Homemade grow boxes

[Sansui]

Always something new to learn about trees:
Thuja occidentalis
Eastern White Cedar
Cupressaceae (Cypress Family)
The eastern white-cedar is also called northern white-cedar, arborvitae and swamp-cedar. The name arborvitae or "tree of life" dates from the 16th century when the French explorer Jacques Cartier learned from the Indians how to use the tree's foliage to treat scurvy.

 

[Woocash]

Yea perfect mate, assuming the sealant has no harmful stuff in it though. Regardless of what the wood is, you can’t really go wrong at the price per box. I’ll be making a few myself come spring.

 

[PABonsai]

Yea perfect mate, assuming the sealant has no harmful stuff in it though. Regardless of what the wood is, you can’t really go wrong at the price per box. I’ll be making a few myself come spring.

 

[Woocash]

Heh. Didn’t think paint brands would cross the pond for some reason. I couldn’t tell you what’s in it unfortunately but looks like it should last a while.

 

[PABonsai]

Heh. Didn’t think paint brands would cross the pond for some reason. I couldn’t tell you what’s in it unfortunately but looks like it should last a while.

I'm not too worried. I figure since I'm not eating the tree it's fine. I mean, you can stain a whole deck with these products and the flower beds next to them don't suffer. And honestly with the daily watering and abrasing from the soil we use it might not even last long on the inside of the box. i honestly did it more for the stain than the weathering. I don't like looking at ugly grey wood. This gives it that nice unglazed brown look

 

[Woocash]

Perfect. Just need to fire them at 900 degrees c now.

 

[TN_Jim]

I'm not too worried. I figure since I'm not eating the tree it's fine. I mean, you can stain a whole deck with these products and the flower beds next to them don't suffer. And honestly with the daily watering and abrasing from the soil we use it might not even last long on the inside of the box. i honestly did it more for the stain than the weathering. I don't like looking at ugly grey wood. This gives it that nice unglazed brown look

Boxes definitely look very nice. Whatever you go forward with in the future I’m learning good information from this thread for sure. However, I don’t think I will ever build a box that is outside with nails at this point having mended some fences recently, predriil holes (to not split/mane) with a spot of glue or sealant sounds even better. A potentially 10 yr box is plausible to me.

 

[parhamr]

@PABonsai that’s the good shit right there. Good work and thanks for sharing!

 

[PABonsai]

Boxes definitely look very nice. Whatever you go forward with in the future I’m learning good information from this thread for sure. However, I don’t think I will ever build a box that is outside with nails at this point having mended some fences recently, predriil holes (to not split/mane) with a spot of glue or sealant sounds even better. A potentially 10 yr box is plausible to me.

Thank you for the compliment. I tried putting a lot of thought into the plan of how exactly to build them efficiently. And of course I took a picture of the nicest one that turned out

What I ended up doing is gluing all the boards together AND nailing. I didn't take the time to flatten the nail tips though so there was minor splitting on a couple. In that case I stuck some glue in and clamped it to close the split. I was reluctant to buy galvanized nails so we will see....the ones I got have a heavier galvanizing and the box actually was the only type of galvanized that did not warn about nails showing where rust staining may occur so maybe I'll get some ok life here.

A little tidbit for those who may not know, the reason nails split wood is mainly because modern nails have a point. As they drive they split the grain like a wedge. Older style cut nails have a flat tip so it actually crushes the grain in front of the nail rather than splitting.

The bottom mesh was always a question and based on some of the comments I'm definitely going to have to keep an eye on it after a few repottings

 

[PABonsai]

@PABonsai that’s the good shit right there. Good work and thanks for sharing!

Thanks! It was a fun little thinking project!

 

[Dan92119]

I use 1x6x6 cedar fence boards. They are about 5/8x5 1/2. Around $2.50 each. I use window screen that is pet resistant. I rip one down for the feet. I screw them together. I have pond baskets too but they tend to fall over. Boxes are much more stable.

 

[PABonsai]

I use 1x6x6 cedar fence boards. They are about 5/8x5 1/2. Around $2.50 each. I use window screen that is pet resistant. I rip one down for the feet. I screw them together. I have pond baskets too but they tend to fall over. Boxes are much more stable.

Have you run into any issues with the screen and the roots?

 

[parhamr]

I use window screen that is pet resistant

I’ve used this too and, whew, deciduous tree roots really cling to it. Here’s a trident after two years—the roots are gorgeous and full, but note the screen stuck to the bottom:


…which turned out just fine, but took a lot of effort to rip and cut the screen free.

 

[Dan92119]

Have you run into any issues with the screen and the roots?

I am still new to growing this way. I have seen some roots coming through but they turn brown. I am thinking that when I repot in the spring I might run a razor blade over the screen and see what happens. The roots are small because of the screen.

With the pond baskets I am using I somewhat lost control of the roots on the bottom. I think I may have issues repotting those. They just sit flat so the air doesn’t get to the roots and dry them out. I will have to raise them up some way.

 

[Anthony]

My question is always - growing for trunk size or refining the branches to
branchlets ?

Also, we used to use [ for refining to branchlets ] the styro boxes used
for grapes / apples or pears.
Lasts for years.
Just place a sheet or two of newspaper at the base and by the time
the paper rots, the soil is root bound.

Now we use over sized plastic bonsai pots and mica pots.
Average plant height 12 to 15 inches.
Good Day
Anthony