Dinnerware for bonsai?

[Nj6964]

In an effort to find low priced bonsai pot options, has anyone ever utilized inexpensive dinnerware like deep plates or shallow bowls? I was walking through a store and found a variety of bowls for really cheap. I figured I can just drill holes in the bottom and voila! I know it’s glazed and maybe not work for certain plants that need an unglazed ceramic. Here’s an example of one in the attached photo.

Thoughts, experiences, objections?

 

[atlarsenal]

No feet to vent the air and water.

 

[BrianBay9]

You can sometimes find inexpensive pottery, etc at Goodwill, second had shops, etc. and drill holes. They may not be perfect but if they fit your budget and present a pleasing appearance to you, why not? You can overcome any issues with lack of feet with a little creativity.

 

[Cypress187]

I'm still in the bond-basket stage, don't have very developed tree's yet, but I would like to know because I like it cheap, subscribed, hope some people post cheap pots/idea's.

 

[Deleted member 21616]

Hi @Nj6964

The most cost-efficient bonsai 'pottery' i have found is cedar. These are two pots I built this summer.

You're looking at about 0.75 cents of wood, and a few smeared dabs of glue. Add another 0.05 cents for the screening I need to use to line the bottom of these pots.

I don't know what your time is worth, but mine is free! These took me no more than 20 minutes to make both.

You don't need to use a router -- you can get away with no more than a handsaw!

depending on your skills with wood, and math, there are no limits to the design you can pull off. i tried to make a rectangle with slanted walls like in the example photo (taken from web), but calculating the angle of the cuts was over my head. There are online calculators that exist for this, but i just didn't have the patience:

http://jansson.us/jcompound.html

 

[Deleted member 21616]

if just hit me - are you on the "99 cent bonsai" group on facebook?

this is a good place to get fairly inexpensive pottery

see attached example - there are many many other options

9 pots for $27 - it's almost not worth ruining a good dinner plate

 

[0soyoung]

In an effort to find low priced bonsai pot options, has anyone ever utilized inexpensive dinnerware like deep plates or shallow bowls? I was walking through a store and found a variety of bowls for really cheap. I figured I can just drill holes in the bottom and voila! I know it’s glazed and maybe not work for certain plants that need an unglazed ceramic. Here’s an example of one in the attached photo.

Thoughts, experiences, objections?

I really like sake cups, tea cups, and small saucers for mini bonsais. I also utilize some funky stuff that I come across at craft fairs. I use inexpensive diamond hole saws to make drainage holes. They are available at your local/bigbox hardware stores and from Amazon - just add water and be patient when drilling.

With bigger stuff one would put on a dinner plate, say, it is extremely difficult (impossible?) to hold the tree stably to it with the wires all going to one central hole, so you will need to drill 2 to 5 holes OR glue some kind of ties near the perimeter. This past spring, in order to put a group of Norway maples on a porcelain floor tile, I glued a few 'inch worms' of old copper wire to it for tie downs (super glue and baking soda!). IMHO, a similar 'trick' could be done to affect feet if you are putting tiles/dinner-ware on a solid smooth surface instead of a slatted bench.

Winters where I live are wet but with quite mild temperature-wise. Many cheap slip cast pots will flake away and/or severely crack just like terracotta.. On the other hand I have many that have proven to be robust in my climate. Just about all dinner ware and the like is high fired and highly resistant to 'freeze damage'.

 

[Anthony]

Some sort of cooking dish.
Good Day
Anthony

How shallow can you go ? - Tamarind

 

[Shinjuku]

Maybe not the cheapest that you can find...

$4.98 gets you a 9” terra cotta planter saucer at Home Depot. They have cheaper ones also. Just needs holes drilled in the bottom and something creative for feet.


There’s all kinds of funky stuff at thrift stores that you can use also. I’m using thrift store colanders that I got for $0.25 each as training pots.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Thrift or second hand stores are good sources. But so is the sale shelf on old nurseries.

However, I have drilled porcelain and kitchen containers to fit my budget.
When it doesn't look stupid and it works, then it just works.

Terra cotta saucers, plastic, ornamental pottery (no holes), I'm using it all as long as it fits my needs. Eventually, they will get a fitting bonsai pot. But the trees need to be trained for it, and during that time I'm in the "everything goes" category.

 

[Vinnie Charity]

You can pretty much use anything to make a bonsai pot, as long as it's durable enough to be kept outside, and can have drainage holes drilled into it. I really like the idea of the dinner plate.

Recently, I decided to try these as training pots. Just need to drill holes in the bottom.



They look nicer than the strange-colored colanders at the Asian markets, and they are very sturdy. They were pretty cheap at Target too!!!

 

[peh3]

No feet to vent the air and water.

Simply buy some "rubber feet" or whatnot and glue them on the bottom. Voila.

 

[Lorax7]

Dinnerware for bonsai? Nah. I don’t eat trees.

Seriously though, whether it’s cheap or not depends on whether or not you already have the appropriate diamond bit for drilling the holes. Ordinary drill bits and even masonry bits are unlikely to produce nice clean holes in fired pottery, especially if the surface has been glazed. If I recall correctly, the drill bit large enough for drainage holes runs about $30. The smaller size suitable for holes for wiring trees into the pot was less, but still not cheap. Not a show stopper, in my opinion, but worth considering if your goal is to save money.

 

[Nj6964]

Dinnerware for bonsai? Nah. I don’t eat trees.

Seriously though, whether it’s cheap or not depends on whether or not you already have the appropriate diamond bit for drilling the holes. Ordinary drill bits and even masonry bits are unlikely to produce nice clean holes in fired pottery, especially if the surface has been glazed. If I recall correctly, the drill bit large enough for drainage holes runs about $30. The smaller size suitable for holes for wiring trees into the pot was less, but still not cheap. Not a show stopper, in my opinion, but worth considering if your goal is to save money.

Agreed completely, if I didn’t alteady have drill bits that will work I wouldn’t even consider it. However.....good reasons to buy more tools are always appreciated and come in various forms .

 

[substratum]

Maybe not the cheapest that you can find...

$4.98 gets you a 9” terra cotta planter saucer at Home Depot. They have cheaper ones also. Just needs holes drilled in the bottom and something creative for feet.
View attachment 217409

There’s all kinds of funky stuff at thrift stores that you can use also. I’m using thrift store colanders that I got for $0.25 each as training pots.

When I had bonsai back in the ‘80s, ALL my trees were in terra cotta dishes with drilled holes. It’s all I could afford.

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

You can pretty much use anything to make a bonsai pot, as long as it's durable enough to be kept outside, and can have drainage holes drilled into it. I really like the idea of the dinner plate.

Recently, I decided to try these as training pots. Just need to drill holes in the bottom.

View attachment 217605View attachment 217606

They look nicer than the strange-colored colanders at the Asian markets, and they are very sturdy. They were pretty cheap at Target too!!!

What are those? Price range?

 

[shinmai]

I have found numerous signed, handmade pots at Goodwill for under two dollars. I look for ones that have feet or a ring around the bottom, so that there is room for a ‘cotter pin’ under the drainage hole to wrap the wires around. As was said earlier, the hardware store has little plastic feet you can glue on to elevate enough for free drainage flow.
I’ve also found some really beautiful little rice bowls or condiment bowls at my favorite Asian market for a dollar, painted with dragons, koi, or cherry blossoms. They make nice mame pots or to hold companion plantings.

 

[It's Kev]

I think if you’re going with extreme shallow, your trees will have the same watering needs as any mame or Shito bonsai. And also, consider this...

 

[bonsaidave]

Worst you can do is blow a little money and break a bowl you don't like.

 

[JoeH]

do it all the time, thrift stores are my bonsai pot supplier. Tile drill bit and a good drill. Also found a pile of covers for plates from a restaurant, nontransparent and one big hole in the middle, perfect training pots.