Making Bonsai Flowerpots

[Zigs]

Needed a couple of new pots for my bonsai trees so rather than paying out a lot of money and risking them getting broken in the post (nothing suitable in the local garden centre) I thought I'd have a go at making some



Poured some plaster that needed using up into a large bucket with 4 wooden blocks in, then put a smaller bucket on top. Took a bit of nibbling to get the blocks out but it's set nicely.

Working on a bigger one but I've lost one of the blocks in the plaster somewhere



Gypsum plaster isn't the best thing to use outside but if they weather too quickly I now know how to knock up some cement ones if needs be. They'll probably outlast me as I'm very old indeed.

I'll be potting this Beech tree up into the smaller of the two

 

[Tetters]

Home made ones will be very lovely for your bonsai trees, and then we can save all the money for my new plants in the front beds

 

[Anniekay]

Oughhh, I am Very interested in this topic. I want to do hypertufa ( I think that's what ya call it) with cement and vermiculite, AND, I used to have a bonsai I made from a Jade plant and want to make a few bonsai from different trees.

You need to start a tread on how to make Bonsai, please, pretty please with sugar on it??

But not right away I need to wait to make the hypertufa.

 

[Zigs]

I'll do that soon Annie

Just about ready to go with the Beech tree, the first pot has set hard enough and it's winter so the tree will be dormant

 

[Anniekay]

I'll do that soon Annie

Just about ready to go with the Beech tree, the first pot has set hard enough and it's winter so the tree will be dormant

I'll be looking forward to that thread !! Thanks, Zigs

 

[Zigs]

Busy today but I did move the Beech tree in ready.



The tree started off as a seedling in the pudding tunnel so it's had shade all it's life. Not sure if it was that or the drought this summer but it's leaves are much smaller than normal sized Beech leaves.



With some Bonsai trees, you take off the first set of leaves in the spring. This makes it grow a second set which are usually much smaller, giving the illusion of scale to the plant.

 

[Anniekay]

Busy today but I did move the Beech tree in ready.

View attachment 2092

The tree started off as a seedling in the pudding tunnel so it's had shade all it's life. Not sure if it was that or the drought this summer but it's leaves are much smaller than normal sized Beech leaves.

View attachment 2093

With some Bonsai trees, you take off the first set of leaves in the spring. This makes it grow a second set which are usually much smaller, giving the illusion of scale to the plant.

That's just what happens when caterpillars decimate all the young leaves on the trees in spring. When I lived in New Jersey we had a Gypsy moth caterpillar invasion.They covered my roof, there were so many. They ate all the leaves off my Sassafrass tree and River Oak, then literally killed my young conifers. All the leaves on the deciduous trees came in about 1/4- 1/3 the size of normal that year.

 

[Zigs]

That's just what happens when caterpillars decimate all the young leaves on the trees in spring. When I lived in New Jersey we had a Gypsy moth caterpillar invasion.They covered my roof, there were so many. They ate all the leaves off my Sassafrass tree and River Oak, then literally killed my young conifers. All the leaves on the deciduous trees came in about 1/4- 1/3 the size of normal that year.

Bit of a natural Bonsai going on there then Annie

Noticed this Griselinia's roots had been washed out in the pot. It was due to become part of the hedge but I think this might be a good candidate for a Bonsai

 

[Zigs]

I put it all together today

 

[Anniekay]

I put it all together today

Thanks @Zigs. That's very informative and quite a simple process .

 

[Zigs]

Thanks @Zigs. That's very informative and quite a simple process .

You're welcome Annie

When the new pot I've made has set, I'll be re potting the bigger one. It blocked up it's drainage holes with it's roots. Didn't know until the pot got flooded