I'm sure you've seen the various takes on the above - essentially a 'pot' made from what appears to be like a weed cloth or felt of some type (http://www.smartpots.com/, http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-HGDB20-Reusable-Planting-20-Gallon/dp/B004S0KVFW, etc). I'm thinking this would work well for maples, either when keeping them potted above ground (in place of a typical ceramic/clay/etc pot), especially in climates that can get quite warm, or if you want to plant them in the ground but want/need the ability to either move them or dig them up after a few years of letting a small tree grow out. I'd love to hear thoughts and opinions on this, as I'm seriously considering this for some of my small 1-2 yr grafts (ie 'planting' them in the pot to let them grow out for a few years), and also in case I have to move some larger trees if the spot I've chosen for them is not ideal...
Hi, I have been using the smart pots for my 50+ maples for the last 7 or 8 years. All my maples have been potted in this from a 2 gallon size to some in 25 gallons. I have had very good results with this in terms of root growth. I live in TX were we are in the 100s all summer, so the trees need frequent watering, I have hooked up all the containers to drip irrigation tied to my lawn sprinkler system. This is what has worked for me, I rigorously root prune the trees every 2 - 3 years, getting rid of all the woody roots. My soil is 50% fine pine bark and 50% turface, this lets me water without having to worry about the soil retaining too much water. Most of the trees are just in smart pots that are raised off the ground a little bit ( or they will send roots into the soil). Some of them are pot-in-pot in large terracotta containers. After a couple of root prunings, the trees develop a large amount of fine root system that helps them survive the TX heat. I am not sure if the fibrous root system is due to root pruning or the smart bag, but the combination works for me. I would pick the smart pot over any ceramic or plastic container for aeration capabilities. xman
xman, thank you SO much for the feedback on the smart pots. Even better, you're in Texas so you deal with very similar conditions - sun intensity, heat, humidity - that I do. I am a bonsai enthusiast, so I know all about the importance of the fine roots (often a result of regular root pruning, like you do), but I hadn't considered the added benefit of being able to withstand heat better... This makes me even more eager to try out the smart pots. [Off Topic... One question, though: I have recently found a local source for the turface, which I am loving (was previously using a mix of haydite and chicken grit), but I cannot find a good source for aged fine pine bark. I did happen upon some pine bark mulch at Lowe's last fall that was quite fine, not the big chunks you typically see, so I snatched a few bags, but I don't know how long/well it's been aged, so am hesitant to use only that for my organic component (currently use 50/50 mix, approximately, of the pine bark and Fox Farm's Ocean Forest soil, with some Fox Farm Soil Conditioner thrown in for the added mycorrhizae). Where do you get your pine bark from, or what is a good way to 'age' it for use as a soil amendment?]
maplesandpaws, I think the trees are able to withstand the heat better in the growbags because of the ease of air circulation. The soil mix, prevents the soil from staying too wet, and any excess moisture is wicked away from the surface of the bags. I have run into the same issue of not being able to locate a good source for aged pine bark. I buy bags of Hapi-Gro landscaper mix from Lowes, the label says that this is 100% organic pine bark, but does not mention if it is aged. The size of the bark seems really consistent and quite fine. I run this through a 1/8 sieve to get rid of the fines. I think this brand is available in Lowes only for the last year or so. Before that I would buy pine bark mulch and run it through multiple size sieves to get it down to a decent size, or the scots landscaper mix from homedepot and remove the fines. I would buy a few bags in fall and let them sit till spring when I would use them, but I would also buy bags in spring and then mix the two up. Not an exact science, but I do not want all bark to be aged too much and fail at the same time. If the bark is not aged then you may have to fertilize a little more to get some N in the soil, but I have seen my soil mix stay decent even after 3 - 4 years, especially with the turface in there. xman
