@sailor817 Sorry for squabbling in your thread. Lol. I hope any of that was helpful.
1 Like
I wouldnāt use to big of a container if you choose to use your terracotta pots, rather slip pot them into bigger as the roots grow.
Probably not the best of articles but it describes the detrimental effects of overpotting.
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics%20Bonsai%20Myths%20Overpotting.htm
I would go for directly in the ground or coolander in the ground.
1 Like
Thanks everyone for the responses and information. I feel like Iām closer to being an expert bonsai enthusiast than I was at the beginning of the day 
. Alex, the article you provided is particularly helpful. You donāt get any better at growing stuff than UC Davis (just moved from there a couple years ago, BTW). I like the idea of slip planting to larger pots. Seems youād be able to develop a good radial nebari more easily. Then, once established, into the ground she goes. Thanks again to all.
A few beers and hugs in Rochesterā¦OK?
2 Likes
Iām bringing a box of Trinidad Cuban cigars to Rochester. 
Mike is welcome to one of them! Iāll be the guy geeking out over the pots first and trees second.
2 Likes
Hahaha ok, Iām over it. Sorry for my rant. Sounds good!
2 Likes
Beautiful. Anyone know the words to āKumbayaā?
1 Like
@sailor817
Hey, I love this question and have been trying to figure out the differences myself for a little bit now. If you donāt mind, may I ask on this thread why plants grow faster in the ground as opposed to in a large container? Is it perhaps a wider variety of nutrients? Thank you!
My understanding has been that yes, the roots are able to spread out over a larger area to absorb more water and nutrients than they ever could in a container. But I think it is a physiological thing too, since the roots have more space to develop a larger root system, the trunk will naturally mirror the roots and grow larger.
1 Like
@Mike_Hennigan: Thanks Mike. So technically, growing in the ground vs in a container of any kind should yield insignificant differences in trunk mass up until the roots hit the edge of the container?
I would think so, Iām not an expert on ground growing so maybe somebody can offer a better explanation. But what youāre describing could explain why planting a tree in the ground for only a year or two and then digging back up could be counterproductive. Meaning that a tree growing in the ground will really pick up steam after a few years. Once it has really established its root system. And it is a few years in that you will really see the exponentially faster growth that ground growing provides, at least in my limited experience with it.
1 Like
Awesome Mike, thank you.
Only if you choose that path.
How about the high road, gents? How about giving the other the benefit of the doubt instead of trying to correct each other. Experiences differ. Opinions differ.
And thatās ok. Itās each personās job to filter the advice and give some a try, and discard some too.
No need to get hot and bothered. Choose the high road.
1 Like
Water under the bridge. We are all buddies now. 
2 Likes
I wish I saw this earlierā¦ I grow in colanders, grow beds, grow boxes, large bulb planters, and pots. I donāt ground grow for a variety of reasonsā¦none of them being available space. I was thinking about starting a thread documenting their progress. I already have an idea what the results will be, however, this wouldnāt really be for me but for the community. If there is enough interest I will start one, let me know.
1 Like
Absolutely,Nathan! I, for one, would be greatly interested and appreciative. Especially if youāve done this for awhile. Certainly would save me the time and effort as well as any others interested in the idea. Please.
Being in Texas how often do you have to deal with freezing temps, @ndavila80?
Below 30Ā°F maybe two times each winter season for about 1-2 weeks each freeze. As a norm days will usually be fairly warm 40s-60s and nights will fall to low 30s. Just cold enough, for just long enough, for many trees to reach their dormancy requirements. I keep all my plants outdoors except for trident maple, and a single bottle brush during the hard freezes. They go into the garage until the night temps are back into the 30s. Containers have no bearing on their cold tolerances in my experience here, just their water requirements.
1 Like
I should have also asked if the containers are on the ground in the winter. I have similar conditions where I am. I have a couple of trees that Iām about to put into grow bags. A Chamaecyparis and a Stone Pine. Considing colendars though.
