Bonsai Pots for the Beginner
by Benjamin Chin

Description: Tips for choosing the perfect pot or container for your bonsai tree.
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Bonsai pots come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and makes. There are glazed pots, unglazed pots, and handmade glazed and unglazed. The best way to pick a pot is to keep in mind what type of bonsai you are going to have. If you are just starting your bonsai you shouldn’t be in too much of a hurry to get it into a permanent pot. Harm to the roots could occur during development if you rush the plant.

Having an actual bonsai pot is the best for your tree, however if you have trouble finding one there are alternatives. Earthenware bowls, dishes, and such have been used. As long as you can drill holes for drainage these should be ok. Slabs of rock have been used for planting a bonsai. If you can drill holes in the rock, if not find something that you can perhaps glue to the rock to use as a base for tying your tree. The most unusual bonsai pot that you will ever see is the suiban. This pot is shallow and has one half with holes and the other side is glazed on the inside. It is colored blue to mimic a lake or the sea.

When choosing the right pot for your bonsai tree, remember a few rules of thumb. The pot should be the same depth as the trunk, measuring just above the root flare. The width of the pot should match the spread of the branches. Choose a color that will compliment your tree. Some trees look better in earth colored pots, while others will look their best in brighter colors. Also the shape of the pot should be considered. Totally different shape pots are used for cascading trees than upright trees. Since some plants used for Bozai may be flowering plants, if you pick a colored pot, find a color that will look good not only when the plant is in bloom but before it blooms.

Young plants are typically planted in pots of muted color as not to be too flashy, while older plants are usually planted in less intense colors. Earth colors are best for older plants. If you want a bonsai with a double trunk or are planting more than one in the same pot, you need to use a long, shallow pot. Creating the impression of a meadow will require an extremely long pot. You do not want the trees to be crowded. This will harm the trees and will not create the look you want.

Let’s not forget that your pot and tree need to be pleasing to you. If you can look at the end result and say ‘I really like the overall effect’ then you are well on your way to becoming a bonsai gardener. The area your trees will live in needs to be well thought out and planned. Half the beauty of these trees is in the environment in which they live.

Discover the insider secrets of Form Pruning, Maintenance Pruning, Plucking, Defoliation, "Jin and Shari" (which makes even a very young trees look like a classic "old" bonsai).

For a A-Z step by step guide to the art of bonsai you can visit http://www.bonsaigardening.com to learn more.

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