Forest Trainiing Pot made of????

[DougB]

I will be doing a couple of forest when the weather changes and will need training pots, 16" to about 20".

My question is what is the difference between: PLASTIC, RESIN and MICA?? (That is besides price.) Which have you had success with and which supplier would you recommend?

 

[lordy]

My presumtion is that plastic and resin may be similar to each other. Ususally fairly thin and light weight, and inexpensive. Mica is a blend of 85% mineral mica, 5% graphite for color and 10% polyethelene to bind the materials together for extreme durability and outdoor display. To the untrained eye, they can be difficult to distinguish from actual ceramic bonsai pots. When you tap on a mica pot with something metallic, it wont ring like ceramic will, and they are never glazed. They come in all the usual shapes: rectangle, round drum, forest style, tray. They would fall higher on the price scale, closer to low to middle priced ceramic than to the thin plastic pots. I heard from some vendors at a show that they were being discontinued, but I still see them for sale. I would go for mica in a minute over the plastic, although I got a large raft at an auction that is on a plastic tray that is about 30" long, and it does OK. Not much to look at though.

 

[JudyB]

I too think the mica is a good choice, especially for a forest grouping. It will be easier to move around without having it try to bend on you. And if you get the shape you want, you may never have to put it in ceramic, as they do look much nicer than plastic stuff..

 

[mcpesq817]

Mica are great - extremely durable, look nice, and you can drill holes in the bottom for extra drainage, wire holes, etc. They can be a little pricey, particularly rectangular ones, at larger sizes.

If cost isn't an issue, I would go with mica.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

(1) Plastic. Lightweight, cheap. Can be easily molded, available in many colors. Durability depends on type of plastic (polypropylene is better). Waterproof / airtight - requires careful attention to drainage. Poor insulator. May fade, become brittle, or crack over time, particularly if exposed to sun or elements.

(2) Resin. Usually made of a bonding material (resin), fibers (like fiberglass) and natural material (clay, stone). More robust than plastic - will usually not fade in sunlight. Better insulator than plastic, but not by much. May crack if roots expand aggressively. Lightweight may be good or bad depending on application. Available in numerous colors.

(3) Mica. Made mostly from mica (80% or so), a bonding agent (polyethylene), and stone (for color/appearance). Close in appearance to traditional clay, but lighter and stronger with good impact resistance. Cheaper than traditional clay - particularly in larger sizes - but more expensive than resin or plastic. Good insulator. Usually only available in one color.

 

[DougB]

Thanks lordy, JudyB, mcpesq817 and our illustrious BNut Administrator for your kind reply's. As I assumed the mica is the preferred material.

Are there any vendors you can recommend?

 

[mcpesq817]

I've gotten mine through the years mostly from buying trees from various vendors. Meco Bonsai has a lot of sizes and shapes in stock - they were a vendor at the local festival here in DC last year, and I stocked up on a bunch for very reasonable prices.