A quick guide to bonsai pot selection
Introduction
Bonsai pots vary in shape, size, color and type of material. They are most often made of glazed or unglazed pottery, stoneware and occasionally wood or plastic. When choosing a bonsai pot ensure there is at least one or more suitable drainage holes. Which pot to choose will be determined by a variety of factors but the most important factor is that the tree must dominate the pot. The pot should add to and enhance the tree's appearance, harmonize with its shape and color, and have the capacity to provide its growing requirements.
Choosing a pot to suit your tree
The depth of the pot should be equivalent to the diameter of the base of the trunk in most cases. This does not apply to cascade style bonsai and species that require deeper pots to suit their natural requirements. The above is only an aesthetic guideline and one should consider their growing environment and weather conditions as well. In dryer environments, smaller and shallower pots will dry out quicker than deeper pots as there is less organic soil volume. Therefore the health of the tree and your ability/availability to water the tree should also be a determining factor when considering the type of pot.
The length of the pot is usually two-thirds of the length of the largest dimension of the tree, this could be the height of the tree or the width of the tree from branch tip to branch tip. The style of pot should relate to the shape, style, characteristic and size of the tree. Pots with dramatic shapes and contours are best used with equally dramatic trees, whereas shallow, softly contoured pots should be used with soft, elegant trees. In root-over-rock style bonsai the tree and rock should be considered as a single entity when determining the size, shape and color of pot to be used. Pots for forest plantings should either be shorter or longer that the largest tree in the planting, but never equal in length. Color-glazed pots should either blend or contrast with the most colorful feature of the tree, this can be the bark, foliage, flowers, fruit or berries.
Determining the front of a pot
With rectangular or oval pots, the longest side is the front. With square pots, either a flat side or a corner may be used as a front. Round pots usually have a minimum of three feet, so you have the option of displaying either one or two feet to the front. Any one of the flat sides of a hexagonal or octagonal pot is suitable as a front. Deep hexagonal or octagonal semi-cascade and cascade pots may be positioned with a corner facing forward. When a pot is glazed, it is advisable to study the glaze and color variations to determine the side that best enhances the appearance of the tree.
Adam, Rudi. Master Bonsai A practical and inspirational guide. Metz Press
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