Terra Cotta pots

[J1LSantana]

I wanted to ask for help on deciding to use terra cotta pots.Basically I am not new to bonsai but I just use plastic 1 or 3 gallon pots for growing out.I wanted to know if anyone uses terra cotta pots from home depot instead.It is for a maple and I like the look better than plastic.I read it absorbs moisture so before I mess up I needed to get some opinions from people who have used it before.What experience did you have with them and did you like them?Thank you all for your help.

 

[rockm]

If you live in an area where it freezes in winter, terra cotta is a very bad choice. It will basically crumble in a freeze.

If you give us an idea of what state you live in, we could help better.

 

[Tadakun]

If you live in an area where it freezes in winter, terra cotta is a very bad choice. It will basically crumble in a freeze.

If you give us an idea of what state you live in, we could help better.

His info says Florida, so my guess would be that he'd be fine.

 

[J1LSantana]

If you live in an area where it freezes in winter, terra cotta is a very bad choice. It will basically crumble in a freeze.

If you give us an idea of what state you live in, we could help better.

Sorry I just fixed my profile.I am in Miami,FL our winter does not exist.LOL

 

[Ang3lfir3]

I wanted to ask for help on deciding to use terra cotta pots.Basically I am not new to bonsai but I just use plastic 1 or 3 gallon pots for growing out.I wanted to know if anyone uses terra cotta pots from home depot instead.It is for a maple and I like the look better than plastic.I read it absorbs moisture so before I mess up I needed to get some opinions from people who have used it before.What experience did you have with them and did you like them?Thank you all for your help.

terra cotta should be fine.... it breathes better than solid plastic so you get a better gas exchange... not as good as mesh pots but better.... you will also get a build up of salts etc if you use salt based ferts etc....

you may also have problems with algae growth, etc......

 

[Dav4]

Tera cotta pots are fine in Miami...but I'm not sure a maple will be. Most maple species prefer more temperate climates.

 

[J1LSantana]

Tera cotta pots are fine in Miami...but I'm not sure a maple will be. Most maple species prefer more temperate climates.

We have a few guys here with very old tridents and have been here for about 20 years or so.Now I only know of two japanese maples here one is in Miami Tropical bonsai and it was owned by the late Joe Samuels and has been here for about 8 years or so.The other is a japanese red maple and has been here for about 10 years and neither one came as young trees.The red one actually thrives a bit here,I got a yuri hime and it is a little experiment because I am learning how to use freezers and they both went dormant here with the freezers.The JM woke up a week ago and has foliage everywhere,the trident is just waking up.I will post pictures up in a few.they were both smaller last year by a lot.they grow a lot here and I hope they stay thriving.I am trying to be a little different here.I am not that fond of tropicals,lol.I have more azaleas than tropicals.I am a JBP man but I also have some tropicals like a ficus nerifolia that I am making into a shohin version of the cloud.Anyways sorry for the ramble and thank you all for your help.

 

[J1LSantana]

 

[Smoke]

I love terra cotta pots to grow things out. In your climate they will last for years. I get about 5 years, fast roots will split them though.
I prefere the low squat bulb pans. They are a little harder to find and they are mostly sold out by this time of year. They should be plentiful in fall for those that set out winter bulbs, narcissus, tulips and daffodills.

 

[J1LSantana]

I love terra cotta pots to grow things out. In your climate they will last for years. I get about 5 years, fast roots will split them though.
I prefere the low squat bulb pans. They are a little harder to find and they are mostly sold out by this time of year. They should be plentiful in fall for those that set out winter bulbs, narcissus, tulips and daffodills.

Yea I am getting into terra cotta now and I like it a lot.I did the azalea whips and it looked good so then I asked about the maple after and I got some good responses so I went for it also.

 

[Dav4]

We have a few guys here with very old tridents and have been here for about 20 years or so.Now I only know of two japanese maples here one is in Miami Tropical bonsai and it was owned by the late Joe Samuels and has been here for about 8 years or so.The other is a japanese red maple and has been here for about 10 years and neither one came as young trees.The red one actually thrives a bit here,I got a yuri hime and it is a little experiment because I am learning how to use freezers and they both went dormant here with the freezers.The JM woke up a week ago and has foliage everywhere,the trident is just waking up.I will post pictures up in a few.they were both smaller last year by a lot.they grow a lot here and I hope they stay thriving.I am trying to be a little different here.I am not that fond of tropicals,lol.I have more azaleas than tropicals.I am a JBP man but I also have some tropicals like a ficus nerifolia that I am making into a shohin version of the cloud.Anyways sorry for the ramble and thank you all for your help.

Cool. I'm always amazed at how adaptable some plants are. Good luck with your maple.

Dave

 

[J1LSantana]

Cool. I'm always amazed at how adaptable some plants are. Good luck with your maple.

Dave

Yea it amazes me too how a maple adapts.I plan on taking a cutting off each of those japanese maples that have been here long because they have adapted well. A JBP is still the most adaptable tree I have seen. According to the USDA zones the JBP shouldnt pass zone 8 and that tree thrives here.I will be posting pictures from my teachers JBP's that have been here almost 30 years and they already had about 30 years before that.Those pines are incredible but the maples do not fall to far behind in adaptability. Does anyone know where to get those tokoname terra cotta pots?I saw someone post it on here but I cant find it again.Thank you Smoke for your help and I think I will be using terra cotta for training from now on.They look good and help with problems like when you pot a tree in a plastic rectangular training pot one way and then change the front.