Pot enhancement

[Carol 83]

At the Grand Rapids show, most likely Linda Ippel will be a vendor, she is a pretty good Potter, there may be other pottery there for sale. Bring your checkbook.

You introduced me to her at the show in Collinsville and I got a very nice pot from her.

 

[rockm]

Thanks @sorce !! I had done some similar research. Important red sidebar lol. About half the pots have a “lip” that comes back towards the center of the pot. Those I will relegate to tropicals as you note (I have 4-5 growing, about the # of “lip” pots) since they will explode with expansion outside. The remainder do not have that lip and based on my research here on Bnut, will be less likely to explode over winter... so I will still try for outdoor trees with those pots. They are definitely cheap and just a good beginner collection I think. Most of my trees aren’t ready for final Bonsai pots so that means I have some time to save up for the real deal pot purchases... or befriend some folks who might be willing to sell some to me for less than the very high cost of new fancy pots?

I would be very cautious overwintering these pots outside. The lip is only one problem with them. I doubt the glazes are going to hold up in a freeze/thaw cycle. The clay may not either. What could happen (and I've seen it firsthand with less expensive pots) is the glaze and outer layer of the pot crack and fall off.

 

[Pitoon]

A lot of those cheaper Chinese pots tend to be mass produced as low to low-mid firing pots/glazes. Once moisture is able to seap in and you have a freeze that's when the damage happens.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

A low price alternative for pots are the mica pots. They are polyethylene with a fairly high percentage of mica which provides UV stability and weight. They will last 30 to 50 years or more outdoors without getting brittle. They look like dark brown clay, with a mat finish that is pretty close to burnished unglazed clay. Completely freeze proof. Especially for larger pot sizes, they are very durable. Some local bonsai clubs allow them for local shows, especially for trees in intermediate stages of training.

I regularly see them on $ 0.99 cent Bonsai auctions on FB. They are more expensive than plastic, large ones approach the same price as cheaper Chinese pots, but they are far more durable than any cheap clay pot. I've got a 14 inch diameter round that has been kicked around my yard since 1985, still no cracks, very few nicks or dents. It's been dropped, kicked, had a cinder block drop on it, still is useable. Most recently had a bamboo Grove in it.

Just saw in another post @Josh88 might be interested in selling some used mica pots.

Wigert"s and Superfly Bonsai supplies have new pots.

 

[Pitoon]

A low price alternative for pots are the mica pots. They are polyethylene with a fairly high percentage of mica which provides UV stability and weight. They will last 30 to 50 years or more outdoors without getting brittle. They look like dark brown clay, with a mat finish that is pretty close to burnished unglazed clay. Completely freeze proof. Especially for larger pot sizes, they are very durable. Some local bonsai clubs allow them for local shows, especially for trees in intermediate stages of training.

I regularly see them on $ 0.99 cent Bonsai auctions on FB. They are more expensive than plastic, large ones approach the same price as cheaper Chinese pots, but they are far more durable than any cheap clay pot. I've got a 14 inch diameter round that has been kicked around my yard since 1985, still no cracks, very few nicks or dents. It's been dropped, kicked, had a cinder block drop on it, still is useable. Most recently had a bamboo Grove in it.

Just saw in another post @Josh88 might be interested in selling some used mica pots.

Wigert"s and Superfly Bonsai supplies have new pots.

Stone Lantern also sells some smaller sizes

 

[Mayank]

At the Grand Rapids show, most likely Linda Ippel will be a vendor, she is a pretty good Potter, there may be other pottery there for sale. Bring your checkbook.

I bought two pots from her last year. I second what Leo said. Her work is very nice!

 

[penumbra]

mica pots. They are polyethylene with a fairly high percentage of mica which provides UV stability and weight. They will last 30 to 50 years or more

I have about 5 of them that have been exposed to the elements since about the mid '80s that seem to be indestructible.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Freeze/thaw capital of the world in Michigan, I swear... as shown by our roads

I purchased a Mica from Superfly last fall (14 inch as well @Leo in N E Illinois , glad to hear it will last)

Since these were purchased at cost and were a gift, I will plan to place my 4 (never planning to acquire another tropical) ficus tropicals in the ceramic eventually.

I will still plan to leverage some of these pots for those trees that are ready for finalized pots within the next few years; If they break, I will have learned the lesson. I currently have a dawn redwood young forest planting from brussels in a ceramic pot out in the protected garden space for winter; this will be a good test as well.

I will take Leo's approach of a slow rolling budget to acquire more sturdy pots; fortunately, most of my material is years from being ready for their pots, so this should align nicely!

 

[M. Frary]

Ask @M. Frary , I have one from him

Keep it.
I dont even look at glazed pots anymore.