Selecting The Right Bonsai Pots Is Very Important
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.
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.
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.