Tie pots from stone lantern

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

Hi ,

I saw these tie pots from stone lantern online and wondering if people have used them and their thoughts ? Am looking to get some for developmental stages of my Japanese white pines and Japanese maples although am also leaning towards Tokoname grow pots for my Japanese maples .

Thoughts will be appreciated .

Tie Pot for Growing Bonsai - Standard Size

Growing bonsai is now easier, more enjoyable, and more productive than ever thanks to tie pots. Each one features sturdy anchor points for tying or guy wiring your tree down. That alone is reason enough to use them, but maybe best of all they help you air prune too. Air pruning has tremendous...

stonelantern.com

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Eckhoffw]

I thought of getting some of these as well. I see they’re only $12 now. Seems worth a shot. Currently I just use the thicker nursery plastic cans and drill a bunch of holes in the rim for wire.
Curious as to what others think about these.

 

[Colorado]

The thing I don’t like about plastic containers is that they don’t breathe at all. For this reason I prefer ceramic training pots or wooden boxes.

It is very easy to drill a tie down hole/screw into these materials also.The tie down pot is a catchy idea but personally wouldn’t utilize.

Additionally, it is superior technique to anchor a guy wire to a jin, branch, root, trunk, something connected to the tree to create a closed system of force. If you guy wire from a branch to the container it exerts force on the root system which could potentially cause damage, depending on the amount of force.

 

[Maiden69]

+1 on Colorado's points. Much cheaper to build a cedar or pine wooden box than this and way better for the tree. Drill holes for tie downs or buy screw eye hooks to tie down guy wire. The second point is pushed by a few artists including Ryan, which is not to tie down to the pot, but to a gin or a screw into the wood (given its not a delicate bark tree) of the tree given the probability of damaging the roots. I know Walter does it all the time, but he is an expert and know when to back off, I'm not.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I personally like plastic pots because they are not as porous as Terra cotta, I don't have to water as often, they buy me more time before disaster sets in. LOL

As @Colorado outlined, guy wires attached to the pot are inferior technique, or at least a technique fraught with draw backs. It is far better to learn good wiring technique rather than depend on excessive use of guide wires (guy wires).

If you have most of your potensai or pre-bonsai in normal training pots, and only have a few of these tie down pots for special projects, I think they would be great. But learn to wire, don't use these as a way of avoiding to learn to wire a tree properly. Colin Lewis was my teacher for wiring, his tutorials are good. Seek them out.

 

[penumbra]

Hi ,

I saw these tie pots from stone lantern online and wondering if people have used them and their thoughts ? Am looking to get some for developmental stages of my Japanese white pines and Japanese maples although am also leaning towards Tokoname grow pots for my Japanese maples .

Thoughts will be appreciated .

Tie Pot for Growing Bonsai - Standard Size

Growing bonsai is now easier, more enjoyable, and more productive than ever thanks to tie pots. Each one features sturdy anchor points for tying or guy wiring your tree down. That alone is reason enough to use them, but maybe best of all they help you air prune too. Air pruning has tremendous...

stonelantern.com

Regards,
Abhishek

I think they look awesome and easy to use. Should outlast a few trees in training.

 

[Eckhoffw]

I can see that wiring to the pot could rock the tree towards the side of tie down. Never thought of that.

On the plus side, when doing a 1st repotting into a new grow out container, I like that guys wires can help secure the tree into the pot until root system takes hold.

 

[canoeguide]

These pots are also designed with a series of ridges and fins and strategically placed holes on the interior to encourage a better root structure.

With all of the combined features, they're nice training pots (I own a couple), but you could also just use a pond basket and tie branches down to the rim.

Here's more info from the maker: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/tie-pot.33959/post-591118

 

[Lorax7]

Additionally, it is superior technique to anchor a guy wire to a jin, branch, root, trunk, something connected to the tree to create a closed system of force. If you guy wire from a branch to the container it exerts force on the root system which could potentially cause damage, depending on the amount of force.

I don’t think I’d worry much about the container exerting excessive force on the roots. The force would be distributed over a large enough surface area that it’s unlikely to do harm to them. I think the main reason to avoid anchoring guy wires to the pot for major bends is that big bends take a long time to set, which means you’re likely to need to repot the tree sometime before the bend has set. If you’ve anchored the guy wires to the pot, repotting is going to be a nightmare. If you’ve anchored to a jin or to a piece of rebar jammed into the rootball and wedged up against a thick root, repotting can be done relatively easily, providing you leave the portion of the rootball that’s holding the rebar in place undisturbed.

 

[Tele]

repotting is going to be a nightmare

But guy wires can stay until the next repot because they don´t bite into the wood.
That is why, except for junipers, I prefer guy wires.

 

[TwilightTrees]

Expensive pots. Instead re-use old plastic tupperware. And you can drill holes in side for Guy wire, or even better melt holes using a soldering tool.

 

[ShimpakuBonsai]

I think they are very expensive for what they are, you can use any type of plastic container, drill a hole and attach the guy wire that way.
You can also use small "grill screens" for this, attach the pot to the screen and you can use the screen to tie the guy wire to.

 

[Lorax7]

But guy wires can stay until the next repot because they don´t bite into the wood.
That is why, except for junipers, I prefer guy wires.

You missed my point. I wasn’t saying to avoid using guy wires. I use guy wires all the time. I was saying that the key reason to avoid attaching guy wires to the pot is because it makes repotting a nightmare. This is the main motivation for wiring to a jin, wiring to another branch (with something like a piece of rubber to distribute the force so the wire doesn’t dig in), or wiring to a piece of rebar that you’ve stabilized in the rootball.

 

[penumbra]

I use guy wires frequently. They are quick and easy and the process only takes a few minutes. It takes even less time to remove them for a repot. Passing the wire through a short piece of aquarium tubing prevents wire biting in. If you need a long gently arch, I find no other method easier to apply. The negative to guy wires as opposed to wiring is that you cannot put a wiggle in you branch as easily.

 

[Lorax7]

I use guy wires frequently. They are quick and easy and the process only takes a few minutes. It takes even less time to remove them for a repot.

Maybe for bends of small branches. They’re not quick to remove and then put back in place afterward for big bends of thick branches where the wire is under high tension. Better to attach those to something inside the pot (jin, another branch, rebar) that retains its position during a repot instead of attaching to the pot.

 

[penumbra]

Maybe for bends of small branches. They’re not quick to remove and then put back in place afterward for big bends of thick branches where the wire is under high tension. Better to attach those to something inside the pot (jin, another branch, rebar) that retains its position during a repot instead of attaching to the pot.

It is simply not an issue for me. Takes very little time and effort. I guess big bends and thick branches is subjective.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

I just look at the pots and shrug o well looks nice . Being a Canadian post covid . International shipping . Gas become insane price wise . Example my daughter purchased a very nice bonsai book as a Xmas present for me shipping was 2 times the price of the book .looking at sone Anderson flats to grow out trees . Seems a great product . But without a in country supplier probable make some grow boxes out of wood . I need to really like some bonsai tools and or supplies or purchase I. Larger amounts to make the shipping worth while . Part of the reason. I started my thread here . Non bonsai tools and stuff for bonsai . Like @Leo in N E Illinois . I use plastic pots that are available to me or whatever I can source local . It never was this way before . Consider I live 40 minute drive from the Ontario / New York border starting to wonder what’s involved in getting a post office box in New York

 

[Frozentreehugger]

I use guy wires frequently. They are quick and easy and the process only takes a few minutes. It takes even less time to remove them for a repot. Passing the wire through a short piece of aquarium tubing prevents wire biting in. If you need a long gently arch, I find no other method easier to apply. The negative to guy wires as opposed to wiring is that you cannot put a wiggle in you branch as easily.

Other good sources of tubing to protect bark are . Automotive vacuum tubing it’s soft rubber cheap and easy to get . Downside is it’s black and ugly . Small engine fuel line . Easy to get clear soft rubber tubing available multiple sizes . Most quality hardware stores carry vinyl tubing it’s clear and slightly harder . Fuel line is the best in my opinion . Going to experiment this year with copper wire inside it to wire sensitive bark trees

 

[roberthu]

The thing I don’t like about plastic containers is that they don’t breathe at all. For this reason I prefer ceramic training pots or wooden boxes.

It is very easy to drill a tie down hole/screw into these materials also.The tie down pot is a catchy idea but personally wouldn’t utilize.

Additionally, it is superior technique to anchor a guy wire to a jin, branch, root, trunk, something connected to the tree to create a closed system of force. If you guy wire from a branch to the container it exerts force on the root system which could potentially cause damage, depending on the amount of force.

Totally agree on the guy wire point. However, these tie pots do have holes around the pot instead of only at the bottom. I have a few of these tie pots and I think they serve the purpose of a grow pot: sturdy, functional. One benefit of having the tie points all around the pot is it's easier to tie the pot down to the bench so wind doesn't blow them over anymore. For $10-$12 each, I think it's worth it.