What a nightmare.

[Mapleminx]

I never envisioned what a nightmare it would be to find the “right pot” for my tragic olive. But as he is improving greatly since I got him I figured it’s about time he gets liberated from that plastic training pot next year and into the real deal. I can’t go for an expensive custom pot right so just had to scour the market for a half decent budget pot.

My first obstacle was shape, the training pot is round but I’m not a fan of round for this guy. Rectangular was also a bit hmmm So I ended up going with Oval. Next was the color..dear god the color was probably the most impossible part of this journey. I knew I wanted glazed but argh, I literally went through browns, browns with beige, olive green (oh how cliché), green, cream for a moment but that just seemed too light. Whenever I found a pot I liked they just didn’t have one large enough, I was outside with my measuring tape looking at the trunk base, looking at the current pot width, checking how it would look if I moved the tape to reduce the size by x amount etc etc.

In the end I settled on glazed black (because they actually had the size), probably not the best choice as it’s a rather dark composition overall with the dark leaves but well we’ll see once the potting has taken place.

I wish I could make my own, in fact I’d really love to get into pottery but would not even know where to start or even where to find the time!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Olives should be repotted during their growing season in summer.

 

[leatherback]

Do you have pictures of the tree and/or pot?

 

[Mapleminx]

Olives should be repotted during their growing season in summer.

Thanks, that’s why I wrote next year . I just like to be prepared

 

[Mapleminx]

Do you have pictures of the tree and/or pot?

Oh I have many pictures of the tree and how it’s developing. I just planned to post them once it’s in it’s final pot so a thread will have a little progression timeline. I quite like the pot for its simplicity, it’s just a bit darker than I had expected to be going.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks, that’s why I wrote next year . I just like to be prepared

I guess I over looked that. If you aren't satisfied with the pot. Keep looking...never hurts to have a few options at repot time. You clearly have the time to search for one.

 

[Mapleminx]

I guess I over looked that. If you aren't satisfied with the pot. Keep looking...never hurts to have a few options at repot time. You clearly have the time to search for one.

oh I’ll probably end up with a few when the time comes. I actually have my old stash on its way to me at the moment because my mom finally cleared out the basement and discovered a pile of them from when I was trying the bonsai thing in my teens. So they’ll be dropped off sometime next week when another family member is driving through. I don’t even remember what any of those look like, the quantity, the size or the colors so that’s going to be a box of surprises right there.

 

[RKatzin]

I feel you for sure, but this isn't really a nightmare. A nightmare is facing these decisions with over a hundred trees! And that I wouldn't know a good pot if it hit me in the head. (I now know that I could tell by the ringing tone)
So I went for size primarily, first it has to fit, and I mean without shoehorning the tree in with a lever and a pry bar. I bought very few tree specific pots, but went with basic concepts of glazes for deciduous and unglazed for conifers. No strict adherence, I did end up with a Thuja Reinhgold in a glazed onyx oval, shiney high gloss black, and with the golden foliage it's pretty cool!
Now I'm playing the change game. After a summer of looking things over I can see this one needs a deeper pot, that one could easily go smaller, this would look great in that pot if I put that tree I this pot.

 

[Mapleminx]

I feel you for sure, but this isn't really a nightmare. A nightmare is facing these decisions with over a hundred trees! And that I wouldn't know a good pot if it hit me in the head. (I now know that I could tell by the ringing tone)
So I went for size primarily, first it has to fit, and I mean without shoehorning the tree in with a lever and a pry bar. I bought very few tree specific pots, but went with basic concepts of glazes for deciduous and unglazed for conifers. No strict adherence, I did end up with a Thuja Reinhgold in a glazed onyx oval, shiney high gloss black, and with the golden foliage it's pretty cool!
Now I'm playing the change game. After a summer of looking things over I can see this one needs a deeper pot, that one could easily go smaller, this would look great in that pot if I put that tree I this pot.

I’d love to have over 100 trees! But yes I can imagine the chaos it brings!

 

[leatherback]

Oh I have many pictures of the tree and how it’s developing. I just planned to post them once it’s in it’s final pot so a thread will have a little progression timeline. I quite like the pot for its simplicity, it’s just a bit darker than I had expected to be going.

well.. If you have difficulty pairing pot and tree, it helps to post some pictures and you will get lots of suggestions for suitable pots..
The the guessing out of the nightmare.

 

[sorce]

would not even know where to start or even where to find the time!

Start at the beginning and find time by not wasting it.

The cones we use to measure heat work started in Germany so there's that!

Pics!

Sorce

 

[RKatzin]

We learn by doing. Get started, don't stop. Do something, even if it's wrong. The worst that can happen is you have to sit and look at it till next potting time!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I never envisioned what a nightmare it would be to find the “right pot” for my tragic olive. <snip> ......... I literally went through browns, browns with beige, olive green (oh how cliché), green, cream for a moment but that just seemed too light. ............<snip>

I hear frequent disparaging remarks about green pots, and blue pots. Actually blue gets the "cliche" comment more often than green does. This is annoying, because green and or blue pots work very well with many, many trees. The reason we see pots in green colors and blue colors so often is because they work. "No Brainers". So if you find a nice green colored pot, don't shy away because of fears of being "cliche". Embrace colors that really do complement your tree. Actually there are many beautiful, and subtle glazes that are mixtures of colors. Mixed color glazes that include green are a good solution to avoiding feeling cliche and yet get a good complementary color.

Actually olives are a Mediterranean tree, You can use the pot to help set the setting. I always think Greece, when I think about olives. Now this is my bias, I know olives are found throughout the Mediterranean. The colors of the Greek Islands, one always thinks white, or off white to represent the beaches and bluffs and white plaster or stucco of the houses, and blue as in the clear blue sky and dark blue of the adjacent sea. It is a starting point. I would actually include light blue or off white or a pot with a mixed glaze that has blue and off white highlights.

Or think about where you would picture your tree growing. What would the color impression of the background be?

 

[RKatzin]

I hear frequent disparaging remarks about green pots, and blue pots. Actually blue gets the "cliche" comment more often than green does. This is annoying, because green and or blue pots work very well with many, many trees. The reason we see pots in green colors and blue colors so often is because they work. "No Brainers". So if you find a nice green colored pot, don't shy away because of fears of being "cliche". Embrace colors that really do complement your tree. Actually there are many beautiful, and subtle glazes that are mixtures of colors. Mixed color glazes that include green are a good solution to avoiding feeling cliche and yet get a good complementary color.

Actually olives are a Mediterranean tree, You can use the pot to help set the setting. I always think Greece, when I think about olives. Now this is my bias, I know olives are found throughout the Mediterranean. The colors of the Greek Islands, one always thinks white, or off white to represent the beaches and bluffs and white plaster or stucco of the houses, and blue as in the clear blue sky and dark blue of the adjacent sea. It is a starting point. I would actually include light blue or off white or a pot with a mixed glaze that has blue and off white highlights.

Or think about where you would picture your tree growing. What would the color impression of the background be?

Well, here is where I have to fess up. I have a fetish for blue pots. Many of the other pots were bought because I thought they would go nice with the blue one. At one point I just declared no more blue pots! It was when I looked up and down the rows and noticed every glazed pot was blue. I'll still throw down for a blue (they're so nice), but seriously trying to mix in some other hues.

 

[Mapleminx]

I hear frequent disparaging remarks about green pots, and blue pots. Actually blue gets the "cliche" comment more often than green does. This is annoying, because green and or blue pots work very well with many, many trees. The reason we see pots in green colors and blue colors so often is because they work. "No Brainers". So if you find a nice green colored pot, don't shy away because of fears of being "cliche". Embrace colors that really do complement your tree. Actually there are many beautiful, and subtle glazes that are mixtures of colors. Mixed color glazes that include green are a good solution to avoiding feeling cliche and yet get a good complementary color.

Actually olives are a Mediterranean tree, You can use the pot to help set the setting. I always think Greece, when I think about olives. Now this is my bias, I know olives are found throughout the Mediterranean. The colors of the Greek Islands, one always thinks white, or off white to represent the beaches and bluffs and white plaster or stucco of the houses, and blue as in the clear blue sky and dark blue of the adjacent sea. It is a starting point. I would actually include light blue or off white or a pot with a mixed glaze that has blue and off white highlights.

Or think about where you would picture your tree growing. What would the color impression of the background be?

I would actually love to find an oval blue pot with maybe some dripping white/off white glaze dripping from the rim. Sort of like a breaking wave.

 

[Mapleminx]

Sort of like this color...but not this pot

 

[leatherback]

Sort of like this color...but not this pot

Ask Sergio..

Sergio Onodera

Bonsai Potter

sergioonodera.tumblr.com

 

[Atom#28]

It's simple, really: keep looking until a pairing makes you *Squeeee*

 

[Carol 83]

I have a fetish for blue pots.

Me too, we could start a support group.

 

[Mapleminx]

It's simple, really: keep looking until a pairing makes you *Squeeee*

Will do and if I still haven’t found one I’ll consider having one made.