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

[Baku1875]

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!

Appreciated very much these pots have. Much better than stocks and crypto this is. Yes, hrrrm.

-Yoda

 

[Japonicus]

Frank is right. I asked Adair once about having a pot commissioned for my JWP.
He said he never has pots commissioned. Too often, you have a pot in mind
and it just doesn't work for whatever reason (for me it's usually too shallow or
needs more girth). Nothing like having just one pot for one tree,
prepping the tree for repot for a couple of years, unpot the tree
in Spring, and work the roots as far as you feel comfortable, and Doh!!! it don't fit
BTW, when I did get around to potting up my JWP, I had 3 pots wired and at the ready.
Other times I end up having the right sized pot, but the size is the only thing that's right about it.
Meaning the style/shape just is not a good match, but in the wrong pot it goes, because it's
the only one that fits. So...the more pots you have to choose from, gives you all the more advantage.

Then too, some folks display pottery. So you did the right thing by buying the pots, rather than waiting.
You just upped your game, and set more goals too

 

[Canada Bonsai]

It doesn't make sense to be buying pots when I don't have particularly immediate plans for them, does it?

At one point I thought that if only I had enough pots on my shelves, I would be ready for any tree. I'm somewhere around 400 pots now, and it seems like I'm anyways always missing the perfect pot for a specific tree. What I mean to say is, I don't know what volume of pots it would take to be 'ready for any situation', but it must be a lot more pots than my shelves and budget can support! So now I have just accepted that when a new tree enters my garden, I'm likely going to have my buyers searching Japan for exactly what I need. ...And what of the pots on my shelves? Sometimes I can use them, but not nearly as often as I thought I would be able to. They sure are nice to look at though.

(You can reach a point where security and insurance become considerations and could add to the cost of maintaining a valuable collection).

 

[flor1]

Mica pots work fine if I ever want to show a tree then I’ll get apot for that tree.
Why tie up money in pots that will mostly be never used.

 

[ShadyStump]

At one point I thought that if only I had enough pots on my shelves, I would be ready for any tree. I'm somewhere around 400 pots now, and it seems like I'm anyways always missing the perfect pot for a specific tree. What I mean to say is, I don't know what volume of pots it would take to be 'ready for any situation', but it must be a lot more pots than my shelves and budget can support! So now I have just accepted that when a new tree enters my garden, I'm likely going to have my buyers searching Japan for exactly what I need. ...And what of the pots on my shelves? Sometimes I can use them, but not nearly as often as I thought I would be able to. They sure are nice to look at though.

(You can reach a point where security and insurance become considerations and could add to the cost of maintaining a valuable collection).

Mica pots work fine if I ever want to show a tree then I’ll get apot for that tree.
Why tie up money in pots that will mostly be never used.

Both of these are reasons to go with cheap generic pots, or just drill the interesting pottery you find at thrift stores and yard sales.
You have a variety, and then some unique pots; maybe get a couple fancy ones just in case,
On the hobbyist level that's all you need. I have hardly a pot that's not secondhand or cheap department store garbage. All those together have cost me less than the fistful of really nice pots, and are usually the better pot for the tree anyway.
If you're doing shows, you'll have that tree for a while, and likely will have had opportunity to try out different pots on it over a few years. You should know what shape and size will work for it, then you can shop around for, or commission just the right pot. Doing that is part of the final stages of development. It's for that tree that's as close to "finished" as a tree will ever get.

Now, there are traditional artistic "rules" for what sort of pots to use on what trees.
Things like; unglazed pots for conifers; rounded pots for "feminine" styles, and rectangular for "masculine" styles; tall deep pots for cascade style only; etc.
Again, on the hobbyist level these are mostly optional, so don't sweat it. Just use the pot you have that feels right.
If you're aiming for shows, you might pay a little more attention to the rules.

In the end, you will never have the right pot for a tree you don't have, nor will you have the right tree for a pot you don't have. Don't overthink it.

 

[Baku1875]

What im missing from my collection is some nice glazed and unglazed rectangular pottery of different sizes with FEET and a pronounced LIP.....

Those features just hit different when incorporated into a nice pot...

 

[pandacular]

some nice glazed and unglazed rectangular pottery of different sizes with FEET and a pronounced LIP.....

Yeeees, these are the features I love so much about the burnished round pot I posted above. Those strong feet and the subtle lip are incredible.

 

[Boulder Bear]

I use ownership of good quality pots as motivation to generate plants worthy of them

That s TOTALLY cute!! I’ve known many people to buy shoes in a similar fashion

 

[River's Edge]

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.

What about the fact that quality bonsai pots today are way cheaper than they will be in the future. Or the consideration that they are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, thus making them appreciate at an even faster rate than expected. Or the recent experience that most well known and respected potters are so busy they have stopped taking commissions in order to catch up with the demand.
Leaves one almost hoping for a recession. Some things tend to be recession proof though so maybe that is false hope. On the other hand we are all getting older, and those pot collections should become available ? Wait, how is that going to help me out? I was right the first time, no sense in waiting. Also I am very short on stands. Where should I look?

 

[pandacular]

I see that many people store their pots outside with their trees. Makes sense, they're gonna live out there when they have a tree in them, and might as well get some patina progress. Any special care to protect them, or just plopped on a shelf?

 

[Dav4]

I see that many people store their pots outside with their trees. Makes sense, they're gonna live out there when they have a tree in them, and might as well get some patina progress. Any special care to protect them, or just plopped on a shelf?

Periodically spray with wd-40 or your oil of choice- petroleum based or otherwise- then leave to the elements. The oil/elements combo will speed up the patination process.