I was looking for a wider pot to plant this little guy.

Scoured my garage and found an old casing from a motorcycle engine that was replaced a couple years ago. I know it's going to fire up some traditionalists, but I love it as a temporary solution to widen roots.



Here's the little guy. A $12 local nursery find that I wired about a month ago.


The casing has a section under this sheet for excess oil drainage. I drilled some extra drainage holes, then replaced this sheet as a flat surface for the roots.

Tied the wire to two bolts holding down the plate.




Here he is with some other trees.
(I am pretty new to bonsai. Let me know if you see anything weird in my line up. Always looking for advice.)

Now thats radical.

I like it.
But the plant...
Metal pots and hot roots can be a problem in the summer.

theautomaker wrote: I was looking for a wider pot to plant this little guy.

Scoured my garage and found an old casing from a motorcycle engine that was replaced a couple years ago. I know it's going to fire up some traditionalists, but I love it as a temporary solution to widen roots.

Interesting choice for a pot. However I´m not sure of its suitability as a pot for your plants. In summer it would be extremely hot when exposed to direct sunlight and in winter it would remain extremely cold when watering or simply by the current weather. One will make water evaporation way too fast, and the other might tend to freeze or will not pose a resistant effort against freezing.

theautomaker wrote: Here's the little guy. A $12 local nursery find that I wired about a month ago.

That seems to be a rip off for that little plant. As for wiring... Why would you want to wire such plant at its current development state?

theautomaker wrote: The casing has a section under this sheet for excess oil drainage. I drilled some extra drainage holes, then replaced this sheet as a flat surface for the roots. Tied the wire to two bolts holding down the plate.

Well, at least you did worry about proper drainage. It is incredibly important.

theautomaker wrote: Here he is with some other trees.
(I am pretty new to bonsai. Let me know if you see anything weird in my line up. Always looking for advice.)

Those other plants seem to be exactly in the same stage that the plant you placed into this "Motorcycle Engine Pot"... Way too much growing to do before they can be even considered as trees, let alone Bonsai.

Well... Maybe now you can start calling me a traditionalist

Alain

Good to se you get started.

As for your way of setting it up; I usually do not care what exactly I grow my plants out in (I use cat litter boxes with holes in them, fitting as cat litter is one of my substrate components). However, the substrate you have is highly organic which will drain poorly. I am worried that you are going to have bowls of water there, as the water cannot drain from the bowl you have there (I know you drilled holes, but the tiny space to thecover will block up).

Note that your cuttings under the benchdo need light. It may be too dark there.

Thanks for the replies.

I guess I learned a lot from this. First, that the pot is going to be a bad choice and I’ll repot again this weekend.

Secondly, bonsai people are just as snobby as every other type or person. Haha

I’m new and learning everything as I go from this website and YouTube. Buying plants and pots that I like and making them into a shape that I like.

Only just got a couple thicker trunks from trees planted in the ground that I’m going to spend the years to make into “real bonsais”

Really appreciate all the feedback.

I read that clippings shouldn’t get too much sunlight so those clippings are under the table so they get sunlight until 10am (Southern California). Was I misled? Should they get more sun?

The get watered at the same time as everything else they just get it a little less directly to not disturb the soil.

Nah, a couple hours of sun is fine.

Why do you think peope are snobbish?

leatherback wrote: Why do you think peope are snobbish?

Because we care?

I think snob wasn’t the right word.

Maybe ‘particular’ is the word. I thought that the right species put in the right pot, with the intention of keeping them small in the future and within the styling meant they were bonsais.

Again, I’m new so all my plants are young. I guess it takes a few years for them to be considered bonsais..?

Should I not wire and prune at that size? Is it best to just get the trunk thick, then cut everything back then start from there?

Doubt that little plant will last if planted in the ground because of where I live, so I’ll look for a different shallow wide container.

theautomaker wrote: I think snob wasn’t the right word.

Ha... Like your spirit. Do not feel discourage because of this. Do keep searching and learning. If you are really interested in Bonsai, the learning never ends. Worry not, experiment, maybe fail at times but keep going.

theautomaker wrote: Maybe ‘particular’ is the word. I thought that the right species put in the right pot, with the intention of keeping them small in the future and within the styling meant they were bonsais.


Again, I’m new so all my plants are young. I guess it takes a few years for them to be considered bonsais..?

Uhmmm... Not necessarily. Not always an aged tree, one that has endured the passing of time can be considered a Bonsai. However, generally, all great Bonsais indeed have a long record of care, work and techniques applied onto it, which in turn while time goes by make the trees appearance better and better. As for Bonsai considerations you can take a pick into these links:

www.bonsaiempire.com/origin/what-is-bonsai
www.growingbonsai.net/why-is-my-tree-not-a-bonsai/

theautomaker wrote: Should I not wire and prune at that size? Is it best to just get the trunk thick, then cut everything back then start from there?
Doubt that little plant will last if planted in the ground because of where I live, so I’ll look for a different shallow wide container.

Right now just keep your efforts on keeping these plants alive. Sure, maybe planting them in the ground would speed up the process of gaining some trunk girth, but if you cannot comply with this just let them be. Water and fertilize properly and as previously said... Keep learning, join a local club, ask questions and yes give it time... Usually experience is a great teacher, however you can´t teach experience to anyone...

Alain