Where to get cheap bonsai post ?

[Paradox]

I think this in itself is a perception problem. And shortsighted. It's kind like telling someone that if they don't have a tripod they shouldn't try to do landscape photography, because they'll never get the best possible photographs. I did landscape photography for years before I decided I was going to take that step and buy a tripod to improve my work.

People find their own enjoyment in the things they like to do and not everybody wants to go to the effort of being the best at something. And that's fine - they're doing what makes them feel good. Bjorn seems to understand that. Let people enjoy things where they're at - explain that there may be better ways to do things and let them decide if they want to act on that knowledge. But don't tell them their choices are wrong. Maybe eventually they'll start to see things in a way that aligns more with most people here and and reconsider how they work. If not, who cares?

It isn't about being the best at bonsai.
I prefer to think about what is best for the tree and doing that. Not what is best for my ego.
A bonsai is still a bonsai even if its not in final bonsai pot.

 

[penumbra]

What with paypal, etsy and such sending out 1099s to all, I would think that bonsai pots and other online sales will become more scarce. It makes sense for someone who makes their living selling online but it makes No sense for someone just trying to get by. I'm getting nailed by paypal this year because I sold a lot of crap online. Even if you sell an old pair of sneakers now, if you are over $600 annually , you are accountable. Big Brother is watching you.

 

[Paradox]

What with paypal, etsy and such sending out 1099s to all, I would think that bonsai pots and other online sales will become more scarce. It makes sense for someone who makes their living selling online but it makes No sense for someone just trying to get by. I'm getting nailed by paypal this year because I sold a lot of crap online. Even if you sell an old pair of sneakers now, if you are over $600 annually , you are accountable. Big Brother is watching you.

Maybe volume sellers will go back to using a website to sell rather than ebay etc.
Or the prices will continue to go up

 

[Enfield Snapper]

It isn't about being the best at bonsai.
I prefer to think about what is best for the tree and doing that. Not what is best for my ego.
A bonsai is still a bonsai even if its not in final bonsai pot.

And that's a valid viewpoint. But it's not the only one.

 

[qwerty Bonsai]

Ok, let's cut to the chase and answer the question. In a word, China, particularly, Yixsing. Look for Chinese production ware. Cheeeeap! OMG! Like a set of four unglazed rectangle pots for about $35 bucks. Three are fairly nice, one is very nice and one is so ugly I almost dropped it when I unpacked it, then I wanted to hit it with a hammer! But, I flipped it over and put a tile on top and using it to elevate another tree, which is also in a very nice glazed Yixsing pot. They do make some very nice high quality wares, but you asked for cheap and that is the bottom end of the scale. Beware! Pics are highly deceptive!

It is true that you can find inexpensive bonsai pots with decent quality, and dirty cheap pots with okay quality in China.

But Yixing pots are not cheap pots, on the contrary, they could be expensive. I just googled, a set of 10 pieces tea pot set was sold for 92million in 2015, about 15 million US dollars. (They are not antique, the maker died in 1996)
Those cheap Yixing pots, the good chances are, they are not real Yixing pots.

I wanted to buy some cheap chinese pots, and I can find them on chinese shopping websites, but just don't know how to buy, since they either don't take US credit card or don't ship to US.

 

[karen82]

If you mean cheap pot as in a training pot for developing bonsai, then there are many places where you can buy plastic bonsai pots in various sizes generally for a few dollars and up. Plastic bulb pans are even cheaper, some of the larger greenhouse/gardening supply stores will sell them in a few sizes for around $1. Many regular garden centers will sell terracotta bulb pans and azalea pots (azalea pots are deeper than a bulb pan but still shallower than a reg pot) which can be used for developing bonsai. Wooden grow boxes can be used too, and if well-made can look fairly nice.
Mica pots are a nicer alternative to these and can look like a 'real' bonsai pot from a distance and are still cheaper than ceramic.
If you are looking for a cheap show-quality ceramic pot, you just won't find one. The nice ones cost a lot and are worth it in general (though some antique or rare pots may be priced as collectors' items above their value just for bonsai display),
But, don't feel like you must have a really nice pot for your trees.
I live in a cold climate and no where near any bonsai shows, I don't think I would put any of my outdoor trees in an expensive pot because I would be afraid of either the pot cracking due to winter freeze/thaw, or of the tree roots being damaged by the same if I removed the pot for winter storage. Nothing nicer than a mica pot for those. The greenhouse trees will get nicer pots, eventually.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I just picked up one of these bowls from target. It's very sturdy. I havent drilled holes yet but I think it will work out well. I will also have to make some feet. It looks very much like ceramic. But it being plastic, I'm a little concerned about it retaining heat rather than allowing cooling through evaporation.

45oz Melamine and Bamboo Dinner Bowl Dark Blue - Threshold™

Read reviews and buy 45oz Melamine and Bamboo Dinner Bowl Dark Blue - Threshold™ at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

 

[BonsaiManic]

To revive an old thread...
...what about carving a pot from large tree branches? A rugged but nicely carved pot of wood might look nice for a developing bonsai. It might not be especially long-lasting, but that "wood" address the storage issue.
But I'm sure there's a reason wooden bonsai pots (I know sometimes grow boxes are made with lumber) aren't common.

 

[ShadyStump]

To revive an old thread...
...what about carving a pot from large tree branches? A rugged but nicely carved pot of wood might look nice for a developing bonsai. It might not be especially long-lasting, but that "wood" address the storage issue.
But I'm sure there's a reason wooden bonsai pots (I know sometimes grow boxes are made with lumber) aren't common.

It's been discussed before. He generally consensus was it's doable, but not necessarily worth it.

It's the difference between the cost, time and craftsmanship of slapping together some scrap wood for a grow box, and turning a pot on a lathe by hand only to have both rot in the same amount of time.

There was a suggestion made of somehow impregnating the wood with epoxy resin or the like to prevent rotting, but then we're raising the bar again in terms of effort, equipment and expertise, all with dubious reliability, and marketability.

 

[Horsefeathers]

To revive an old thread...
...what about carving a pot from large tree branches? A rugged but nicely carved pot of wood might look nice for a developing bonsai. It might not be especially long-lasting, but that "wood" address the storage issue.
But I'm sure there's a reason wooden bonsai pots (I know sometimes grow boxes are made with lumber) aren't common.

I literally just got an email on this exact thing yesterday. It's to a youtube video that's unlisted so I'm not sure if you can see this or not:

In case you can't watch the video, it was suggested that Paraloid B72 remixed with acetone at 5% would serve as a preservative. I know this is used in fossils, but I'm not familiar with it beyond that. I flagged it for further research.

Incidentally and semi-related, I also ran across this video yesterday (

) which made me want to do this for a giant planting. Look at that nebari, haha!