Potty about bonsai
Yes I am potty about Maple Bonsai if you hadn’t guessed, however this article has a much broader appeal. The subject of Bonsia can cover a broad spectrum of subjects for the enthusiast. One area however does not seem to get much coverage, and that is pots. When starting out the pot should not be the first consideration however as time goes on it becomes more important. Below is a brief introduction to the subject, leave a comment and I will expand on this more if required.
As with all types of plant pots, Bonsai pots are available in a huge array of sizes, shapes and colours but making sure you select the correct pot for your Bonsai tree can make the difference between a good looking Bonsai and an incredible looking Bonsai. Be warned, though, the pot you pick can have either positive or detrimental effects to the growth of your beloved Bonsai tree.
Q. What type of Bonsai pots should I be considering?
Firstly, if you have a juvenile Bonsai that is still growing quite rapidly you will need to consider several training pots before you decide on a final show pot to exhibit your Bonsai. However, when selecting a Bonsai pot you should never pick one that means you will need to drastically trim the roots. If you do want to reduce the size of your pot or the roots then you need to take it in gradual steps, moving down a pot size at a time before eventually reaching the size you want.
Make sure the pot you are considering has very good drainage and is entirely frost proof, this will help keep your Bonsai safe and healthy all year round whether it is kept indoors or outdoors. If you are selecting a glazed pot, be sure that only the outside of the pot is actually glazed, because the Bonsai will need the rough surface on the inside for the roots to grab onto and establish themselves.
Q. What pot for what tree?
The type of pot you should buy is indicated by the kind of tree you are growing as well as the style you want. Conifers lend themselves brilliantly to naturally coloured, unglazed pots whereas deciduous trees look good in glazed or unglazed and in just about any colours. Experiment a little to find the right pot for you, and especially consider pastel colours for your deciduous trees or a bright coloured pot for a flowering tree.
Also, consider how much room the roots will need for your particular choice of tree. Cascading trees will require a deep pot with plenty of room for the roots to grow down but also so the branches can hang over the side without draping on the floor.
If you have a heavily glazed pot, remember that the colour of the glaze will age and ware off slightly over it’s lifetime and many people wipe the glaze with French polish in order to speed the process up giving your glazed pot a slightly more natural and aged feel.
Remember the final pot will need to house the Bonsai for many years hopefully, and so as the tree matures take the time to study it and make the right choice.
November 8th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Regarding material pots are made out of:
Is there any problem with using concrete pots for bonsai? I’m interested in making my own
Jackie
November 9th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Great question Jackie
The main point to remember if making your own is that Bonsai is about aesthetics, so the look is important. I will put up a article about bonsai pots shape and size shortly, but there is no real reason you can’t make your own.