Learning how to build a wooden bonsai grow box is a necessary skill if you decide to collect trees from nature.

When collecting, you should aim to collect the most intact root ball possible to increase the chances of your tree’s survival. Because of this, you will most likely always need a custom size vessel to plant your new tree.

At Hardy Bonsai, we use: common Cedar fence pickets, a jigsaw, drill, exterior wood screws, drill and screwdriver bits, measuring tape, pencil and paper, safety glasses, gloves, and a makeshift saw horse made from some garden bricks.

Once all of my tools and supplies were gathered, I measured the overall rootball of the tree that we were planning to plant. Those were then the dimensions for the inside of the box. Measure, mark, and cut the Cedar pickets, and make sure they fit square.

Next, mark and drill your pilot holes for your screws, ensuring that your pickets remain square- you may need to use supports (I used blocks in this case) if you are working alone.

As you add your sides, make sure your edges remain square and take caution not to overtighten the screws as this will cause your wood to split.

For this particular box, we needed it to be extra deep for our tree, so I cut and assembled a second frame to be added on top. I also cut some scrap pieces to be used as supports to assemble my two frames.