Would love to hear opinions about how you select your pots for bonsai.

Any general guidelines that you follow, or mostly aesthetics driven? (Eg, some forums say that the depth of the pot should be equal to or slightly more than the diameter of the trunk at the base)

When do you select ovals vs rounds vs rectangles ?

When are they glazed and when unglazed?

Would be good to see different points of view.

Well, there are some well established rules, no?
Unglazed for pines, shallow ovals for maples, tall squares or rounds for cascades...

leroycoutts wrote: Any general guidelines that you follow, or mostly aesthetics driven? (Eg, some forums say that the depth of the pot should be equal to or slightly more than the diameter of the trunk at the base)

The depth of the pot should be equal to the diameter of the trunk at the base

When do you select ovals vs rounds vs rectangles ?

Oval/round: Feminine, square: masculine (talking about the appearance of the tree)

When are they glazed and when unglazed?

Unglazed: conifers
Glazed: other trees

These are guidelines, not strict rules. The pot should harmonize with your tree.

more here:
www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/advanced/choosing-pots

Auk wrote:

leroycoutts wrote: Any general guidelines that you follow, or mostly aesthetics driven? (Eg, some forums say that the depth of the pot should be equal to or slightly more than the diameter of the trunk at the base)

The depth of the pot should be equal to the diameter of the trunk at the base

When do you select ovals vs rounds vs rectangles ?

Oval/round: Feminine, square: masculine (talking about the appearance of the tree)

When are they glazed and when unglazed?

Unglazed: conifers
Glazed: other trees

These are guidelines, not strict rules. The pot should harmonize with your tree.

more here:
www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/advanced/choosing-pots

thanks very much! I will read through the link as well...

Clicio wrote: Well, there are some well established rules, no?

Remembering my Sunset bonsai book, which I got in 1968 or 1969, pots should be rectangular and brown. Flowering trees can be in oval pots, with colors harmonizing with the flowers of the tree.

Times change, rules change. The basic principle, still good, is the pot should not distract from the tree, and the pot should be pretty small. I would adjust the depth of the pot according to water requirements. Too shallow in too hot weather means watering every couple of hours, which would be difficult for most people.

Ivan Mann wrote: Too shallow in too hot weather means watering every couple of hours, which would be difficult for most people.

Imagine Brazilian summers.
Hot winds.
Burning temperatures.
Scorching sun.
And shallow pots, such as maples ovals.
Or Mimo's penjings on slabs.
Watering twice a day? NO WAY!
Watering all day, and shading those maple leaves from the sun at all times.
Now imagine growing bonsai in...
Dubai?
:ohmy:

I found my Sunset book. I remembered a little off.

It says to avoid bright colors and that brown is always good.

It also has a paragraph on wooden pots. It recommends charring the wood with a blow torch and using a wire brush to bring out the grain of the wood.

I think safest is local species because they have evolved putting up with the temperature and humidity conditions.

I don't follow that advice.

Ivan Mann wrote: I think safest is local species because they have evolved putting up with the temperature and humidity conditions.
I don't follow that advice.

HAHAHAHAHA, neither do I !
Living in the high danger zone!