Questions About Growing Pre-Bonsai In Containers

If I recall correctly, @Deano lives in Ohio as well. He may have some tips for your climate. I grew up mostly around the Dayton area, but it's been 30 years.
 
didn’t someone have a credible Osage orange? I remember seeing the monkey puzzles when I was near Dayton.

Colanders and orchid pots are other options.

Edit: it was JKL that had the Osage. I miss having him on here.
 
didn’t someone have a credible Osage orange? I remember seeing the monkey puzzles when I was near Dayton.

Colanders and orchid pots are other options.

Edit: it was JKL that had the Osage. I miss having him on her

didn’t someone have a credible Osage orange? I remember seeing the monkey puzzles when I was near Dayton.

Colanders and orchid pots are other options.

Edit: it was JKL that had the Osage. I miss having him on here.
Weird coincidence but there's an Osage orange on the side of my backyard driveway and has these super long horizontal-ish branches. It almost looks like a live oak. Real cool.
 
Alot has been said already. But I want to share my opinions and experience. I grow alot of trees in large plastic containers, even trees that are beyond the prebonsai stage. Its cheaper, and I can save my best pots for my best trees. However I also use alot of pond baskets or similar, like plastic strainers, and I find that it makes the tree happier, so I would recommend something like that. You can also use pots like these with bonsai soil, or a mix of normal potting soil and bonsai soil, to get better drainage and airation

Biggest issue I find is that the roots require more work when grown in containers like these, as they tend to have a lot of growth going down, and also swirling around the pot at the bottom.
 
Alot has been said already. But I want to share my opinions and experience. I grow alot of trees in large plastic containers, even trees that are beyond the prebonsai stage. Its cheaper, and I can save my best pots for my best trees. However I also use alot of pond baskets or similar, like plastic strainers, and I find that it makes the tree happier, so I would recommend something like that. You can also use pots like these with bonsai soil, or a mix of normal potting soil and bonsai soil, to get better drainage and airation

Biggest issue I find is that the roots require more work when grown in containers like these, as they tend to have a lot of growth going down, and also swirling around the pot at the bottom.
Thank you very much for the tips!

I'm sorry it took me so long to respond. I legit haven't used a forum website in like 20 years lol so I sometimes forget it's not an app on my phone that gives me notifications 😭
 
Thank you very much for the tips!

I'm sorry it took me so long to respond. I legit haven't used a forum website in like 20 years lol so I sometimes forget it's not an app on my phone that gives me notifications 😭
No need for apologies.
You'll enjoy knowing that there's essentially no such thing as necroposting here. Use the search function, do some research, ask for updates on a thread from 5 years ago; totally normal around here.
 
No need for apologies.
You'll enjoy knowing that there's essentially no such thing as necroposting here. Use the search function, do some research, ask for updates on a thread from 5 years ago; totally normal around here.
Oh wow that's really cool! Thanks for saying this because I was afraid to reply to old posts LMAO.
 
Oh wow that's really cool! Thanks for saying this because I was afraid to reply to old posts LMAO.
Bonsai takes years, and some years we don't do anything at all to a tree, and just let it grow. Then sometimes just forget to update.
So if you find a thread, and have a question, or want an update, just ask. Worse case scenario the user is no longer active and you get no response. Even then, someone else who was following that thread might have something for you.

Dig in, use that search feature, ask away. It's a great community. Half of us are amateurs who think we know more than we actually have experience to back up, but the other half are some of the world's best.
 
Why go large when your space is limited? Shohin and Chuhin size trees can give you a much better scale without as much grow out time, even in a groa box. I think I got about a solid 1/2" - 3/4" diameter on my linden in a grow box this year... I let the top apex run all spring and summer to about 4ft in length. If I chopped it back now and put it in a small 6" pot, within a couple years of clip and grow Id have some nice ramification on it.

Red maples and silver maples are the samd situation. Heres a 4yr old silver maple. Never been in the ground. Maybe you can find a friend or someone from a local club to assist in wiring. Clip and grow is fine too, especially for deciduous. This tree is about 15" tall.

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