Purpose of a Pot — wei2cre8

The “bon” in bonsai, the potted tree is the distinction from a tree in the yard or landscape or the wild. The first lesson I learned was to not place a young tree in a “bonsai” pot and call it a bonsai—only use a bonsai pot once at the stage of refinement and after development growth.

The notes below are curated from reliable sources and I am thankful for their education of this practice.

I see two main categories of pots: Grow Pot and Refined/Contained.

The first is to encourage healthy and rapid growth (of roots, trunk, and primary branches) until ready to place in a pot. What encourages growth is high draining soil/substrate that allows watering without “wet feet” and aeration to feed the roots.

Free the trunk and primary branches are defined, the tree can be reported into a bonsai pot. The inorganic substrate and smaller pot will reduce internodes, slow growth, and reduce leaf size. Repeated repotting and pruning for refined branch ramification will result in smaller tree attributes.

Exposed Root Development (Bonsai Tonight)

Pond Baskets & Colanders (Bonsai Tonight)

“The mesh supports increased air circulation and can reduce fungal problems in the roots.“
For quick development of trunks recommend using containers with lots of perforations.
I was cautioned that conifers do well in pond baskets and colanders but maples or deciduous trees are sensitive to too much drainage and may dry out. Suggested to place the colander into the ground or on a bed of wet stones or sand to be drawn up into the roots.
- “When a fine root reaches the side of a colander, the root tip dies. This causes increased lateral root development that makes colanders perfect for species like pine where ample fine roots near the base of the trunk help create the flared base we appreciate in pine bonsai.” —Jonas Dupuich

Bonsai Tonight Reference