BunjinEnt

Recently, I have been playing with the idea of using 100% inorganic soil and grow boxes to better refine the roots of some of my trees, increase the vigor of others and just plain grow some of the seedlings I have. Building a couple grow boxes in and of itself is not terribly costly, but a dozen or more can really set me back.

Also, there was an article in the BT Pines book that talked about using inorganics with kitchen colanders in progressively larger sizes to aid proper nebari formation/ramification and increase trunk girth. So I took a trip to several local thrift stores and found colanders (Both aluminium and plastic) for $.50 each, and coated crab boil pots for $2. Then I noticed all of these wonderfully tacky coated wire and plastic baskets for $.25-$.50/ea. Most of them were shaped like bonsai pots and could hold inorganic soil on their own or with creative screen work.

But what I found in over-abundance were wicker baskets of ALL shapes and sizes. Everybody gets them as thoughtful presents and nobody wants them afterwards except the craft-wright types. I looked for the ones that seemed to be more sturdy and treated with possible plastic coating. They should be good for a season or two and they are perforated from base to rim with drainage. Another cool thing about them is they often come in shapes, depths and sizes that mimic bonsai pots, which may aid a bit in the up-potting process?

My questions then, are:

1. Does aluminum pose a problem to the health of pines or other material that require well drained soils?

2. If so, which ones?

3. Does sturdy wicker seem to be a suitable (albeit temporary) substitute for the fancy schmancy cedar and screen or water basket grow boxes?

I would like your opinion.

Thanks,

William

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