Please help me choose a cascade pot

[Woocash]

A few months ago I bought this Juniperus Sabina ‘Tamariscifolia’ and last night I finished styling it after initially slip potting on it’s side to enable me to give it a preliminary styling into a cascade (in July).

What I would like is some opinions and advice on is choosing the right pot. How does it differ from choosing a standard pot? How high should it be? Is this a cascade or semi cascade? What are the main factors when choosing a cascade pot? (and) Does anyone have any suggestions for what would go nicely with this? Thanks.

I need to carve the jins etc when the deadwood sets into position, but this it for now. (I apologise for crappy photos)

First styling


Second styling

 

[Woocash]

Better photo?

 

[jaco94]

A few years ago, I tried the waterfall style on a juniperus rigida.
Disadvantage for this style of pot is that it lacks stability and therefore beware of the wind.
I prefer smaller, more stable pots.
If you find a rather square shape of the pot (height = width) this could very well be suitable because the whole will remain very stable.
So my advice do not take the same pot as the one in the photo

 

[Clicio]

My choice for cascades:

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Various pot styles come and go, in and out of fashion.

Current "modern USA tastes" for cascades is a pot that is a "cube" or cylinder, with width, length and height are all equal. For example a pot roughly 6 x 6 x 6. Though usually the pot is slightly wider at the top than the base.

The tall pots pictured above are nice, and more "old fashioned" ways of doing cascades. And are nice. I like the older styles of YiXing pottery. Most of my cascades are in tall pots of these types.

It is really up to you as to which way you like to go.

 

[jaco94]

@Clicio , your first pot ( brown and green ) is fabulous !

 

[Clicio]

@Clicio , your first pot ( brown and green ) is fabulous !

Those are by Sergio Onodera.
I also like them very much!

 

[sorce]

Use the Square for a semi Cascade pot.
And the rectangle for a cascade pot.
The stand height can be factored in using the same proportions.

This needs to be cut up in multiples and pasted around to best illustrate full cascades.

Easiest to see here is the best 2 places to end semi cascades.


Keep your proportions here. Top down, left right, forward back, etc etc etc...(3 because there are many more to consider) and you will be "right".

For a cascade.

If your pot height is one, and the section above the pot is equal to 2, let it hang below the pot the depth of 3. Or if the top is shorter, 312.

Just don't use a 1 pot, then have the top a 2 depth, the left a 2 width, and the hang below the foot a 2 depth, that's 2 redundant.
Don't do a 1 pot with a 1 left hang.

Break up, or break things down, to these 3 dimensions.

Do a 1 stand height and a 2 pot height. Or a 3 stand height and a 2 pot height.

Etc, etc , etc = every dimension, time included, and different viewing heights too. You don't want a short or tall person to lose perspective, and end up seeing perfect halves. Branch thicknesses, distances between branches, pad masses, pot wall to foot, lip to foot, and most importantly, negative space, should all fit into the sequence.

Sorce

 

[Adair M]

Various pot styles come and go, in and out of fashion.

Current "modern USA tastes" for cascades is a pot that is a "cube" or cylinder, with width, length and height are all equal. For example a pot roughly 6 x 6 x 6. Though usually the pot is slightly wider at the top than the base.

The tall pots pictured above are nice, and more "old fashioned" ways of doing cascades. And are nice. I like the older styles of YiXing pottery. Most of my cascades are in tall pots of these types.

It is really up to you as to which way you like to go.

Not just in The USA, the cube shape is popular in Japan, too. They easier to repot, the soil is more consistent too to n
bottom, and are more stable. If you have a full cascade where the foliage extends down lower than the bottom of the pot, then elevate the pot on a stack of bricks.

 

[TN_Jim]

View attachment 337645

Use the Square for a semi Cascade pot.
And the rectangle for a cascade pot.
The stand height can be factored in using the same proportions.

This needs to be cut up in multiples and pasted around to best illustrate full cascades.

Easiest to see here is the best 2 places to end semi cascades. View attachment 337649
View attachment 337650

Keep your proportions here. Top down, left right, forward back, etc etc etc...(3 because there are many more to consider) and you will be "right".

For a cascade.
View attachment 337651
If your pot height is one, and the section above the pot is equal to 2, let it hang below the pot the depth of 3. Or if the top is shorter, 312.

Just don't use a 1 pot, then have the top a 2 depth, the left a 2 width, and the hang below the foot a 2 depth, that's 2 redundant.
Don't do a 1 pot with a 1 left hang.

Break up, or break things down, to these 3 dimensions.

Do a 1 stand height and a 2 pot height. Or a 3 stand height and a 2 pot height.

Etc, etc , etc = every dimension, time included, and different viewing heights too. You don't want a short or tall person to lose perspective, and end up seeing perfect halves. Branch thicknesses, distances between branches, pad masses, pot wall to foot, lip to foot, and most importantly, negative space, should all fit into the sequence.

Sorce

cat is on fleek

 

[Woocash]

A few years ago, I tried the waterfall style on a juniperus rigida.
Disadvantage for this style of pot is that it lacks stability and therefore beware of the wind.
I prefer smaller, more stable pots.
If you find a rather square shape of the pot (height = width) this could very well be suitable because the whole will remain very stable.
So my advice do not take the same pot as the one in the photo View attachment 337581

Thanks for this (and for getting the thread going ). That was one of my concerns actually, the stability, and so I’ve been looking for a suitable shorter pot, but it’s hard to find one of the right size knowing I can only afford to reduce the rootball so much from a nursery pot. I’ve found these two so far as a stop gap ‘til next repot.



I think I prefer the grey one for stability, but I do like a nice orange for a bit of colour.

 

[Woocash]

My choice for cascades:

View attachment 337612

View attachment 337613

Yes I like these pots alot. I’m not sure if they would go with my juniper though, perhaps a nice cotoneaster or pyracantha in fruit.

 

[Woocash]

Various pot styles come and go, in and out of fashion.

Current "modern USA tastes" for cascades is a pot that is a "cube" or cylinder, with width, length and height are all equal. For example a pot roughly 6 x 6 x 6. Though usually the pot is slightly wider at the top than the base.

The tall pots pictured above are nice, and more "old fashioned" ways of doing cascades. And are nice. I like the older styles of YiXing pottery. Most of my cascades are in tall pots of these types.

It is really up to you as to which way you like to go.

So it’s about trends as much as anything then with regards to shape and style? There’s no “junipers go in this style, pines in this” etc traditionally? I have been looking for a simple round really for now so I can adjust the front as my mood changes and as it develops until it’s ready for a proper pot.

Do you use any tricks to stopping the tall pots from falling over?

 

[Woocash]

View attachment 337645

Use the Square for a semi Cascade pot.
And the rectangle for a cascade pot.
The stand height can be factored in using the same proportions.

This needs to be cut up in multiples and pasted around to best illustrate full cascades.

Easiest to see here is the best 2 places to end semi cascades. View attachment 337649
View attachment 337650

Keep your proportions here. Top down, left right, forward back, etc etc etc...(3 because there are many more to consider) and you will be "right".

For a cascade.
View attachment 337651
If your pot height is one, and the section above the pot is equal to 2, let it hang below the pot the depth of 3. Or if the top is shorter, 312.

Just don't use a 1 pot, then have the top a 2 depth, the left a 2 width, and the hang below the foot a 2 depth, that's 2 redundant.
Don't do a 1 pot with a 1 left hang.

Break up, or break things down, to these 3 dimensions.

Do a 1 stand height and a 2 pot height. Or a 3 stand height and a 2 pot height.

Etc, etc , etc = every dimension, time included, and different viewing heights too. You don't want a short or tall person to lose perspective, and end up seeing perfect halves. Branch thicknesses, distances between branches, pad masses, pot wall to foot, lip to foot, and most importantly, negative space, should all fit into the sequence.

Sorce

Hmmm ok. This makes sense, thanks. What about a pot 3, height above 2 and foliage below 1? Would that throw the balance off having so much foliage below? I quite like the free form half moon style of pot as well you see. On top of a nice plinth or stand.

 

[Woocash]

cat is on fleek

https://imgur.com/kyECWTX

 

[Clicio]

Do you use any tricks to stopping the tall pots from falling over?

I usually try to use some heavier components of my soil.mix on the bottom of the pots. It's not really a "drainage layer", but as the pots are tall and there is plenty of space for the roots, it helps anchoring the pot.
I've seen people putting the tall pots inside midsize containers during the season, and taking them out just to show the plants.

 

[sorce]

What about a pot 3, height above 2 and foliage below 1?

I think you'd need a really tall stand!
I reckon if the tree looks right it will work, but that's an odd tree.

Sorce

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

So it’s about trends as much as anything then with regards to shape and style? There’s no “junipers go in this style, pines in this” etc traditionally? I have been looking for a simple round really for now so I can adjust the front as my mood changes and as it develops until it’s ready for a proper pot.

Do you use any tricks to stopping the tall pots from falling over?

Its entirely up to you. Of course there are nattering nabobs that will insist that there are rules, but there are no hard and fast rules. Generally, unglazed is used for conifers, junipers and pines. Generally IF you are going to use a glazed pot, you save a deciduous for the glazed pot, but unglazed can certainly be used with broadleaf evergreen and deciduous trees. And if you like, you CAN use a glazed pot with a conifer, if the mood strikes you. Honestly, the unglazed for conifers is "more often than not" a good guideline. Key is you want the pot to compliment the tree, or support the image you are making with the tree. The pot should not clash with the image you are trying to create. Like the frame for a painting or the pedestal for a sculpture. Suport, not compete.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Do you use any tricks to stopping the tall pots from falling over?

Yes I do have a trick or two. One of the problems with keeping a cascade healthy is energy tends to favor the parts of the tree above the rim of the pot. Descending branches over time tend to be somewhat weaker, slowering growing than the parts of the tree that are more vertical. This makes for an issue balancing energy. One cheap is to position the tree differently for routine growing.

For the azalea pictured, the cascading branch descends well below the feet of the pot. I took an empty larger plastic nursery pot, about a 5 gallon pot. In the bottom of the pot, I set a brick, and a rock (absolutely must be a rock you brought home from a trip to an exotic location). I then set the tall cascade pot inside the nursery pot on an angle, almost a 45 degree angle, not exact, but definitely well off vertical. This bringe the cascading branch to almost horizontal. Add a piece or 2 of wood (wood won't scratch the pot) to keep pot stable wedged into the nursery pot. The brick and rock add weight, to the whole arrangement won't blow over of fall over. The cascade pot being in the nursery pot at an angle, this brings the cascading branch closer to horizontal, so balancing energy through the tree is not as difficult.

I water the cascade pot by lifting the pot out of the nursery pot, and plunging the pot into a 55 gallon drum of water. Or I hold the pot vertical and water with the garden hose. This way I don't was out the media, with the pot being on a slant. The pot is fairly root bound, so media doesn't wash out in the rain.

I set the pot on a couple bricks to work on or to set on the bench if I'm admiring it.

 

[Vance Wood]

I suppose it is stupid of me to be critical of this exercise but I have looked into this for years and have never found it to be practicle in designing good or even better bonsai. Everybody defines the magic means but doesn't describe how the hell to use it.