Growing Box Wood Type

DavidJinPA

Hello All,
I recently have gotten lucky, and got my hands on a group of 25 3 month old seedlings. Well I have been dying to put together a forest planting, and with that amount of seedlings I guess now is a good time to start one. (cut n grow method of course)
I know it will take a considerably decent amount of time to train these seedlings into anything worth working with, but I really would love to give them a good start (boost), so I figured I would plant them in a larger (but semi shallow) growing box. My question is what type of lumber would be the best for building this container? Is it better to use treated or untreated lumber?
David J....

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TreeBay

5000-year-old cypress planks from the tombs of the pharoahs, of course

If you can't get that, use whatever is handy. Cypress, cedar and redwood are long lasting and insect resistant. If you use something like pine or fir it will apart in two seasons, but that could be long enough? Adding some standoff feet will make it last a bit longer. It really depends on how much your time is worth vs. the cost & pain of making new boxes.

Pressure treated lumber is getting hard to find in some states. There is a phaseout in the works as they shift to a new formulation.

http://www.americanramp.com/Origina...p_t_lumber.html

Regards,

Matt

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jhill

David,
You could buy some of that composite decking board and use it. It would last forever.
John

Tiny-Plant

I use redwood...

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Camay123

Ill post a follow up question to this thread.

Once the wooden frame is complete, what is best to be used for the bottom of the box ?

TreeBay

I use slats, usually the same thickness and twice the width of the sides, but my boxes are shallow. I then run drainage screen across the slat openings, spaced about 3/8 apart, or across the entire width of smaller boxes.

I have seen other people stretch hardware cloth (a galvanized screen - much stiffer than window screen and with larger holes) across the entire bottom of a wooden frame to make a box, and staple it in place.

One important thing is to add some spacer feet to the four corners of the box to hold it up so you get some drainage and ventilation or the box or bench it rests on will begin to decay more rapidly. I grew some nice mushrooms before I figured this out. You can use four short blocks in the corners or two long bars on along the sides that are more structural supports:



Regards,

Matt

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Gogo

Is there an article out there on how to build growing boxes? I would use one primarily for transferring garden nursery stock plants that are in 1-5 gallon pots.

I was just wondering what the ideal depth of the box should be and what type of potting media should I use.

Matt, the boxes in your picture look rather shallow. Are those used for seedlings/cuttings or do use it for larger plants as well?

Thanks,
Gerald

TreeBay

That isn't my box (or cat) but that particular box is for acclimating a large bonsai to a tray prior to planting.

Training boxes are made in every conceivable size for different purposes. Larger, deeper boxes for the recovery of collected specimens, boxes of medium depth for maximizing growth, and shallow boxes for trees with shallow, radial root systems.

Regards,

Matt

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spoonman

i use fence pailings for the bottom and treated pine for the sides seems to work fine.

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