Summer Relief

bonsaial1

I started into shohin bonsai about ten years ago. At the time I was in a funk about my collection. I had a bunch of average trees, but nothing that really screamed bonsai. Most of the problem was that the trunk ratio's were all screwed up. Larger trees, thin trunks.

How to get a larger trunked tree?
Cut down taller skinny trunked tree and make a shorter thick trunked tree.
Hah! Simple.

And so I did. Cut down most everything I owned. On a count last week I noted that I had only 18 larger trees, Chuin or larger and 50 shohin trees. My problem is that over the years I have watered once a day and basicly kept the plants alive but probably not thriving.

I have read of those that keep shohin trees on sand beds to keep them cool and to help keep the tree moisturized during the day. It was on a trip to Wal Mart that I spied these planters. I have never really paid much attention to them until I saw the red tags on them and then it clicked. Hey, I can fill these with gravel and put my trees on them and afford me some protection during this heat wave we are in again.

I bought 12 of them and though they are only 1.97 during the season I got these for 1.50. Cheap even when not on close out.

I purchased two bags of lava from the rock place and filled them up. I placed them on by benches and put the trees on them. About three trees is all that fit on the planters. They come in about three colors and are meant to be water basins for window box pots or for three pots on a base. They work pretty well and if they hold up for a couple years I will add more next year. I have about half my collection back in grow containers that are not on the benches. I take all my shohin out every two years for strength growing for a couple seasons.

Hopefull my trees will reward me over the next few months as summer comes to a close.
Cheers, Al

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irene_b

I use A/C trays down here....Fill them with turface and set them in it!
Irene

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kcpoole

Very nice Al
I have a few little ones I am going to pot up soon and something like this will look nice on my Back patio
Ken

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dtree

Hi Al - I have shohin trees, and I am close enought to work that I can water them three times a day if need be on really hot windy days. In your opinion, is this a better/worse/about the same idea as a tray setup like yours. Is there any difference as regards the health of the tree ? Thanks for your insight.

dtree

GB_Bonsai

you can use seed trays too, with or without holes to drain the water. I like using the seed tray racks that are perforated so the water drains out. wide and shallow,, with lots of surface area so they do not dry very quickly (remember that thread?). I use turface or coarse river sand, then set the mame pots right on top. simple but effective. river sand works better than turface, and the kind I have is white so it does not heat up as much as darker medium.

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