pot selection and potting

I have some general potting questions.

1- How do you size the pot to the tree?
2- I purchased some nursery stock that needs to be potted and have their roots coming out of the nursery pot. Can I change out the pots now and cut some roots off? I will also cut down the branches.

Now is NOT a good time to do any kind of root work. Roots pushing through a nursery pot isn't a bad thing. Set the pot in a pile of mulch, and do the repotting in the early spring.

Basic rules about pots, frequently broken

Glazed/colored pots are used with flowering plants and compliment the color of the flowers.These bonsai are only shown when in bloom.

The depth of the pot should equal the diameter of the trunk

The width of the pot should be 1/3 greater than the spread of the tree

The tree is planted off center in the pot

There are VERY few species I know of that would want their roots disturbed by late September in PA. Listen to Jim.

OK Great thanks for the help. I appreciate everyone point helpfull items out and not putting me down for being new.

Billy M. Rhodes wrote:Basic rules about pots.

The width of the pot should be 1/3 greater than the spread of the tree

??? Not heard this before Billy. I generally go by the width in the top third of the canopy= width of pot. Not a third wider than canopy

drgonzo wrote:There are VERY few species I know of that would want their roots disturbed by late September in PA. Listen to Jim.

Unless you live in the UAE Most plants battle it through the summer here but put on the real growth in winter (which could be considered a bloody hot summer by UK standards). All the wild Acacia tortillis are just starting to come out of their summer dormancy. I'm preping to repot a Ficus and an olive as we speak.

will baddeley wrote:

Billy M. Rhodes wrote:Basic rules about pots.

The width of the pot should be 1/3 greater than the spread of the tree

??? Not heard this before Billy. I generally go by the width in the top third of the canopy= width of pot. Not a third wider than canopy

Funny what we hear. I was told 2/3 the height of the tree = width of pot.

See "Basic Bonsai Design" by David deGroot, page 53 and "Bonsai: Its Art, Science, History, and Philosophy" page 44.

Both give the two-thirds measurement as where to start in selecting a pot (and both say that is just the starting point, that the shape, apparent age, and size of the tree often dictate a variance from this "rule."

FWIW, Naka I agrees (page 84.)

Unfortunately, the American Bonsai Society has allowed deGroot's book to go out of print. It is almost impossible to find now, and the Society should rectify this unfortunate situation ASAP -- either by reprinting as an e-book, or as a hard copy.

david is working on his next book and is about half way done.
It has been my joy to have him as a teacher and to be a member of his yama-taki study group. I'm also a regular on his volunteer staff to help maintain the trees in the collection.

Is it a rewrite of this one, or something else? If something else, the ABS should put the old one back in print.

Damienindesert wrote:

drgonzo wrote:There are VERY few species I know of that would want their roots disturbed by late September in PA. Listen to Jim.

Unless you live in the UAE Most plants battle it through the summer here but put on the real growth in winter (which could be considered a bloody hot summer by UK standards). All the wild Acacia tortillis are just starting to come out of their summer dormancy. I'm preping to repot a Ficus and an olive as we speak.

There are times, when I look out at the 18 inches of snow that I have to plow off the driveway, that I desperately wished I lived in the UAE.....

drgonzo wrote:
There are times, when I look out at the 18 inches of snow that I have to plow off the driveway, that I desperately wished I lived in the UAE.....

Haha. Hold that thought when you have to hike 20km up a water-less valley in 48c heat. It's all relative I guess. But really, summer here is oppressive to say the least and everyone lives under AC. I work outdoors a lot and am convinced that I've put at least one of my pharmacist's kids through school with the amount of money I've spent on sun-screen. Today, for example, was a balmy autumn day of 41c, dropping tonight to around 36c

I can't complain too much though. I'd die in the cold weather - tried the UK for a bit but couldn't take it. Plus, beer tastes better here. Even if you just make it out of the house, you deserve one!!