Trying to decide on my how to do my free stands.

[Bonsai Nut]

WIDE is better than multi-level. When you go multi-level, your trees on the lower levels back branches will get screwed up as they are either shoved up against the support behind them or shaded out. This problem increases with the size of your trees--If you have bigger trees, you will get broken or weak back branches.

I've never added levels to any of my stands, only increased their widths--wide is better...

I wouldn't say one is "better" than the other - like so many things in bonsai, it depends on your situation. If you are placing the shelving up against a wall or a fence (or in my case tall bushes), having a 36" wide shelf with two rows of tree on it is difficult to work with - while the same setup may be perfect if you have an open space in a yard or field. Place a tiered shelf facing the north, and the bottom shelf will get shaded out. Place a tiered shelf facing south, and the bottom shelf gets the same amount of sun as the top.

I find that having tiered shelving works for me in some cases, but not in others. I like the ability to have shelves where I can put deciduous on the lower shelf that won't get as much sun as the conifers I put on the top shelf. But hey, to each their own. What works for me isn't going to work for everyone... and I guarantee you the inverse is true.

I almost didn't post because this is turning into a soil wars thread In a perfect world, I'd have each of my trees on its own dedicated stand... with a turn table

 

[Trenthany]

Automatic watering for beginners is a way to not learn how to water properly. It's convenient, BUT it can also kill your trees if you're not familiar with their day-in-day-out needs. Those change during the growing season. The "Set and forget" watering system won't compensate, you'll get overwatering and underwatering, possibly at the severe detriment to your trees.

hand watering is the most reliable way to do this starting out. You won' be tempted to let things go. After 25 years, I hand water my trees every day. Takes about 10-15 minutes twice a day. Gives me a chance to see how things are doing as well and find problems. It's also relaxing-isn't that part of what attracted you to bonsai is after all? Bonsai don't require intensive daily care. It's a process of doing 100 small things every week over time...

I would recommend going for handwatering, and only use the irrigation as backup for trips etc.
Watering will mean seeing each tree every day and spotting trouble when it starts. If you do not have to water, you have a real risk of ignoring the trees for a bit when busy.

I don’t understand why people would set and forget. With the amount of rain I get over watering is more of a concern than under. I’ve only been watering to feed with liquid but am thinking of going to teabags because I don’t want to over water and I want them to grow hard this summer. That said I still look at my trees every single day. Even the ones at work. People that don’t check their trees shouldn’t have trees!

 

[Trenthany]

I wouldn't say one is "better" than the other - like so many things in bonsai, it depends on your situation. If you are placing the shelving up against a wall or a fence (or in my case tall bushes), having a 36" wide shelf with two rows of tree on it is difficult to work with - while the same setup may be perfect if you have an open space in a yard or field. Place a tiered shelf facing the north, and the bottom shelf will get shaded out. Place a tiered shelf facing south, and the bottom shelf gets the same amount of sun as the top.

I find that having tiered shelving works for me in some cases, but not in others. I like the ability to have shelves where I can put deciduous on the lower shelf that won't get as much sun as the conifers I put on the top shelf. But hey, to each their own. What works for me isn't going to work for everyone... and I guarantee you the inverse is true.

I almost didn't post because this is turning into a soil wars thread In a perfect world, I'd have each of my trees on its own dedicated stand... with a turn table

Stand Wars
Right now...
in a forum far far away...

 

[rockm]

I don’t understand why people would set and forget. With the amount of rain I get over watering is more of a concern than under. I’ve only been watering to feed with liquid but am thinking of going to teabags because I don’t want to over water and I want them to grow hard this summer. That said I still look at my trees every single day. Even the ones at work. People that don’t check their trees shouldn’t have trees!

You miss the point. Watering by hand teaches you how to do it, instead of relying on something else to do it for you. Watering is THE hardest thing to learn in bonsai. You don't know how to do it if you have been doing bonsai for less than a couple of years--several rotations of the seasons. More trees are lost because of improper watering than most anything else.

Don't make the mistake of thinking you know how to do it since you've not killed a tree yet. Over (and under) watering is a cumulative thing that drags trees down over time...

 

[Trenthany]

You miss the point. Watering by hand teaches you how to do it, instead of relying on something else to do it for you. Watering is THE hardest thing to learn in bonsai. You don't know how to do it if you have been doing bonsai for less than a couple of years--several rotations of the seasons. More trees are lost because of improper watering than most anything else.

Don't make the mistake of thinking you know how to do it since you've not killed a tree yet. Over (and under) watering is a cumulative thing that drags trees down over time...

Oh I definitely know better than that. I’m still trying to learn how much my trees need in various times of the year. I just think as a supplement it could be helpful and excluding covid I go on 3-4 day conference trips several times a year. So I will need at least water at those times hopefully I’ll be able to figure out the best amounts for each tree by the time my next event is actually going to happen! I don’t trust people! Lol

 

[Trenthany]

Ok so I started one project then aquired more bench material for free again! Main island bench is done. Free tables are sitting to the side then all the pieces of the picnic table will become more benches! Lol. I have a surplus of benches! Good problem to have!

 

[leatherback]

How did you secure the blocks that stick out and hold your lower levels?

 

[Trenthany]

How did you secure the blocks that stick out and hold your lower levels?

Liquid nails masonry adhesive. I can stand on them and they’re only for beer tools etc.

 

[leatherback]

Liquid nails masonry adhesive. I can stand on them and they’re only for beer tools etc.

Be carefull with the beer though. That stuff gets heavy once mid-summer hits.
Him. Beerbelly I mean.
THe beer itself will never be very large or heavy. EMpty cans are light.