots will diminish inside the pot. The roots outside the pot will increase greatly. To keep the feeder roots near the crown of the tree you need to prevent it growing lots of feeder roots on long roots outside of the pot, -in that third season. Also, don't use a large pot. Use a plastic pot that is similar in size and configuration to your ultimate show pot. This procedure will get more growth than in a pot not in the ground and less rampant roots that have to be overcome by a series of reductions over some longer time span.
 

Shibui

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Trees grown like this tend to rely on just a few roots that grow into the ground so you get a couple of big thick roots instead of a well balanced all round nebari. Worst case is just one root will take off and feed the tree. Looks terrible and very hard to correct after. This can also happen when planted in the ground but is less common.

Forsooth is talking about feeder roots which can be an issue with some species but no problem with others like trident maples because they will readily grow new feeders when the thicker roots are cut.
Regular watering of the pot will help keep more roots growing and will help keep feeder roots alive closer to the trunk for safer eventual root reduction.
 

sorce

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Maybe reinventing the wheel,

If I May...and Yes, I will!

Fuck that phrase!

Let the people that throw that bullshit phrase around like it's a bad thing put all there shit up In a race.

I use carbon fiber wheels.

They use Wooden Wagon wheels.

Go!

Let's reinvent that motherfucker again!

That said .

My problem with this method is the time it takes to tinker with all them taters.
This time is not linear.

You're leaving so much to chance with these methods, that "at best", you'll get one out of twelve taters to take and make nice. The problem is you have to spend too many hours tinkering with all them taters to care for all the nuances from leaving so much to chance.

After 10 years, you spent 1000 hours tinkering for 2 good trees.

Just pot grow, and after 20 years, every of 1000 taters is top notch, and you only spent 10 hours of your life making it that way.

This falls back into that category of human nature and is wanting to discover, enjoying the path.

It's just sometimes, we act more like methheads digging a hole!

"Tucker" "Tucker"!

Sorce
 
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