Can anyone show me a decent DIY cement pot?

[choppychoppy]

So can anyone show me a decent homemade pot other than proper ceramics? Like cement or cement type mixes etc. It seems like all of the pots I've seen look like total garbage. They are all way too heavy, too thick and have poor holes for drainage and tie downs. Not to mention it seems like they end up costing a lot more in the long run since it takes so much time and waste and storage of frames and molds etc. I mean these pots are $5, $7, $9, $12 - is anything besides wood boxes really any cheaper??

 

[TN_Jim]

I made a couple..
they heavy and thick (3/4 -1”)
this could be fixed w/ mix including peat or sphagnum...and perhaps practice??

Nothing to brag about with these (larger ~14), but these four combined cost me probably around a dollar.

I read somewhere that adding latex paint can also add strength (thinner walls), and of course color.

 

[atlarsenal]

I mean these pots are $5, $7, $9, $12

I agree with your comments on the cement pots but can you tell me where I can get the pots you pictured for the prices you noted?

 

[Josh88]

I agree with your comments on the cement pots but can you tell me where I can get the pots you pictured for the prices you noted?

Those look like what come from Lotus International, and can be found for pretty cheap at most nurseries that carry any inexpensive bonsai pots.

 

[Anthony]

These are ice cream containers.
Same tree.
Cost - very little and can be made frost proof.
Just Google.
Good Day
Anthony

Also have them in different body colours.
Can be waxed or epoxy glazed and coloured.

 

[sparklemotion]

Some this is a matter of taste, I'm sure. I really like this one:


Which is from this blog (it is worth checking out the other posts in this series to see her techniques and other examples) : https://lifeasahuman.com/2014/arts-culture/creativity/concrete-creations-a-configurable-mold/

She does a bunch of interesting stuff with reusable molds as well.

I also really like the look of concrete slabs, like these:
https://anijhuis.com/2015/03/27/more-on-cement-slabs-step-by-step/
And these:
http://www.colinlewisbonsai.com/Reading/cementslabs.html

Concrete really shows its strengths when used as fake rock as well:

For speed and ease, you really can't beat the dip and drape... https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/cement-concrete-grout-containers.30553/post-518424

If what you want is something that looks like a traditional bonsai pot, then ceramics and plastics are probably a cheaper way to go. But neither of those mediums are trivial from a DIY perspective.

 

[peterbone]

Some of these papercrete ones look ok and are easier to make than concrete.
http://www.bonsai4me.co.uk/AdvTech/ATPaperBonsaiPots.html

 

[Anthony]

Remember it is what you want to do with the pot.

For us, porous for pines is more important.
If you intend to handle winter, it is non-porous.

If it is elegant, the mix has to use finer sand.
Also we use silica based gravel, no need for
stabilisers.
You can fibre your mix for greater strength.

Colour pigments will probably work better with
finer sand and white cement.

Just depends on what you want.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I'm experimenting with cement. But these aren't show pots. They're just a bit better than plastic containers.
4 dollars for a clay one? We pay 8 dollars for a plastic tray around here.
The cheapest bonsai pots go for a little more than 13 dollars.
Cement though, is 4 bucks a bag, as is sand. And plastic food containers come cheap around here.

 

[jimenezl]

I've watched a great many cement bonsai pots being made on youtube. Start with this video here.

 

[Krone]

A bit late to the party, the video isn't available anymore. Got maybe any other source?

 

[eryk2kartman]

e-Bonsai - Největší a nejlevnější e-shop v Evropě

Největší a nejstarší Bonsai centrum v ČR založeno 1979. Nejsme překupníci, ale přímo pěstitelé, vlastní 3 keramické dílny, více než 30000 bonsají skladem, výhradní zastoupení na bonsaj nářadí.

www.e-bonsai.cz

They have great pot prices.

 

[Krone]

Have already looked at these, have ordered something similar, but i am not sure if they are processed properly so that they are frost resistant.
But, I am not looking into DIY pots entirely because of cost, but because of DIY aspect. And also i like the look of polished concrete.

 

[eryk2kartman]

I got couple of pots from them this year, seems to be quite good quality so far but they didnt go through the winter yet and in Ireland we dont really get big frosts.

I was planning to do some DYI pots as well but ended up buying a lot of them due to lack of time.

 

[Forsoothe!]

They are probably more difficult to make high quality than high quality ceramic, and will still not be are hard as a fired pot. They are frost proof when cured with a little heat help, laying in the sun for a week immediately after moulding is good enough, ~125°F. They can be colored, but not a glossy finish. Here's an example: