Talk me out of buying fine pots before my trees are ready

[Carol 83]

I have nicer pots than I do trees. Nothing wrong with having options.

 

[hemmy]

It doesn't make sense to be buying pots when I don't have particularly immediate plans for them, does it? The only arguments I can see in favor is that it could help direct the development of some of these trees and that the dollar is currently very strong to the yen.

If your budget affords, then certainly buy some each year. Ten years ago I could actually afford Sara Rayner pots at GSBF conventions! They are “investments”! Lol

 

[ShadyStump]

Get a nice one you know you'll use one day, then keep an eye out in the thrift stores. I've found some NICE ceramic bowls and the like that just needed some holes drilled to be great pots. Many others here do the same.

 

[pandacular]

I've found some NICE ceramic bowls and the like that just needed some holes drilled to be great pots.

In my area, there's a south Chinese mall that has a pottery store. I've gone in there a few times and they usually have a few pots. So far they haven't been to my taste, but they said they move them quickly when they get one. Not going to find anything "name brand" there, but I'll happily keep checking it out.

Plus the non-bonsai chinaware is cool too, I'd love to do a slab planting on a massive serving platter or something.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Coming here with that is like asking the preacher if you should go to church.

 

[R0b]

My name is Rob and I am a pot addict. My dealer gets a new shipment in July and I really really need a pot.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Why waste money before having tree actually worth potting? If tree dies or you grow bigger or smaller money was wasted on unneeded pot. WAIT until tree is ready for pot. Don't do it!

 

[R0b]

Why waste money before having tree actually worth potting? If tree dies or you grow bigger or smaller money was wasted on unneeded pot. WAIT until tree is ready for pot. Don't do it!

Pots are art pieces by themselves. In general I know which type and size of pots match my trees. Having multiple pots at hand when repotting gives options if the root dimension is different than I imagined.

When buying older pots they keep or gain value so no money is lost.

 

[ShadyStump]

In my area, there's a south Chinese mall that has a pottery store. I've gone in there a few times and they usually have a few pots. So far they haven't been to my taste, but they said they move them quickly when they get one. Not going to find anything "name brand" there, but I'll happily keep checking it out.

Plus the non-bonsai chinaware is cool too, I'd love to do a slab planting on a massive serving platter or something.

Thrift stores are great for this sort of thing, really. Someone will take a pottery class one time, make something decent but never use it, so it gets donated. Some of the cheap production stoneware makes nice pots as well, and you can find those really cheap.

Don't forget to watch around here, either. We have several great potters that will list their stuff here.
@penumbra's stone age designs fly fast if rustic is your thing.
We're all impatiently waiting for @Colorado to decide he's ready to sell. He's new to potting, but his attention to detail borders on neurotic, in the best ways though.
@mwar15 is more traditional style, but with excellent execution.
@NaoTK makes mame pots that are just immaculate.
@HorseloverFat has become the go-to guy if you're looking for ceramic structures, like houses and such, to add to your penjing. Some fun fantastical stuff there.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Thrift stores are great for this sort of thing, really. Someone will take a pottery class one time, make something decent but never use it, so it gets donated. Some of the cheap production stoneware makes nice pots as well, and you can find those really cheap.

Don't forget to watch around here, either. We have several great potters that will list their stuff here.
@penumbra's stone age designs fly fast if rustic is your thing.
We're all impatiently waiting for @Colorado to decide he's ready to sell. He's new to potting, but his attention to detail borders on neurotic, in the best ways though.
@mwar15 is more traditional style, but with excellent execution.
@NaoTK makes mame pots that are just immaculate.
@HorseloverFat has become the go-to guy if you're looking for ceramic structures, like houses and such, to add to your penjing. Some fun fantastical stuff there.

Plus @ABCarve & @BrightsideB make sweet pots.

 

[ShadyStump]

Plus @ABCarve & @BrightsideB make sweet pots.

Of course then!
Also @sorce if you're down for some whimsical grunge.

And probably a few others.
Do not consider this a complete listing, by any means.

 

[Cadillactaste]

There is a term I like to use...

"Lipstick on a pig"... enjoy the pot. Even if it's a dust collector. But if ones waited for show specimens they would surely be missing out on the enjoyment of potters around the world.

 

[Perplexody]

In my area, there's a south Chinese mall that has a pottery store. I've gone in there a few times and they usually have a few pots. So far they haven't been to my taste, but they said they move them quickly when they get one. Not going to find anything "name brand" there, but I'll happily keep checking it out.

Plus the non-bonsai chinaware is cool too, I'd love to do a slab planting on a massive serving platter or something.

Unfortunately we aren't very good at talking you out of this, but we are pretty good at providing sources for more.

 

[bwaynef]

I told myself early on that I was exercising restraint, but more realistically I didn't have much of a budget for bonsai, much less pots. In the past few years I've finally gotten some trees into pretty nice shape that warranted either a proper bonsai pot, ...or a nicer bonsai pot. I wish I'd collected a few more than I had allowed myself.

I'd still recommend investing in good quality bonsai material first, but I'd do things a little differently in hindsight with regards to pots.

 

[BobbyLane]

I like understated pots that make the tree the star.

 

[IzzyG]

You can start with developing trees, then get the nice pots that’ll push you to buy nicer trees that then leads to even nicer pots. At this point, you realize you’re too deep in the rabbit hole and you keep getting nicer trees and nicer pots. See how it’s a self solving problem?

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

 

[pandacular]

I like understated pots that make the tree the star.

I like these too, but I prefer the ones that are "loudly understated", in the sense that they say a lot without being in your face about it. The burnished pot I posted above feels this way to me. There's a certain stateliness to a pot with simple, firm colors and lines.

 

[Carol 83]

Of course then!
Also @sorce if you're down for some whimsical grunge.

And probably a few others.
Do not consider this a complete listing, by any

Don't forget about @Pitoon, his pots are gorgeous and @Bob Hunter .

 

[River's Edge]

I saw a thread the other day on the Oribe glazed pots of Aiba Koyo, Shuyo, Akinao, and others, and I simply love them. After looking them up, I was shocked to find them a lot more reasonably priced than I expected. The problem is that I really shouldn't be putting most of my trees into a proper pot just yet, and they'd like be better off spending a few more years in Anderson flats, grow bags, or other developmental containers. It doesn't make sense to be buying pots when I don't have particularly immediate plans for them, does it? The only arguments I can see in favor is that it could help direct the development of some of these trees and that the dollar is currently very strong to the yen. Oh, and that shopping is fun, but that doesn't count.
Included below is a picture of a nice Aiba Koyo oval pot that I was eyeing for my Acer rubrum.

View attachment 496604

Why not? not sure it makes sense to wait until a number of trees are ready. It is fairly difficult to find what you want even when you start well ahead of time. I am more inclined to vote for acquisition of fine pots when the opportunity presents itself. After all they do not appear to be going down in value over time. Perhaps one should consider the investment aspect. Even if it does not turn out to be the exact pot required it could easily grow in value and permit the acquisition of the right one down the road. For example you may wish to find a shallower pot, same color some day!

 

[pandacular]

Perhaps one should consider the investment aspect.

I personally wouldn't think about it as an investment for money return, but considering nothing I've worked on would be intersting to folks at swap meets, it could at the very least be something neat to bring out to those sort of events!