[IBC] Humidity Tray Medium

Corcoran. Bil

For several years we've been using plastic humidity trays to help keep
the humidity up around our plants and also to protect the shelves they
sit on from water drainage. For most of this time we filled the trays
with broken sea shells. This keeps the pot up out of the water so the
water in the tray doesn't wick up into the pot. The problem we're
having is that the shells get all messy with soil, dirt and even algae
and as you can imagine the shells are really hard to effectively clean.
When using a pot with no feet the pot does sometimes sit down low enough
in the shells to wick water, and pots with feet usually have their feet
hidden because they sink into the shells.

We've tried gravel, Turface and a number of other things but don't do
any better.

My question is can anyone think of something better we can use. I'd
like it to sit high enough that the pot cannot wick water into the
drainage hole. I'd like it to show off the feet on pots that have them.
I'd like it to be as invisible as possible. I'd like it to be cheap and
easy to find or buy. It needs to be water proof and uniform/level
enough to hold small or large pots (with and without feet) and most of
all I'd like it to be easy to clean. Wood strips? Masonry pieces?
Furniture blocks?

Any ideas?
wmcorcor

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sam crowell

I've had great success with small squares of stain glass scrap that my
mother-in-law provides. She does stain glass work, and doesn't mind making
small squares, even grinds/polishs the edges so they are not sharp. They
are uniform in thickness, can be color coordinated, and are stackable to
change the pot to the desired height. Non water absorbing (or course), adds
no chemicals to the water, never rots. I use these for small pots normally,
but perhaps this could be adapted to larger pots as well? I would think
using silicon cement to "build up" pads or platforms for larger pots in
large trays may be a good option. Good Luck!

Sam Crowell
Klamath Falls, Oregon

>My question is can anyone think of something better we can use. I'd
>like it to sit high enough that the pot cannot wick water into the
>drainage hole. I'd like it to show off the feet on pots that have them.
>I'd like it to be as invisible as possible. I'd like it to be cheap and
>easy to find or buy. It needs to be water proof and uniform/level
>enough to hold small or large pots (with and without feet) and most of
>all I'd like it to be easy to clean. Wood strips? Masonry pieces?
>Furniture blocks?
>
>Any ideas?

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marty haber

Hi Bill,
You will probably get a slew of responses to this question. They will all
say that humidity trays are useless. They simply do not increase the
humidity to any substantial degree - and they produce a mess of disease
bearing problems as well. If you want to increase humidity, make a plastic
tent over your plants, making sure to vent the tent regularly. Dump the
shells -
you'll be much happier if you do.
Marty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Corcoran. Bil" <wmcorcor@KINGS.EDU>
To: <BONSAI@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: [IBC] Humidity Tray Medium


>
> Any ideas?

> +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

Corcoran. Bil

Thanks Marty:

I guess I should have specified that the main reason we use them is to
keep the water that drains out from ruining our shelves and not so much
for humidity. Obviously both are more important on our indoor plants
but we do like the protection they offer outside also.



==> -----Original Message-----
==> From: marty haber [mailto:haberm@optonline.net]
==> Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 5:39 PM
==> To: Corcoran. Bil; BONSAI@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
==> Subject: Re: [IBC] Humidity Tray Medium
==>
==> Hi Bill,
==> You will probably get a slew of responses to this question. They
will
==> all
==> say that humidity trays are useless

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
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Billy M. Rhodes

In a message dated 4/24/2004 5:04:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
wmcorcor@KINGS.EDU writes:

> My question is can anyone think of something better we can use.

Have you ever been to a hotel for a conference and have them put water
on the tables? They always sit the pitcher of water on a hexagonal or round
tray that contains a hard plastic grid. This allows the condensation from the
cool pitcher to run off without having the pitcher sit in water.

The plastic grid is a separate piece. Now I know that the plastic
pieces are probably the wrong size for you humidity trays. But if you could find
a similar plastic grid you would have a solution.
Billy on the Florida Space Coast
BSF Annual Convention May 28 - 31, 2004 Radisson Hotel, Cape Canaveral,
Florida
Sponsored by The Bonsai Society of Brevard and the Treasure Coast Bonsai
Society
http://www.bonsaisocietyofbrevard.org/2004/2004.html

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Carl L Rosner

Bil:
It is a very simple solution! Use the "egg crate" diffusers used on
Fluorescent lights. You can buy a large piece and cut to fit the
Humidityu trays. The best part is the clean up. Just place them in a
sink with Chlorox and they will bleach them clean in minutes.

Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
http://bmee.net/rosner
http://www.jamesbaird.com/cgi-bin/J...stid=0000006848



Corcoran. Bil wrote:

>For several years we've been using plastic humidity trays to help keep
>the humidity up around our plants and also to protect the shelves they
>sit on from water drainage. For most of this time we filled the trays
>with broken sea shells. This keeps the pot up out of the water so the
>water in the tray doesn't wick up into the pot. The problem we're
>having is that the shells get all messy with soil, dirt and even algae
>and as you can imagine the shells are really hard to effectively clean.
>When using a pot with no feet the pot does sometimes sit down low enough
>in the shells to wick water, and pots with feet usually have their feet
>hidden because they sink into the shells.
>
>We've tried gravel, Turface and a number of other things but don't do
>any better.
>
>My question is can anyone think of something better we can use. I'd
>like it to sit high enough that the pot cannot wick water into the
>drainage hole. I'd like it to show off the feet on pots that have them.
>I'd like it to be as invisible as possible. I'd like it to be cheap and
>easy to find or buy. It needs to be water proof and uniform/level
>enough to hold small or large pots (with and without feet) and most of
>all I'd like it to be easy to clean. Wood strips? Masonry pieces?
>Furniture blocks?
>
>Any ideas?
>wmcorcor
>
>
>

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

Alan Walker

Bil: Ceramic supply vendors (also Hobby Lobby or Michael's) carry little
ceramic tripod pieces which are used to elevate pieces being fired in the
kiln. They keep the glaze from the potter from welding the piece to the
kiln bricks. Just two or three per pot should do.
They should have no problem if you put them in your dishwasher for
autoclaving the algae off every once in a while.
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Corcoran. Bil
For several years we've been using plastic humidity trays to help keep
the humidity up around our plants and also to protect the shelves they
sit on from water drainage. For most of this time we filled the trays
with broken sea shells. This keeps the pot up out of the water so the
water in the tray doesn't wick up into the pot. The problem we're
having is that the shells get all messy with soil, dirt and even algae
and as you can imagine the shells are really hard to effectively clean.
When using a pot with no feet the pot does sometimes sit down low enough
in the shells to wick water, and pots with feet usually have their feet
hidden because they sink into the shells.

We've tried gravel, Turface and a number of other things but don't do
any better.

My question is can anyone think of something better we can use. I'd
like it to sit high enough that the pot cannot wick water into the
drainage hole. I'd like it to show off the feet on pots that have them.
I'd like it to be as invisible as possible. I'd like it to be cheap and
easy to find or buy. It needs to be water proof and uniform/level
enough to hold small or large pots (with and without feet) and most of
all I'd like it to be easy to clean. Wood strips? Masonry pieces?
Furniture blocks?
Any ideas?
wmcorcor

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

Bill Daniels

Use polished stream rock ! It's hard can be used to sit pots on top of.
and easy to clean.

Bill Daniels
Sunny California

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++