Is this Juniper pot okay?

[G-House]

Hi, I just bought this juniper from a local nursery. I realized when I got home that the stones are sort of epoxied together or glued onto a little platform and attached to the pot. With this design and the way it is potted makes it difficult to effectively water. I know they don't need much but I'm also wondering if a different pot might be in order? I have several bonsai but this is my first Juniper and want to start off properly.

Thanks for any insights!

 

[brentwood]

Those stones after probably glued on, I would at least break that up, remove if so. Where in Ohio, I'm Dayton, go to the Columbus club meetings

Brent

 

[pandacular]

Were it in my collection, I'd repot it immediately. I almost never leave a plant without repotting for more than a spring.

 

[G-House]

Thanks! The pot also doesn't have drainage, but I have a drill bit that I could use... or I may just get another pot. I'm in the Akron area.

Gary

 

[pandacular]

No drainage! Yeah, get it out of there. I would personally grow this in a developmental container for a while, either a regular nursery pot (maybe a 4") or a Tokoname grow pot.

 

[G-House]

Something like this? Tokoname #4 pot

Thanks so much for the info!

 

[pandacular]

Yep precisely--those are excellent pots to use for young material. A little pricy, but if you don't drop them they'll last forever. A regular nursery pot is also a decent option but not as visually appealing.

There are also plenty of plastic "bonsai pot-shaped" pots you can find, which I quite like as well.

 

[G-House]

Thank you! One last question: is there a good soil to use to get started well? Sorry for all the questions!

 

[Jrmcmich]

F

Thank you! One last question: is there a good soil to use to get started well? Sorry for all the questions!

For development could use a perlite/coco coir mix at 80/20. If you look up some videos from bonsaify that’s recommended for starter. Sure many other good options for development but that’s cheap and easy to get. FYI there is a canton Akron bonsai club that meets once a month.

 

[Jrmcmich]

Yep precisely--those are excellent pots to use for young material. A little pricy, but if you don't drop them they'll last forever. A regular nursery pot is also a decent option but not as visually appealing.

There are also plenty of plastic "bonsai pot-shaped" pots you can find, which I quite like as well.

Just wondering how are these pots in freeze thaw cycles? I always wondered if they would crack in Ohio winters

 

[pandacular]

Just wondering how are these pots in freeze thaw cycles? I always wondered if they would crack in Ohio winters

Can't speak to an Ohio lake effect winter, but they are high fired and should hold up to freezes. Though they look like terra cotta, they are vastly different in their production.