November 25, 2019

The Concept of Bonsai Trees: How To Choose Your Bonsai Pot

Caring for your bonsai is cultivating a living art-form in pots. Your Bonsai tree will evolve over time and with experimentation, so choosing the right pot during it's journey is essential to helping it to grow and develop into a healthy, ornamental tree. Check out our guide on handy tips on how to repot your bonsai and explore our bonsai pot collection.

While there is no exact science to choosing your bonsai pots, there is a 'rule of thumb' for you to take inspiration from. This set of principles will help you display your tree at its best as well as keeping it healthy and thriving. Whether you are potting on your bonsai tree into a larger pot as it grows or buying your first tree, read on to find out how to measure for your new pot.

'Rule of thumb' for sizing up your bonsai pot

The basic principles for estimating your ideal pot size is relative to your bonsai tree, making it really easy to calculate. The length of the pot is determined by the bonsai's height, the depth of the pot is determined by the width of the trunk and the style of the pot is determined by the style of your tree.

Pot length:

To calculate the ideal length for your pot, you'll use the height of your tree. The pot at it's longest side should measure between 1/2 - 2/3 the trees height. For example, if your tree was 62cm tall, you'll be looking for a length between 31 - 41.5cm long.

Pot Depth:

To calculate the ideal depth for your bonsai pot, measure the ground root or width of trunk at the soil base. The width of this part of the trunk is the minimum height your bonsai pot should be for healthy root development.

Pot Shape:

Bonsai pots come in either a rectangular or circular form. Whilst this can be down to personal taste, it's widely thought that chunky bonsai trees are better suited to square pots, while the more delicate bonsai trees lend themselves more towards the circular pots.