Useful tips and tools?

Share your success stories about defoliation, bare rooting and anything else relating to maintaining healthy bonsai.
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Lane
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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by Lane »

I've painted all my poly boxes in brown exterior paint, helps the yard look less skanky and reduce the exposure damage to the poly boxes themselves.
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hawkeyes
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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by hawkeyes »

IMG_1450[1].jpg
I don't know about you, but I find the polystyrene boxes are just a little big for small trees to grow on. So my idea yesterday was to trim down.
IMG_1451.jpg
Cut with a cardboard knife on lines indicated. Attach end with Selleys glue and presto


I don't have to use so much potting material.
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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by hawkeyes »

Good idea to paint them, they don't look too stark. Water based paint?
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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by Redsonic »

Great idea to reduce them, too. Pity you can't get 2 out of the 1 box.
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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by KIRKY »

You can get 2 out of 1, even 4 or 6 out of 1 for seedlings etc... just put a dividers down you can use Foam, wood, plastic etc... Whatever you have that will fit. I have used flattened beer boxes wrapped in plastic bags does the trick.
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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by bonborn »

My partner does air conditioning and brings back these foam boxes that are part of the packaging. These are much thicker than the vege boxes. Are low in height, width in depth therefore doesn't need as much soil.
P_20170106_161920.jpg
I also use the water trays he brings back under my pots. Pots sit in the tray and the water can last up to 4 days in very hot sun.

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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by Redsonic »

Because this thread has been rewoken, I will suggest another Aldi product.

Aldi Sports Sanitising Wipes:

Image

I bought 3 packs on special and use them to clean my tools between plants. I have found when I have a pair of scissors with me, I tend to get busy snipping, so it's great to have the isopropyl alcohol wipes handy.
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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by KIRKY »

Removing sticky Pine resin from hands and tools.
I got this for my other half when he's working on his Nagari. I use it when working on my pines. Its the only thing I have found easily removes all the sticky resin from my hands. I even have a small jar of it in my kit for work shops. Stops sticky steering wheel when driving home.
Its by Peerless Tuff Wash. Its a heavy duty hand cleaner I get it from the green shed. Best thing I ever bought him :whistle:
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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by Ryceman3 »

bonborn wrote:My partner does air conditioning and brings back these foam boxes that are part of the packaging. These are much thicker than the vege boxes. Are low in height, width in depth therefore doesn't need as much soil.
P_20170106_161920.jpg
I also use the water trays he brings back under my pots. Pots sit in the tray and the water can last up to 4 days in very hot sun.

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Mmmm... I think I may have foam box envy... :lol: :tu:
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Re: Useful tips and tools?

Post by Raging Bull »

Another cheap way tocover drainage holes is to buy a metre of non-metallic flyscreen off the roll at Bunnings and use that. It cuts very easily with scissors too.
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