How to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree, you must first consider the bonsai type, age, decoration, and the pot size for the bonsai tree.
I highly recommend you read this article to learn how to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree.
Getting a Bonsai tree is one thing; choosing the best spot for a bonsai is another factor.
Also, learn how to choose a Bonsai tree if you haven’t got one. Let’s get started.
How To Choose The Best Pot For Pre Bonsai Tree
How to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree? If the tree is a seedling or a pre bonsai, we must be patient and think more about the size of the tray.
It will need to continue developing than in the pot, which will look more beautiful.
Even so, it is conveniently settled in an appropriate container.
It is advisable to use ceramic training pots since they are cheap and we can find them in infinite sizes.
They also have a sound drainage hole with holes for the anchoring wire, making anchoring the bonsai to the pot much more accessible.
Another point in favor of choosing ceramic ones, even though they are less economical than plastic ones, is that unlike them, they are heavier, giving the tree more stability.
It will better withstand inclement weather, such as the wind.
The small investment is worth avoiding seeing our little tree overturned whenever the wind blows strongly.
I recommend the Tokoname training pots, Japanese bonsai cultivation pots made of vitrified terracotta.
They have excellent resistance to frost and high temperatures, so they will adequately protect the roots of our bonsai in different climates.
We can also find Tokoname pots in multiple sizes with a drainage hole and four more holes to pass the anchor wire through.
Tokoname training pots are round and relatively cheap if we consider their quality.
They have various sizes and are easily found in any specialized store.
They are also reusable since they are not pots to display your bonsai, so as you transplant your plant to a different pot, you can use it in new projects.
Here, I have to add an exception regarding the material of the pot if, for example, we are growing a rock-rooted bonsai.
In that case, using a plastic pot to cut it over time may be preferable as we discover the rock and the roots settling in it.
What Is The Recommended Pot Size For Training Bonsai In Tokoname Training Pot?
The table below shows the different pot sizes needed for training the bonsai tree in a Tokoname training pot.
| TOKONAME POT SIZES | DIAMETER | HEIGHT |
|---|---|---|
| NO. 3 | 9,4 cm | 4,3 cm |
| NO. 3.5 | 11 CM | 5 CM |
| NO. 4 | 12.7 CM | 5.8 CM |
| NO. 4.5 | 14.6 CM | 7 CM |
| NO. 5 | 15.5 CM | 7.5 CM |
| NO. 5.5 | 17.6 CM | 8.4 CM |
| NO. 6 | 19 CM | 8.7 CM |
| NO. 6.5 | 20.5 CM | 9 CM |
| NO. 7 | 22 CM | 10.5 CM |
| NO. 8 | 25.5 CM | 12 CM |
| NO. 9 | 28 CM | 13.5 CM |
| NO. 10 | 31.5 CM | 14.5 CM |
| NO.11 | 34.5 CM | 15 CM |
| NO. 12 | 37 CM | 17 CM |
| NO. 13 | 4O CM | 18 CM |
| NO. 15 | 46.4 CM | 20.3 CM |
These sizes may differ since, in some places, they indicate the external measurement and, in others, the internal one. Still, they are identical wherever you buy them.
Types Of Bonsai According To Their Size
Bonsais usually have a height of less than one meter, and depending on their size, we classify them into one category or another:
Keshisubo: 3-8 cm
Shito: 5-10 cm
Breast: 5-15cm
Shohin: 13-20cm
Komono: 15-25cm
Katade-mochi: 25-46cm
Chumono / Chiu: 141-91 cm
Omono/Dai: 76-122cm
Hachi-uye: 102-152 cm
Imperial: 152-203cm
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree
How to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree: The first thing you must consider when choosing a pot is to consider its size.
As I have already commented, if our bonsai is young, it will need a larger pot than if it is already developed because it will need more space for the roots and to promote its growth.
In addition, it is not convenient for the first transplants to touch the root ball excessively since, depending on the spice, we may have to reduce it and not radically gradually.
As reputed Japanese masters indicate, you should never choose the pot first and design the tree later to harmonize with the pot.
Smaller pots are usually used for more advanced trees that already have their design defined since being in a smaller container will control their growth.
I also read how to choose a Bonsai tree as a beginner. Read now.
Therefore, we will detail the critical aspects of choosing a bonsai pot.
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree: Consider The Material
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree: Initially, the bonsai is planted in small ceramic pots.
However, once finished, they can be transferred to the typical specific bonsai trays.
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree: Consider The Dimensions
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree: A fundamental aspect is knowing the dimensions we will need for the bonsai.
At first, when the tree is young and in the shaping phase, it is usually best to plant it in a relatively large pot, leaving enough space for the roots to grow.
Later, when the tree is in a much more advanced stage, it can be transplanted into a smaller pot, chosen based on purely aesthetic criteria.
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree: Consider The Esthetic
How to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree: Let’s talk about aesthetics, although there is nothing written about tastes.
Some rules can help choose the pot, for example:
The width of the pot should be approximately 2/3 of the tree’s height.
The height of the pot should be one to two times the trunk’s thickness at its base.
For trees with a “masculine” appearance, it is best to use angled pots; for trees with a “feminine” appearance, it is better to opt for rounded pots.
How To Choose The Length Of Our Bonsai Pot
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree: As a general rule, the size of the bonsai pots depends on the tree size.
If we choose oval or rectangular design containers, the length of the bonsai pots should be approximately 2/3 of the tree’s height.
In the case of vast trees, the width of the bonsai is usually used to estimate the length of the pot instead of its height. The value of 2/3 corresponds to the golden ratio.
This concept of the golden ratio has different names, such as the golden number, the number of God, and the golden number.
If we delve into the world of bonsai, it will sound a lot to us since it is closely related to bonsai design.
The golden ratio is often found in nature (for example, in the thickness of branches and the shells of snails). It has a harmonious effect on the observer.
How To Choose The Width Of A Bonsai Tree Pot
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree: Usually, the measurement of the width of the pots we will find in the market will be related to their length.
In general, the width of the pot for oval and rectangular pots is approximately 75% of the length of the pot.
In keeping with the tree’s dimensions, the pot’s width should be slightly less than the width of the lowest front and back branches.
How To Choose The Height Of A Bonsai Tree Pot
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree: The depth of a bonsai pot should be similar to the thickness of the diameter of our tree at its base.
However, this length can be between 1 and 2 times; this is how to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree.
Once again, I will remember that this ideal height is indicated for already-developed trees since younger specimens will always need a larger pot.
If we adhered to this rule, for example, in a seedling, we would find ourselves with a pot that is less than one centimeter high, and that, honestly, is not correct, and our seedling would end up dying.
It is essential to know that this proportion is not kept if we refer to cascading trees rooted in rock or with multiple trunks.
How To Choose The Best Pot For Bonsai Tree Depending On The Style Of The Bonsai
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree: Once again, we must consider factors specific to our specimen to select the correct pot.
For example, if we have a cascade-style bonsai tree, we must have it planted in a pot greater in height than in length.
Regarding this same aspect, we will also consider that if the bonsai style is masculine, angled pots are usually used, giving it a more rigid appearance.
And if it is feminine in style, rounded pots are usually used to soften the whole.
If you want to know more about bonsai styles and which are masculine and feminine in detail, I invite you to visit the Bonsai Styles[Link]
For now, I will indicate that the masculine style includes:
· Solid trunk with thick and very rough bark.
· May include larger areas of dead wood (jins and sharis)
· The crowns are very dense with straighter branches than in the feminine style.
In comparison, the feminine style usually has:
· Smooth or slightly rough bark.
· More delicate, with slightly curved and refined trunks.
· There is no dead wood in very few areas
· Unbrushed crowns with slightly curved branches.
Taking these points into account to decide if our bonsai is male or female, the type of pots that are usually used according to this point would be:
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Male Bonsai Tree:
· Rectangular and square bonsai pots
· Deep pots
· Planters with solid and stable legs
· Pots with thick walls
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Female Bonsai Tree:
· Oval, round, and lotus-shaped pots
· Flat pots
· Legs with stylish designs with flourishes and a delicate appearance
· Thin-walled pots
How To Choose The Best Pot Color For Bonsai Tree
How to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree, especially for color There are several factors we must consider when choosing the color of the pot where we will plant our bonsai.
Choose the bonsai pot color according to the bonsai species.
How to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree: To choose the color of the pot and whether it should be enameled or not, we must consider the bonsai species.
For pine trees and conifers in general, unglazed pots should be used.
For the rest of the species, we must consider the color of the leaf.
It’s flowers, if it had them, and even the color of the trunk since we must try that the color of the pot is not too similar to those you have stated.
Although there is no mandatory color for the species, we can use the complementary colors of the color wheel as a guide if we have doubts.
For example, suppose we have a pyracantha with red or orange fruits.
In that case, we can put a green pot on it that will be perfect when it is with its fruits since green is the complementary color of red on the chromatic circle.
How To Choose Bonsai Pot Color According To The Color Of The Bloom
· White flowers: Combine with white or cream pots.
· Yellow Flowering: We can use blue or green pots.
· Orange flowers: Use dark brown or green pots.
· Red flowers: To contrast, we can use blue or green pots.
· Pink flowers: We will choose blue, green or white pots.
· Bluish flowers: White, cream, or gray pots.
· Purple flowers: We will use white or light brown pots.
Note: What we must avoid at all costs is using too bright colors that detract from the importance of the tree.
Since the latter is the one who should take center stage, and the pot should be complementary.
How To Select Bonsai Pot Color According To What We Want To Convey
How to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree: Another point to consider when thinking about how to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree or when selecting the color of the pot is what we want to convey to the person who sees our tree.
We will transmit warmth and balance if we use warm colors that are mainly reddish and orange tones and include all shades ranging from pink to yellow.
If, on the contrary, we choose cold colors that are in the range of blues and greens and go from violet or purple to green, we will be transmitting robustness and freshness.
How To Choose Bonsai Pot According To The Pot Roughness
There is a standard that indicates that the type of surface of the pot must be in tune with that of the tree, so its roughness must be similar.
According to this, the rougher the bonsai bark, the rougher the pot should be.
I honestly have doubts because I have seen spectacular pines with rough bark in smooth, unglazed pots that were perfect for them.
Also, learn how to water a bonsai tree.
How To Choose The Best Pot For A Bonsai Tree According To The Legs Of The Pot
Finally, we also have to consider the legs of the pot since there are countless types. Luckily,
Usually, the design of the legs of the bonsai pots is in line with the rest of the pot.
indeed, if we have taken other factors into account to select the perfect pot for our bonsai, this point will come to us.
In any case, it is convenient to remember that there are fine legs with decorations.
And ornaments that will provide a more graceful appearance to our tree and other simple, hard, and robust ones that will give our specimen a feeling of strength.
Also, learn how to revive a bonsai tree.
Tips For Choosing A Bonsai Tree Pot
How to choose the best parts for a bonsai tree: You should always prioritize the tree’s health when choosing the pot.
Don’t be in a hurry to select a pot. You can afford to wait a while, especially if it is still in the development phase.
In addition to the pot, it is essential to plant our bonsai correctly to harmonize everything.
And specifically, the section dedicated to choosing the front of our pot and how to position it correctly. The bonsai inside the pot.
In the end, the one who will see the bonsai daily and who will enjoy the tree is you.
Consider your tastes and use this guide as advice but not as an immovable rule.
If you have already chosen your pot and want to know more about how to transplant your bonsai correctly, go to the section: How to transplant bonsai.
Conclusion
Knowing how to choose the best pot for a Bonsai tree is very important as a bonsai practitioner; taking care of a bonsai tree is like caringe for your child.
Choosing a bonsai tree can be influenced by size, decoration, bonsai type, ETC.
Now, you have learned how to choose the best pot for a bonsai tree. I recommend you also read how to choose a bonsai tree.
