Vertical lines carved inside a pot?

[Wood]

Does anyone know the theory behind the lines vertically engraved around the inside walls of a lot of pots? is it help with water flow? Disrupt circling roots?

 

[RJG2]

That's funny.

From @vancehanna :

No.15 Medium size Blk Mtn Body with rounded corners and haiku

Up for your consideration a 'rustic' medium (about 11") Blk Mnt body cone 6 inturned lip, rounded corner traditional tailored pot. This pot has wire holes and a haiku I wrote. I've shown it with a slight oiled finished. Otherwise it is matt finish to a degree. The black body has been (as with...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[BrightsideB]

It would be cool to see proof of this. Like photo’s of how roots look with these grooves and without. I can imagine it helps. But when repotting. All those circling roots get trimmed or disrupted. I’ve heard that the grooves also help the roots grab the pot. Would be interesting to hear experience with this. I’ve only heard it from potters but not non potters. I think they are cool and I can see it adding to a pot quality. I just don’t know if it actually enhances anything.

 

[Wood]

I know there's plenty of high-quality Japanese pots that don't have the lines carved in them. In the Bigei pots I was drooling over window shopping through today, only about a third had the lines in them. If it made a significant difference, I'd imagine all the highest quality pots would have them

 

[BrightsideB]

I know there's plenty of high-quality Japanese pots that don't have the lines carved in them. In the Bigei pots I was drooling over window shopping through today, only about a third had the lines in them. If it made a significant difference, I'd imagine all the highest quality pots would have them

I can see it helping detour roots. It would be nice to see evidence. I make pots, I was actually going to be doing some experimental pots. And put some trees in them. I think I’ll do some with thinner and thicker grooves.

 

[bdmatt]

I find trees planted in scored pots to have little difference in root mass compared to those in unscored pots. Still had the same amount of root wrap as any other pot. However, it was slightly easier to remove rootbound soil from scored pots, so maybe that's why? My mentor has some trees in bigei pots. I'm helping with repotting later this month so if I find any scored pots, I'll be sure to take a picture of the root mass and send it

 

[rockm]

Doesn't really deter circling roots. Mostly those grooves provide anchoring or "grip" for feeder roots to hold onto. I've got a few pots from older U.S. potters (Don Gold, etc.) that use this detail. There are some western bonsai books from the 90's that said such grooves were used in Japanese pots because the Japanese and Chinese said the details were added to give the roots "something to look at." Don Gould used wavy grooves on the sides in the shape of flowing water...From what I've seen in using the pots over the years, it mostly works, as at repotting time, I always find feeder roots "gripping" those grooves.

Pots without grooves can be a little more unstable as root masses can slip around, especially on porcelain, or other smoother finishes.

 

[penumbra]

I have an opinion, but its not ready for prime time.