Colander vs Terra Cotta?
- Thread starter JackHammer
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- colander conifer terra cotta
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
Just want to say that I have pond baskets that are 20 years old. And I like the black color better than the colanders I have seen. Yes, price is more but I have found several pond baskets in a very affordable range and buy them when the opportunity presents itself.
I don't think it matters tremendously what you use or how you use it. I think it is about Your results.
I don't think it matters tremendously what you use or how you use it. I think it is about Your results.
Maiden69
Masterpiece
I read that when he post it, if you read the entire thing he watered and fertilized the same as the trees in terracotta... hence nullifying the benefits of using a colander in the first place.
I think the only time I will not use a colander is with deciduous trees that move a lot of water... I have 2 of those (a luma apiculata and a liquidambar orientalis) and I had to place a "humidity tray" on them so they don't dry out by the end of the day here in Central Texas. My next move is to install an automated watering system, I already have all the parts, just need to find the motivation to do it in this hot weather.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Just leave it on the whole time you're installing it!
I been watering up lately!
Sorce
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
Despite being from the wrong end of the state
I find @Colorado's advice invaluable, even if it's not detailed in the slightest.There's considerations in this debate that have more to do with markyscott's beginner soil physics resource (which I've been reading heavily lately, and highly recommend) than the geometry of containers.
It's a balance of end goals, strategies, and climate. Here in semi-arid localities, terracotta works well for training pots because of its water retaining qualities. The weather here, it's either wet or it's dry- mostly dry- so terracotta helps even that out. It's becoming my favorite substrate medium for that reason. A colander would be disastrous here, though, because it will dry out far too quickly.
If you live in a wetter climate, a colander (or similar container) may serve with equal but opposite benefits.
BonsaiNaga13
Chumono
Do you give those trees in those pots any special treatment overwinter? I have my 6 year jbp contest tree in a pond basket this year and it's my first year using pond baskets.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Despite being from the wrong end of the state
There's considerations in this debate that have more to do with markyscott's beginner soil physics resource (which I've been reading heavily lately, and highly recommend) than the geometry of containers.
It's a balance of end goals, strategies, and climate. Here in semi-arid localities, terracotta works well for training pots because of its water retaining qualities. The weather here, it's either wet or it's dry- mostly dry- so terracotta helps even that out. It's becoming my favorite substrate medium for that reason. A colander would be disastrous here, though, because it will dry out far too quickly.
If you live in a wetter climate, a colander (or similar container) may serve with equal but opposite benefits.
You are right.
I believe the key is "exclusively".
Everything becomes easy with uniformity.
One could exclusively train trees in hand carved pieces of elephant dung and figure out the pattern better than someone using only 2 different devices.
Sorce
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
Not going to argue with the logic.
I tend to find myself MacGyver-ing my trees as often as not, so I do seem to forget that sort of thing is a priority for others. It's also why I enjoy participating in these discussions. I pick up and realize little tidbits along the way that help me adjust my expectations.
Slippery Pete
Sapling
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
I'd love for you to share your motivation behind that post and how it came to be.
Sorce
Maiden69
Masterpiece
@sorce , I guess a lot of things change during ones life... I did a search for the word "colander" posted by you and 90% of what I found was positive with the exception of a few posts. Hell, you even created your own colander/pond baskets with the cement base so your trees didn't have to learn to fly. And from the look of a lot of your trees the growth was very good. So, what changed? I mean, I can understand me not liking them because if the stupid ass hot weather here in Central Texas, were it was 90 degrees with a "feels like 104 dry your freaking trees weekend", not in a zone 6 environment.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
The appropriate definition of "colander".
Especially as it pertains to the actual effects of these very different devices we lump together as "colander".
In the following analogy, consider "colander like devices" to be the Crayons and Markers, and the trees to be the surface on which they color.
Both Crayons and Markers draw, but on a soft surface, you may only get a crayon to not bleed beyond the lines you are drawing within.
The same marker that bled through soft paper may appear on a dry erase board, where a crayon may not. Marker may or may not wipe off of a dry erase board.
Color a soft paper fully with crayon, and a marker that may once have bled, won't even reach the soft paper.
There is a multitude of different circumstances where a crayon or marker may be more appropriate. Even times where we want to utilize them for "bleeding" effects, permanency, or erasability.
As the teachers of use of "Colanders" for trees.
I believe we should be more responsible than a teacher who would offer a child a marker and soft paper, then get upset when the child finds it impossible to stay within the lines.
As responsible teachers, we must ensure these differences are understood.
I guess I could have added, "as an appropriate airpruning device" to "useless".
"Useless" is just my opinion, since I only seek an appropriate air pruning device for my goals of ultimate and exact control, since this leaves little to question.
What makes the opinion to use "appropriate air pruning devices" the best ....
There is nothing they can't do that a "colander" can.
There are things they can do that a colander can't.
Also, these baskets anyone can make, are a better investment than colanders.
So it's all kinda more fact than opinion that an appropriate air Pruning device is better than a "colander". Then again, I don't know how long them OG funneling airpruning containers last.
I'd be willing to bet mine last longer, if not due to material, due to design.
Them little funnel cones on them pots seem like they're waiting, like a new speaker on display at Best Buy, to get their dust cap pushed in. I have never touched one though, so I can't be certain.
Sorce
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
@Slippery Pete ........that was pretty slippery.
Slippery Pete
Sapling
It was purely coincidence, I had been scrolling through this thread at one point yesterday, and later on last night I found myself in a different thread. I suppose the reason I decided to post these clashing comments was because it provides context. Information. I see it this way:
Some guy comes in bashing colanders, saying they are a waste of time or whatever. Speaks authoritatively, like he knows what he's talking about. As a newbie, I would feel like, "damn, I feel kind of silly for using a colander."
The context provided by my comment is that, you yourself at one point or other believed that colanders offered certain utility. You chose not to give this background information, instead simply writing them off as useless, but the fact is that you liked them at one point. As a newbie, I would find relief in this, for reasons [I'm having trouble articulating, but ] having to do with credibility. People who say one thing and do another are not people I want to take advice from.
Me, I have a couple trees in crappy colanders which I'm sure are completely useless for air-pruning. My preference are pond baskets that I found at Lowes, something like 9"x9"x 6 1/2" lwh size. Even so, I'd never make as bold and grossly generalized a claim about colanders as you have, since I can't back it up.
Overall, I guess I wish to cast an aura of skepticism onto those who make authoritative claims about "XY or Z being better or worse. Full stop.", Just about the only thing I took away from a college philosophy course was this: question everything
Some guy comes in bashing colanders, saying they are a waste of time or whatever. Speaks authoritatively, like he knows what he's talking about. As a newbie, I would feel like, "damn, I feel kind of silly for using a colander."
The context provided by my comment is that, you yourself at one point or other believed that colanders offered certain utility. You chose not to give this background information, instead simply writing them off as useless, but the fact is that you liked them at one point. As a newbie, I would find relief in this, for reasons [I'm having trouble articulating, but ] having to do with credibility. People who say one thing and do another are not people I want to take advice from.
Me, I have a couple trees in crappy colanders which I'm sure are completely useless for air-pruning. My preference are pond baskets that I found at Lowes, something like 9"x9"x 6 1/2" lwh size. Even so, I'd never make as bold and grossly generalized a claim about colanders as you have, since I can't back it up.
Overall, I guess I wish to cast an aura of skepticism onto those who make authoritative claims about "XY or Z being better or worse. Full stop.", Just about the only thing I took away from a college philosophy course was this: question everything
AlainK
Imperial Masterpiece
If you put a pond basket into a slightly larger terracota pot, roots will grow from the holes in the pond-basket, and if you've filled the space between the basket and the terracota pot with free-draining lava rock or pumice, etc.
BrightsideB
Omono
It’s always best to use a colander and then slip pot it in a terracotta pot. Or put a terracotta pot in a colander. It’s science man. It’s undercover.
AlainK
Imperial Masterpiece
BrightsideB
Omono
AgreedThe other way round is much better
PA_Penjing
Chumono
I was trying to figure out why I was reading this thread then I saw that sentence.
I like terra cotta because I love the patina they get. Pond baskets or DIY air pruners are probably better but I'm a vain/shallow/pretty mother %$^&er I guess
Colorado
Masterpiece
Terra cotta looks much nicer!
