Obtaining the best growth: pond baskets, raised beds and the ground.

I suppose this subject may fall into the category of everyone having their own opinion. On the other hand, there are many posters on this forum who have a very solid understanding of horticulture, so I thought it might be worth asking. Lets say that you have a small tree that you wish to increase in size and thickness. The three options I mentioned seem to have their individual pros and cons. I have a decent amount of land at my disposal to grow little trees into bigger trees, but the method is something that interests me. For aesthetics and ease of weeding. mowing the yards, I think I'd rather have raised beds than a section of land where trees are simply planted in the ground. But I'm not sure if this would provide the same growth benefits as planting them straight in the ground. What about planting them in colanders/pond baskets within the ground? In addition to growing out seedlings and small tress from the garden center, would this be best method for obtaining growth on collected trees that have good trunks?

I'd really like to read your opinions.

This year I have dedicated a second raised bed to pre-bonsai and seedlings as I have found their use in growing just about anything to be excellent. Just gotta keep 'em watered!

-Jay

drgonzo wrote:This year I have dedicated a second raised bed to pre-bonsai and seedlings as I have found their use in growing just about anything to be excellent. Just gotta keep 'em watered!

-Jay

What have you filled your bed with? Where I live, the soil is basically just sand for about 2 feet, then you hit a mixture of sand and yellow clay. I dug down until I hit the clay/sand mixture and then filed in the rest of the bed with all of my fines, a couple bags of cat litter, some cow manure compost. It seems to be doing pretty well in the one bed I have.

My beds are 50/50 sifted loam and mushroom compost, they worked so well for all my garden veggies that I started planting the pre-bonsai in them last year. The trees did so well I gave them another raised bed for this year.

-Jay

That sounds interesting. How often do you find you need to water?

Ah you have discovered the magic of growing troughs [ raised beds within a concrete structure.]
Have fun.
Later.
Khaimraj

* You can get a stool, sit and work your trees in comfort.

Do either of you plant your trees on tile/stones, or do you simply make sure that the root spread is fairly flat and then just bury them?

PeacefulAres,

if the tree exhibits raised roots in nature, I can use a clay tile in the colander.
Later.
Khaimraj

* You can also use those larger plastic fly blockers often sold in Chinese or Indian stores, just turn it over. You know the ones you can place over food.

PeacefulAres wrote:Do either of you plant your trees on tile/stones, or do you simply make sure that the root spread is fairly flat and then just bury them?

I put trees with a tap root, on top of a piece of slate, in the ground. Trees with an adventitious roots I dont worry about.

Love and light