Bonsai Pot Wisdom
Whenever I am starting a new bonsai, the first thing I decide on is: where is it going to go?
You see, there are many microclimates in one's own backyard and these micro-climates dictate what type of plant will do best there. Similarly, the bonsai pot is the next choice because I need to know if it is going to be a garden centerpiece, a star, or if it is going to be a member of the supporting cast of characters in the garden. Then on top of it all, I need to foresee what I will be doing for the entire year. Do my climate and the specific micro-climate allow me to keep the bonsai in position all year? If so, I will definitely need a sturdy, quality Japanese bonsai pot.
Now, while it may be understandable why I would need to understand my micro-climate for the average gardener, they might ask why I would need to choose the pot now. Not only that, but why would I make the bonsai pot one of my most important first considerations?
The reasons are simple. First, most people move their bonsai around all of the time. When you do this, the bonsai has to readjust to the specific micro-climate that you are moving it into. Unless it is in full sun from sun up to sun down, and you are moving it into exactly the same conditions, the tree will get a different set of environmental conditions and will need to adjust. The differences could be the sun duration is less, or more; the air temperature could be 1 degree cooler or hotter; even a regular breeze in the new spot could change the way the plant and pot hold water.
If you really want your bonsai to grow thick and lush, keep it in the same spot all year round. While this may be hard for those up north and they may need to place their bonsai in an insulated environment in the winter, any state below the Mason Dixon line should be able to keep their bonsai tree in one spot. Well, that is if they have a quality bonsai pot.
A quality bonsai pot, like a Japanese bonsai pot, has thick walls and will withstand freezing temperatures and keep the bonsai safe unlike a poor quality, cheap bonsai pot that is mostly used for decoration and artificial bonsai trees.
You see, if you use a cheap bonsai pot, it will shatter, crack or flake under the glaze when the temperatures get cold. If the pot shatters, cracks or breaks, then the roots of the tree will be exposed to the elements. This will kill your tree if left too long. The worst part is, it always happens at night, since the night is the coldest part of the day, and it won't be until the next day when it is found, if then. So the plant's roots could be exposed for several to many hours.
My advice, buy a quality Japanese bonsai pot in the first place. Then make a place for your bonsai and leave it there. That is the best path to a beautiful bonsai that I know of. If there was ever a secret to beautiful bonsai, this is it.
You see, there are many microclimates in one's own backyard and these micro-climates dictate what type of plant will do best there. Similarly, the bonsai pot is the next choice because I need to know if it is going to be a garden centerpiece, a star, or if it is going to be a member of the supporting cast of characters in the garden. Then on top of it all, I need to foresee what I will be doing for the entire year. Do my climate and the specific micro-climate allow me to keep the bonsai in position all year? If so, I will definitely need a sturdy, quality Japanese bonsai pot.
Now, while it may be understandable why I would need to understand my micro-climate for the average gardener, they might ask why I would need to choose the pot now. Not only that, but why would I make the bonsai pot one of my most important first considerations?
The reasons are simple. First, most people move their bonsai around all of the time. When you do this, the bonsai has to readjust to the specific micro-climate that you are moving it into. Unless it is in full sun from sun up to sun down, and you are moving it into exactly the same conditions, the tree will get a different set of environmental conditions and will need to adjust. The differences could be the sun duration is less, or more; the air temperature could be 1 degree cooler or hotter; even a regular breeze in the new spot could change the way the plant and pot hold water.
If you really want your bonsai to grow thick and lush, keep it in the same spot all year round. While this may be hard for those up north and they may need to place their bonsai in an insulated environment in the winter, any state below the Mason Dixon line should be able to keep their bonsai tree in one spot. Well, that is if they have a quality bonsai pot.
A quality bonsai pot, like a Japanese bonsai pot, has thick walls and will withstand freezing temperatures and keep the bonsai safe unlike a poor quality, cheap bonsai pot that is mostly used for decoration and artificial bonsai trees.
You see, if you use a cheap bonsai pot, it will shatter, crack or flake under the glaze when the temperatures get cold. If the pot shatters, cracks or breaks, then the roots of the tree will be exposed to the elements. This will kill your tree if left too long. The worst part is, it always happens at night, since the night is the coldest part of the day, and it won't be until the next day when it is found, if then. So the plant's roots could be exposed for several to many hours.
My advice, buy a quality Japanese bonsai pot in the first place. Then make a place for your bonsai and leave it there. That is the best path to a beautiful bonsai that I know of. If there was ever a secret to beautiful bonsai, this is it.
