Pot School

Lazylightningny

Masterpiece
Messages
2,257
Reaction score
2,104
Location
Downstate New York, Zone 6b
USDA Zone
6b
This thread blows my mind. Judy, you have a really good eye. I'm a school-trained photographer, so I am familiar with composition, color, and so forth, but I am having trouble with the concepts of masculine vs. feminine and what types of trees would look best in a particular pot. As I am new to this, I chalk it up to not being exposed to enough tree/pot combinations to reasonably know the difference.

How about glazed vs. unglazed? Did we touch on this yet? Where should each be used and why?

I hope this discussion will continue.
 
Last edited:

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,751
Reaction score
23,250
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
soon...

Yes Steve, I'm trying to get that eye... that's what this is all about.
I am super busy right now, but will restart this conversation soon.
 
Messages
87
Reaction score
1
Location
Johnstown,Oh
USDA Zone
5b
I'm new to this as well and learned a lot from this thread. I'd like to know your guys thoughts on wood pots. I made a couple one day playing around in the shop. I figured they would hold up 4 years or so unfinished or longer with beeswax or maybe an oil. What kind of feel would these have?

image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg

Don't pay no attention to the trees. One was a tulip poplar growing in the gravel drive and the other was a juniper I bought that had this little guy planted with another bigger one in the same pot. Figured I try them for practice.
 

thams

Omono
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
1,542
Location
Roswell, GA
USDA Zone
7b
I'm new to this as well and learned a lot from this thread. I'd like to know your guys thoughts on wood pots. I made a couple one day playing around in the shop. I figured they would hold up 4 years or so unfinished or longer with beeswax or maybe an oil. What kind of feel would these have?

While I think it's cool that you've created your own pots from a basic slab of wood, I'm not sure they totally fit in the context of bonsai presentation. I would not go as far as to say wooden pots would NEVER be useful in bonsai presentation -- I've just never seen it happen.

These might work well as grow pots though and are a hell of a lot cheaper than some basic grow pots I've seen.
 
Messages
87
Reaction score
1
Location
Johnstown,Oh
USDA Zone
5b
I got the idea seaching japenese maple bonsai and came across this
image.jpg
Thought it was nice looking.
 

thams

Omono
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
1,542
Location
Roswell, GA
USDA Zone
7b
I got the idea seaching japenese maple bonsai and came across this
View attachment 43941
Thought it was nice looking.

I think this an interesting planting for an outdoor garden for sure. I'm not sure it's entirely appropriate for a formal presentation though. For me, the heaviness and rustic nature of the vessel detracts from the tree.
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
I think in the case of the example shown in the plaza, size matters. Big tree means big EXPENSIVE pot.
 

ghues

Omono
Messages
1,554
Reaction score
3,140
Location
Campbell River BC Canada
USDA Zone
7b
While I think it's cool that you've created your own pots from a basic slab of wood, I'm not sure they totally fit in the context of bonsai presentation. I would not go as far as to say wooden pots would NEVER be useful in bonsai presentation -- I've just never seen it happen.

These might work well as grow pots though and are a hell of a lot cheaper than some basic grow pots I've seen.

Thams,
How about this yellow cedar (Alaskan Cedar) wooden pot?
Cheers Graham
 

Attachments

  • SIlverRVineMaple (7).jpg
    SIlverRVineMaple (7).jpg
    83.7 KB · Views: 161

thams

Omono
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
1,542
Location
Roswell, GA
USDA Zone
7b
Thams,
How about this yellow cedar (Alaskan Cedar) wooden pot?
Cheers Graham

I think it's a cool lookin' pot. My problem with that presentation is that the tree gets lost in the pot. The trunk and pot are too close to the same color, so the tree is washed out in the picture. It took me a good 2 seconds to recognize the contours of the trunk, which is too long IMO. It feels like the tree and pot are competing for attention.
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,751
Reaction score
23,250
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
Very cool pot graham, I would agree with the feeling that the tree is not distinct enough from the pot. Perhaps a cedar would feel wild and right for it. I understand the base you have it sitting on, but it does seem busy for the smooth flow of the pot.
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,751
Reaction score
23,250
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
RCBW, I think the pots are interesting, but they are too thick to work with anything but the largest chunkiest trees that I can imagine. It would be a novel way to present a singular tree, but would not work for most things. Also for horticultural purposes, I think these pots would stay far too wet for most plants.
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,751
Reaction score
23,250
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
Focus on the rim of each pot and how it affects the visual weight.

The top two are more formal and masculine. Both are level and straight across at the top.

The next two are less formal and softer. Both are rounded over and not as hard as the first two.

You are on the mark with the last pot.

Ding ding! Pot school is back in session if Dean Paul has the time...

I'm finally free enough to concentrate on this topic again. An so I re read the entire post. Interestingly enough, without reading ahead, I did get that the first two are masculine, where I didn't previously. So the basic concepts of weight and what it means is settling into my mind.

I think I'd like to touch on side elements as in regards to shaping of the pot other than banding next. There are so many different shapes to think about, and many of them can be somewhat ambiguous. I think the only shape that for me is set in stone is the sharp sided and sharp corner rectangle. It seems like many ovals and flaired pots can skew in either direction.
 
Messages
87
Reaction score
1
Location
Johnstown,Oh
USDA Zone
5b
I made another wood pot on the table saw. More traditional style this time and coated it with a black bees wax. Keep this thread going I'd like to know what means what.
image.jpg
It's from a chunk of beech I had so I was thinking of getting a beech now to put in it.
 

Lazylightningny

Masterpiece
Messages
2,257
Reaction score
2,104
Location
Downstate New York, Zone 6b
USDA Zone
6b
I made another wood pot on the table saw. More traditional style this time and coated it with a black bees wax. Keep this thread going I'd like to know what means what.
View attachment 44355
It's from a chunk of beech I had so I was thinking of getting a beech now to put in it.

I think this pot is better suited to a bonsai tree than the other examples. The only question I have is how long would it last in a dark, moist environment (the inside of the pot), and if treated, would the chemicals be harmful to the plant.

I still feel that the traditional fired pots look better for bonsai. That's just me. Sometimes something traditional is traditional because it works. I'm sure in the thousands of years that people have been keeping plants in pots, every conceivable option has been tried (coconuts? gourds? skulls?). My grandfather kept a flowerbed in an old toilet on the front yard. He was an artist, so I guess he could get away with it. If nothing else, it was a great conversation piece when we had guests over.

Not to say you shouldn't do it, because if you like it, that's all that matters.
 

GrimLore

Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Messages
8,502
Reaction score
7,452
Location
South East PA
USDA Zone
6b
I made another wood pot on the table saw. More traditional style this time and coated it with a black bees wax. Keep this thread going I'd like to know what means what.

Honest I like the Idea of beech in beech and that pot is something I would use in Maple or Oak for the same reason. For the sake of understanding the subject of "pots" tends to lean towards what is "proper" for a "finished" tree going to "show". In reality that is a "perfect" pot for a "proper" time. Most trees(even those going to show) are not in the "show pot" for any long period of time. Most spend more time in buckets, crates, and a wide variety of torture device setups. I have a few very elegant pots that sit in crates empty for most of the year. The trees I put in them are "unchained" and displayed in them maybe every other year for a week at best. I find it interesting for other reasons as well but I do appreciate what you have done and for me it makes sense and is fun and hands on.

Grimmy
 

ghues

Omono
Messages
1,554
Reaction score
3,140
Location
Campbell River BC Canada
USDA Zone
7b
Hi Thams,
The topic/post had turned to wooden pots, so I only gave this one as an example.....my post wasn't about the combination of tree and pot....just the pot. I have a few other natural shaped wooden pots that I have made and think that there is a place for them.
p.s. I removed the tree from this pot and will look for something else to put into it.
Cheers Graham

I think it's a cool lookin' pot. My problem with that presentation is that the tree gets lost in the pot. The trunk and pot are too close to the same color, so the tree is washed out in the picture. It took me a good 2 seconds to recognize the contours of the trunk, which is too long IMO. It feels like the tree and pot are competing for attention.
 
Last edited:
Messages
87
Reaction score
1
Location
Johnstown,Oh
USDA Zone
5b
Sorry JudyB wasn't trying to change the course of the thread I was just asking of the feel of these pots. Lets go back to shapes of pots and meanings.
 

thams

Omono
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
1,542
Location
Roswell, GA
USDA Zone
7b
Hi Thams,
The topic/post had turned to wooden pots, so I only gave this one as an example.....my post wasn't about the combination of tree and pot....just the pot. I have a few other natural shaped wooden pots that I have made and think that there is a place for them.
p.s. I removed the tree from this pot and will look for something else to put into it.
Cheers Graham

Oh ok, I should have read your post more closely. I'm sure that given the right tree/pot combo, this pot could really elevate the piece. I'm not a traditionalist and love seeing folks experiment with their trees. Let us know if you find something else to put in the pot!
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,751
Reaction score
23,250
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
Sorry JudyB wasn't trying to change the course of the thread I was just asking of the feel of these pots. Lets go back to shapes of pots and meanings.

I think Paul must be busy at this time, when he's ready we'll get back to it! Thanks.
 
Top Bottom