Budget Idea Swap!

zen

Ok you guys, I know that I am a "noob" or whatever but I think I have a GREAT idea for a thread BUDGET bonsai ideas for home made or "engineered" for use with various chores/growing/propagation. And I'll even start us off,...I have discovered that 2 or 3 liter plastic soda bottles make great cutting/seedling beds for mame to small shohin size trees,just use a knife and make a bunch of tiny holes on the "bottom" for fast(becuase of the non porous nature of plastic and the curve of the sides)and cut a side off the bottle then lay it down on it's side and,...VIOLA!...and you could even(untested) use the cut-out oval shaped thing placed on top of a free-draining inorganic shaped like a long "ditch" with drainage holes and tap-root holes cut through to speed nebari development. You could even use spray paint caps, one cut in half heightwise and placed inside the other with soil to build good compact root systems for small trees. I hope to hear lots of good responses.
P.s. I am also going to try to find a kiddie pool the shallow plastic kind after I move (soon) and create a bed from it.

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Will_Heath

Use old discarded dresser drawers for growing boxes, just add holes.


Will

bisco_bonsai

"Women want me, trees fear me?"

Will, Will, Will...from what I hear, it is the other way around!

All the best,
JDL

P.S. Never miss an opportunity for a cheap shot!

Craig Cowing

For soil scoops--16 oz soft drink bottle cut off at an angle

Root rake--old stainless steel fork bent over at the base


Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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I'm not finished yet, neither are my trees.

ripssurf

to provide a "continuous drip" for my plants in the summer, i take a water bottle (with water in it), cut a whole in the cap, stick a thick string through the hole, attach some plastic on the bottom of the sting to act as a weight, and bury the other end in the dirt. it drips all day long.

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桜がきれいだが、花はすぐ終わってしまうので、残念。

pootsie

Cheap hand trowel from fancy import store (aka dollar store ) and a couple minutes with a hammer and some pliers.

I've used it for two years and and really impressed with how well it works, truly. PUts soil right where I want it.

pootsie

Attached Images

soil scoop.jpg (25.9 KB, 42 views)

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p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

plant_dr27

I like those kinds of tools! Kind of like Will Heath's growing box made out of a dresser droor, very clever. Whatever gets the job done!

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"I calculated the odds of this succeeding versus the odds I was doing something incredibly stupid, and... I went ahead anyway" Crow T. Robot, MST3K