That tree is really coming along - great progress. I think it would look good in a beige pot.

Round or oval, not too heavy.

Looks like a great little tree, healthy too. What you might want to do now is begin to work on 'clouds' of foliage with good definition and more branch ramification to help along the illusion of age in the tree.

Bob

What size pot for this tree? I dont know how to size a pot for this tree.

Thanks,
Gardener Guy

You need enough room for all the roots to be spread more or less sideways without forcing them at ALL, and enough for the bottom of the rootball to sit at the bottom of the pot (no soil is necessary underneath) plus an inch or so all around the outside of the root spread. The top of the rim should come to just above the line that the soil now sits at - not above the line where it meets the trunk. You may have to keep the rootball in a baggie (or in the old pot with soil dumped around it - only temporarily of course - while you find a new pot, but do it quickly as you don't want to run into problems with having to water while it's waiting. All that being said, if you want the tree to grow larger ASAP get a pot even a little wider and deeper than what I described, to use as a 'grow box', and don't concern yourself with looks or anything, just make sure there are good drain holes (or 1 large one with plastic canvas over it... that's needlework stuff you can get at a craft store (or W-M's craft dept) for $0.25 c's a sheet.

Larke,

I think you have the wrong idea, sorry. I have it in a training container now. It needs a real bonsai pot for next spring. I know about bonsai and the roots (but thank you anyway for the info). I have been doing this for some time. I just wanted to figure out what size bonsai pot this tree would look good in. That would be great!

Thanks,
Gardener Guy

Everything I said was for a bonsai pot, then I thought you might want a training one so I added the business about it being larger. If you just want a regular bonsai pot, then stop reading after "All that being said..."

The pot is just as important as the tree in the design of things. Color, shape, size, etc.

The best way to pick the right pot is to have a number of them and the tree then hold them up in the forground to make a choice. Pictures will help you visualize as well.
Makes a good reason to visit a pot shop for a while.

Most elms looks good in oval pots or ones with rounded corners.

You'll know when you have it right because you won't see the pot when you look at the tree, it will become a subordinate part of the overall design.

Bob

I am from Northern Kentucky. I dont know where to go to find a pot shop. Im blowing my brains out searching online. It's my dream to go to a bonsai nursery. I need advice.

Thanks,
Gardener Guy

www.bonsaimonk.com.

What I meant was I am looking to go to a pot shop in person. I cant find one where i can personally visit. Can anyone help?

Thanks,
Gardener Guy

If you haven't already you should try contacting a local Bonsai club/society for help in that area. Normally a club has a member or two who sells pots to other members.

I can empathize with you...notice where I live? Although I'm surrounded by pots and pot shops they are all crap, either gaudy cast slip-pots or worse, cast and painted cement. Getting something imported is impossible and any friends making a 360 to the states don't want to lug around pottery LOL.

Bob

Hey that's good advice. Thanks. But still I want to know something. If my tree is 10 inches tall and 9 inches wide, What size pot do I use?

Thanks,
Gardener Guy

I would use a 7 inch pot.

That is assuming you are going to trim the tree in the spring, so it won't stick out way over the edges of the pot. I prefer smaller pots.

As I was saying in a previous reply, the pot is part of the overall design. You can't really just say 'it's this size tree so it goes in this size pot'. Most elms tend to look better in a shallower pot -- ovals or pots with rounded corners because of the growth habit and the way most are styled.

A guideline would be that the pot would be a little larger than the drip-line of the tree and large enough to (if you want to follow good rules of design) pot it so that the trunk is 3 5ths of the way toward the rear of the pot and a little off center to either the left or right.

In the end it's a matter of geometry and design. You would normally choose the right pot then move it around in it until it 'looks' right.

Hell, I moved my FT 5 times so far -- in as many pottings and, it may move a little more in the future.

Bob

OK, now I am feeling real good about this tree and its future. Finding the pot still frustrates me but I do feel good about what I want. Now I have a true image in my mind of what it will look like. Of all the trees I have, this elm is the most "ready" for a bonsai pot. It definitely won't be finished once I put it in a bonsai pot but I can say it's further along than most of the trees I have.

P.S. Bob, can you give any tips on how to create 'clouds' of foliage with good definition and more branch ramification that you were talking about?

Thanks,

Gardener Guy

Your tree is small enough that it may look good with just a full rounded crown of foliage like it has now. If you want to try and create 'clouds' the best way is to have the tree in person, a workshop would be the best for that. In any case you would be working with maybe 3 of the primary branches for the clouds.

Branch ramification is easy and it looks like you have a good start on that. Elms can be cut back very hard in the early spring. The tree is probably to the point that you have decent primary and secondary branches. Beyond that, cut back the secondary branches to the last leaf pair, that will give you (or should) a pair of tieterary (sp) branches and so on.

Each time you cut back you will get more breaks and more foliage. Have fun.

Bob

Hey, this is great fun. I am looking forward to next spring. Spring lend us all to great opportunities. For some reason, it will be hard for me to go through the winter months. I don't like how it gets cold and I have to wait for spring to start. When it starts though, Boy, am I ready.

Thanks for all your help, everyone.

Gardener Guy