The Potting of the Bonsai

There it is.  My first bonsai pot.  I just got it this past Friday.  It was a tough decision since I had to buy it online.  I could not find a place within 3 hours of the North Shore that sold bonsai.  It was a bit nerve-wracking having never done a bonsai before or bought a bonsai pot.  To alleviate the process I went with some basic principles I learned from the plethora of bonsai books I have picked up from the library.

The length  of a bonsai pot should be about 3/4 of the height of your bonsai.  My bonsai is about 12 inches high so I was looking for a pot about 8 inches long.  I wanted a rectangular pot because I am doing a sort of informal upright/clump style bonsai.

When a bonsai is in a rectangular pot you do not want it in the center.  Only styles like the formal upright should be in the center.  Mine should be about 1/4 of the length from the side.  The off-center concept is common knowledge for photographs and interviews.  It creates interest.  A subject that is square in the center is boring to watch.  Next time you watch a documentary or any sort of interview pay attention to where the person talking is, they will usually be a little off center.

You may recall how tall the last pot my Ficus was in.  If you don't, (and you are too lazy to click the link) it was probably about 12" tall.   This pot is about 2.5" tall.

Needless to say, it required a lot of trimming.

All bonsai pots have large drainage holes in them.  Bonsai soil is meant to let water flow through it so the roots do not rot.  I had to cover the holes with some drainage mesh so I wouldn't lose soil every time I watered the plant.

Usually when you first repot a bonsai you have to put wires through the drainage holes to secure the tree into place.  Also notice the remains of six trunks.

 

I was able to cover up the trunk remains with the soil.  The pot is in a tray with stones and water to provide humidity.  Its not the prettiest tray in the world but I'm taking baby steps with supplies.  The Ficus needs more humidity than an apartment in Chicago in winter provides since it is a tropical tree.

There it is in all its glory.  It's obviously not done, it still needs wiring and some more trimming, but I am very happy with how it has turned out!