What are your thoughts on pond baskets?

[drip]

What do you guys think about using pond baskets and has anyone had success with them? In theory in sounds like it works. What stage of bonsai are pond baskets useful and not? I've read a couple things against the use of them but most things point to yes. Just wondering if anyone stands by them and when to use them.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

I use them constantly - essentially whenever something isn't finished it's in a pond basket after the first year or so.

I've never seen anything written against using them.

 

[ChefB]

Love ‘em

 

[gschup]

A lot of my material is in pond baskets. The plants grow rather well in my experience.

The one thing I dislike about pond baskets is how light they are. I have to tie down a lot of my trees in pond baskets because of occasional strong winds and gusts.

Ceramic containers or terracotta pots are much heavier. I like that!

 

[drip]

I use them constantly - essentially whenever something isn't finished it's in a pond basket after the first year or so.

I've never seen anything written against using them.

Ohh cool, so you use them to thicken trunks as well? What size basket are you using?

 

[cmu268]

I love using them for developing trees. The soil does dry out quicker, so you do have to monitor your watering.

 

[drip]

I love using them for developing trees. The soil does dry out quicker, so you do have to monitor your watering.

So the main consensus is pond baskets are definitively better for developing trees as long as you can stay on top of watering. I do have 4 trees in pond baskets currently but was wondering if there was any downsides to it. They are growing pretty well but all have 0.5 in trunks so not sure if I should keep them there or switch to something else. I expect them to be growing out for maybe 5-10 years so I have time to switch.

 

[Manbris]

Good question. I also wonder the same. Experience seem to suggest that small trees in size like them but not large ones - so how do you prevent you tree get blown off by the wind? I live in windy area. And the typical size of these baskets are too squared? So probably not best for your typical bonsai pots. I see some goods results in tree roots for juniper and jpm in development.

I am also trying out grown bags. So interesting to hear

 

[ChefB]

I think a true pond basket is 10 x 10 and 8 inches deep it handily fits in a square bucket. You can get smaller ones though you can also use net pots that are square or round that come in various sizes from 2 inches all the way up to probably eight or 10 inches.

 

[ChefB]

Set those pond baskets on the ground, and once you start getting escape roots into the ground now your ground growing and when it’s time, take a sawzall and just lop everything in the ground off at the bottom of the pond basket.

 

[drip]

Set those pond baskets on the ground, and once you start getting escape roots into the ground now your ground growing and when it’s time, take a sawzall and just lop everything in the ground off at the bottom of the pond basket.

Ohhh never thought of that, might try that next year. My pond baskets are 10x10x8, is that enough space for trunk thickening without putting them on the ground?

 

[ChefB]

More than a smaller sized pot.

 

[ChefB]

Don’t grow them in the ground for more than 2 years without addressing the roots though. Then you may just have a tree in the ground.

 

[dotme]

Where do you get pond/net baskets from? I’m having trouble translating it to something I can find in stores near me (maybe i just don’t know what they’re for originally) so I probably have to go online anyway. Also I would like to avoid amazon if at all possible.

 

[ChefB]

Lowe’s in the pond section outside usually

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

Set those pond baskets on the ground, and once you start getting escape roots into the ground now your ground growing and when it’s time, take a sawzall and just lop everything in the ground off at the bottom of the pond basket.

I like this. I suppose it would work best if you loosen up compacted soil before setting the baskets on the ground?

 

[drip]

Where do you get pond/net baskets from? I’m having trouble translating it to something I can find in stores near me (maybe i just don’t know what they’re for originally) so I probably have to go online anyway. Also I would like to avoid amazon if at all possible.

Yeah I got mine from home depot, hidden in the corner of the outdoor section

 

[dotme]

I tried to dm as i don’t want to clutter up the thread more than necessary, but I’m to new to be trusted with that function
I’m in norway where we don’t have lowes or home depot, so I’m not familiar with either, but my impression is that it’s more or less a hardware store?

When you say «the pond section» do you mean that literally, like there’s a section for stuff for your little water-filled hole?

I don’t know what I was thinking before, but it never struck me that pond basket was literally something used in ponds. I guess I’ll have to look for a different kind of local shop. To bad neither bonsai or ponds are popular around here

 

[drip]

I tried to dm as i don’t want to clutter up the thread more than necessary, but I’m to new to be trusted with that function
I’m in norway where we don’t have lowes or home depot, so I’m not familiar with either, but my impression is that it’s more or less a hardware store?

When you say «the pond section» do you mean that literally, like there’s a section for stuff for your little water-filled hole?

I don’t know what I was thinking before, but it never struck me that pond basket was literally something used in ponds. I guess I’ll have to look for a different kind of local shop. To bad neither bonsai or ponds are popular around here

Yeah its just a general hardware store, I think any hardware store should sell them but they are online as well.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I despise them. I tried them for a few growing seasons years ago with pines, junipers and Chinese elms. This is what I remember:

1. Unstable physically until roots grew into the ground (at which point the expressed intent of the pond basket is defeated)
2. Roots need to grow out and around, but mesh sides result in root dieback because the outside walls are constantly dry.
3. Watering needs are very inconsistent. Wind and sun have extra effect and one side always seems to fare worse.
4. Finally potting out of pond baskets showed I had roots down into the ground, and a core around the base of the trunk that had nothing to advance the development of nebari.

Anderson flats are superior, since they have structured sides, are wider and shallower to allow better root growth outward, and a mesh bottom that allow some escape for explosive growth, but without sacrificing the roots in the container.