Bonsai Pot Size - Good?

[Mr.Bigglesworth]

I have a bonsai/pre-bonsai juniper in a black pot and I'm shopping for unglazed clay/ceramic pots. It's 15"-16" tall and 16"-19" wide at its widest point. It's got a trunk maybe 2.5" or 3" and is about 30 years old (or so I am told).

The pots I'm looking at have dimensions

12" x 8.25" x 2.5"

10.5" x 8" x 2.75"

10" x 7" x 4"

10" x 7.5" x 2.5" (my personal favorite)

Are these the right size?

 

[jriddell88]

Adding pictures will help us to offer advice. Rootball size?health?,etc....

 

[Stickroot]

This is the right pot.
8x10" 1 3/4" deep $30
PM me for PayPal
Thanks

 

[Stickroot]

8x10x3"oops it tipped over!
The tree goes in this side!

 

[Mr.Bigglesworth]

Here is the juniper. Is this going to be alright in a 10 x 7.5 x 2.5 pot?

 

[Tieball]

I suppose it could go in a bonsai pot. However, I'd wait on doing that. I would first trim it back....A lot of the tree looks like it should be eliminated or bent with wire and designed....before potting. It looks like a bush in the photos....perhaps in person it is less of a bush. Anyway....I would prune it back, figure out the creative edge for the tree, and only then begin to think bonsai pot. I think it needs that trim and a couple years in a box. Try a box or other container of similar desired size first....before investing in a pot.

How are the roots? It looks like they might be filling that plastic planter...and might not fit in your desired pot. You might need a couple seasons of reducing some roots.

 

[sorce]

a couple seasons

Or more....

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[Mr.Bigglesworth]

The roots will work in a smaller pot if the percentage of roots cut is equal to the percentage of foliage removed, which is likely to be the case here.

Im happy with the size of the trunk. I don't see why a box is necessary for a few seasons? It's a vigorous tree, we defoliate deciduous trees in a bonsai pot all the time. Is it not wise to heavily prune in a bonsai pot? Since when?

The relevance of the different between a deciduous and conifer in this case, however large, is questionable at best and flat-out irrelevant at worst.

 

[Mr.Bigglesworth]

It looks to be a bush but it's been worked on some. Its authentic pre-bonsai material, neither collected nor nursery stock, rather the product of an elderly bonsai master. Can I not wire a tree in a bonsai pot? This cannot be a rule.

 

[M. Frary]

I'd start out with the 12" for now. You can always get it smaller if you want but this way you have cushion so you don't have to cut too much roots off at once.
You can do everything to this in a bonsai pot that you can do in that nursery bucket.

 

[Adair M]

Here's the deal: your tree is in a relatively tall and narrow nursery can.

Most bonsai pots are wide and shallow.

It's usually impossible to go straight from the nursery can to the final bonsai pot in one go. So, go halfway and consider using something that's shallower and wider than the current pot, but not as shallow as the "final" pot will be.

Consider it a "training" pot until you get an appropriate root ball for a bonsai pot. You can use a box, or a deeper bonsai pot if you prefer.

 

[sorce]

Don't get baited.....

Get popcorn!

Sorce

 

[dick benbow]

to me, two things influence my choice of pots. the health of the tree, meaning can it go into a show type pot or one a bit bigger to ensure health during training. and equally as important, what design now or working roward the future does the tree have that would be influencing my choice of pots. Why don't you go ahead and style your prospect which may help getting
us a better look at where your going with the tree. I think the suggestion earlier of using a training pot makes a lot of sense right now.

Recenly I took a chinese juniper of mine that was in horizontal format and resituated it into a verticle format. I found a chinese octagon pot with similar verticle format that compliments it quite well. The process of development took about 5 years. I do think there is value in the expression, it's more about the journey, then the destination. I think it's human nature to try and
get something quickly done with our nursery acquistions and move on to the next challenge. I think you need to have a conversation with your tree over the years....you tell it what you think and it responds to your comments. They often don't go along but may surprise you by allowing your eyes to be opened.

 

[JudyB]

Can I not wire a tree in a bonsai pot? This cannot be a rule.

Yes of course you can wire the tree in a bonsai pot, but if you repot it, you must wait till the roots have a chance to establish in the new pot. Otherwise you'll break the new fragile roots off as you move the tree around working the wiring. Or you can style it now in the current pot before you repot it.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Listen to previous good advice please. Suspect you are new to Bonsai and in a hurry as most are. Not good for a tree to do major pruning/wiring and root work the same year. There are no instant Bonsai. It takes some time and much patience grasshopper. This is most important lesson to learn.

 

[jk_lewis]

MUCH too early for that or any other bonsai pot.