Storing Bonsai Pots

[Katie0317]

I'm looking for ideas for storing bonsai pots. I'd like to keep them outside so they'll be there when I need them.

Right now they'll under a low table of orchids. No chance of anything falling on them but it's not easy to see what I actually have..Size, shape etc...

We have a good sized wrought iron outdoor shelving unit that I'm working on organizing...(All the big box stores are selling organizing containers at rock bottom prices, and they're really nice!).

I'd like to put the pots in the storage unit but I don't feel they'd be as secure there. Also, I see people use wooden slats between the pots but it looks slightly precarious. Has anyone experienced a crash with this method?

Where do you store yours?

 

[sorce]

I stack mine right on and in each other, cuz if they can't take it they're no good!

They can take it!

Or they're no good! Lol!

Setting possibles next to trees is good to visualize.

Store em on the bench with a tree in em!

Sorce

 

[vp999]

My Tokoname pots are stored inside my greenhouse, my cheap Chinese pots are on a similar shelf but outside. They’re only inside because I have no room outside. My plan is to display them around the yard like Mach5 does, I love that look. But only when i move to a bigger house with a much nicer bonsai garden because my bonsai garden now is a mess lol.

 

[StPaddy]

I put funky plants in them…wildflowers etc. and under the potting bench. But I only have a dozen that aren’t in use.

 

[penumbra]

As long as they are visible and accessible, I am good. When I start putting things in storage, I confuse myself.

 

[rockm]

Stacked outside. Been doing this for years. Not a problem. I'm lazy though. I do have shelves for a few inside, as well.

 

[Cajunrider]

Hmmm....
I have zero pot to store.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

The better the pot, the better the spot.

 

[Katie0317]

Very interesting to see. I haven't seen pictures of how Mach5 stores his around the yard as someone said...Does anyone know where the picture of that is?

@Brian Van Fleet Yours look nice and they stay clean which appeals to me. Btw, that plastic container with bottles of stuff in it?...An upgrade of those containers in all kinds of sizes are on sale at Target online. They're priced at next to nothing. They have them in gray and other colors too. Just an fyi.

@vp999 and to others...Why do some pots get the wooden stick between them and some not? When I see the wooden sticks between pots it makes me nervous. It looks like the sticks would make them come tumbling down. I think I'd prefer to stack without sticks and if I used sticks I'd be tempted to use those pan can stirrers (although my husband can build anything). Is that a Japanese custom?

@sorce...You made me laugh.

It's good seeing pictures. Gives me ideas. Was tempted to put them under the bed because I knew they wouldn't get broken. Am still considering it.

 

[Dav4]

Very interesting to see. I haven't seen pictures of how Mach5 stores his around the yard as someone said...Does anyone know where the picture of that is?

@Brian Van Fleet Yours look nice and they stay clean which appeals to me. Btw, that plastic container with bottles of stuff in it?...An upgrade of those containers in all kinds of sizes are on sale at Target online. They're priced at next to nothing. They have them in gray and other colors too. Just an fyi.

@vp999 and to others...Why do some pots get the wooden stick between them and some not? When I see the wooden sticks between pots it makes me nervous. It looks like the sticks would make them come tumbling down. I think I'd prefer to stack without sticks and if I used sticks I'd be tempted to use those pan can stirrers (although my husband can build anything). Is that a Japanese custom?

@sorce...You made me laugh.

It's good seeing pictures. Gives me ideas. Was tempted to put them under the bed because I knew they wouldn't get broken. Am still considering it.

What Brian said!

The wooden sticks are there to hopefully keep the ceramic pots from ever touching accidentally and chipping... I do the same with middle to high quality pots in storage. The really really really good ones get a spot on a shelf in my "pot room". Mach has posted lots of pics of his bonsai garden in the thread about bonsai gardens... he has neat short stacks of nice pots placed here and there throughouthis garden... with wooden sticks separating the pots. The nice but really big pots generally don't make the cut to be kept on the shelf... mainly cuz they're really big! I've kept many pots underneath my benches through the years but haven't started doing that since the move to MI... clearly, I need to buy more pots!!

 

[vp999]

Very interesting to see. I haven't seen pictures of how Mach5 stores his around the yard as someone said...Does anyone know where the picture of that is?

@Brian Van Fleet Yours look nice and they stay clean which appeals to me. Btw, that plastic container with bottles of stuff in it?...An upgrade of those containers in all kinds of sizes are on sale at Target online. They're priced at next to nothing. They have them in gray and other colors too. Just an fyi.

@vp999 and to others...Why do some pots get the wooden stick between them and some not? When I see the wooden sticks between pots it makes me nervous. It looks like the sticks would make them come tumbling down. I think I'd prefer to stack without sticks and if I used sticks I'd be tempted to use those pan can stirrers (although my husband can build anything). Is that a Japanese custom?

@sorce...You made me laugh.

It's good seeing pictures. Gives me ideas. Was tempted to put them under the bed because I knew they wouldn't get broken. Am still considering it.

Well...some pots got the sticks because I only have so many sticks to go around lol, they are paint mixer stick but if I have a choice I would find something stronger, I think the sticks makes the pot stacking looks nicer because you can see the whole pot vs putting it inside a smaller pot, and protect the glaze also. Here's a pic of Mach5 garden with pots displaying, I love that look so much.

 

[Katie0317]

@vp999 Thank you for sharing that photo. I can't tell for certain but am not sure if those pots are completely underneath the pot stands. I can see myself stretching to water a tree and my knee knocking over a stack of pots. Maybe it's just the photo. They're beautiful though. I like the look too which is no surprise.

@Dav4 Thank you for posting those. Your friends are creating a 'Bonsai pot collectors anonymous' group for you. Seriously though, you have lots of pots! Beautiful...An amazing collection and you've put so much thought and consideration into displaying and storing them. They're lucky to have such a good home. It's a tribute to bonsai potters, worldwide I'm sure. Keep collecting if it makes you happy.

 

[Srt8madness]

I'd be happy to store pots for anyone who needs. Can return upon request springtime only. May be used to hold rocks and sticks.

 

[sorce]

@penumbra , pardon my forgetfulness, but wasn't it you who bought one of my friends pots?

Like these?



Sorce

 

[Dav4]

@vp999 Thank you for sharing that photo. I can't tell for certain but am not sure if those pots are completely underneath the pot stands. I can see myself stretching to water a tree and my knee knocking over a stack of pots. Maybe it's just the photo. They're beautiful though. I like the look too which is no surprise.

@Dav4 Thank you for posting those. Your friends are creating a 'Bonsai pot collectors anonymous' group for you. Seriously though, you have lots of pots! Beautiful...An amazing collection and you've put so much thought and consideration into displaying and storing them. They're lucky to have such a good home. It's a tribute to bonsai potters, worldwide I'm sure. Keep collecting if it makes you happy.

I started into the hobby 25 years ago... didn't have 2 nickels to rub together at that point in my life, either. Pots were an afterthought and an expense I resented... the same way I resented spending $$ on soil components. However, time changes everything, I guess. After a few years and being out of school with a paying job, my appreciation for good trees was beginning to reflect itself in my personal bonsai collection, and that's when I realized the benefit of having decent pots to pair with decent trees. Anyway, the rabbit hole is deep! I love well made ceramics in general, but really appreciate good bonsai pots. Most of my decent pots were acquired over 10 years ago... if it was a good pot and I had the $$ and a tree that 'might' work with it, I'd grab it. I started collecting higher end "collectible" pots about 8 years ago, and at this point, I'm much more discriminating and only buy a pot that I'm 90%+ sure will work with a tree in my collection, or it's very collectible. I think I've only purchased 1 pot in the last year, a great pot by Heian Kouzan,

highly collectible and it improved my collection substantially. In closing, if you've got decent pots... doesn't matter if they're utilitarian or "display shelf only", it's good to try and display them tastefully. I love how Mach places his pots throughout his garden, and using thicker wood stickers to separate the stacked pots allows you to see the entire pot, almost like a garden decoration. I'd be doing the same except my German Short haired Pointer doesn't appreciate good pots as much as I do!

 

[WimA]

I use some racks similar to @vp999 and @Dav4 in the attic. I have my trees on weird benches with a lower level in the front and a higher level in the back, so there is not a lot of (accessible) space to store spots underneath the benches. I don't mind the pots not being very close to the trees. Also, I have many more small low quality pots, rather than the large high quality pots some of these pictures are showing...

 

[rockm]

Very interesting to see. I haven't seen pictures of how Mach5 stores his around the yard as someone said...Does anyone know where the picture of that is?

@Brian Van Fleet Yours look nice and they stay clean which appeals to me. Btw, that plastic container with bottles of stuff in it?...An upgrade of those containers in all kinds of sizes are on sale at Target online. They're priced at next to nothing. They have them in gray and other colors too. Just an fyi.

@vp999 and to others...Why do some pots get the wooden stick between them and some not? When I see the wooden sticks between pots it makes me nervous. It looks like the sticks would make them come tumbling down. I think I'd prefer to stack without sticks and if I used sticks I'd be tempted to use those pan can stirrers (although my husband can build anything). Is that a Japanese custom?

@sorce...You made me laugh.

It's good seeing pictures. Gives me ideas. Was tempted to put them under the bed because I knew they wouldn't get broken. Am still considering it.

The wooden slats between the pots, as said, is protection against chipping and scratching of pot surfaces. The bottom of pots' feet are unglazed (can't glaze the bottom of feet because the glaze will fuse to the kiln shelves when they're fired) That unglazed surface is rough and will scratch the rims of the pot underneath it when they're stacked. Additionally, if a smaller pot is stored inside a larger pot, the unglazed interior of the larger pot can damage the exterior surface of the smaller one.

The slats don't make stacks more unstable. You can use whatever's handy as slats. I grab a handful of paint stirrers at Home Depot when I need some. However, those stirrers won't support larger pots because of weight and more importantly--width of the pots. I cut thicker pieces of wood custom from scrap construction materials for larger pots.

Storing pots under your bed or inside on the floor is asking for breakage. Too much activity--who's stuffing clothes and other crap under the bed for storage, who's the clumsiest member of the family -- and do they wear boots? Pots stored on the floor inside will get kicked, banged up by others, or their stuff. Outside, under the bonsai bench or a secluded corner of the yard is MUCH safer.