Newbe

Leica

Colin,

Thank you very much for the feedback. It made me very happy that you like my pots. I will post more pot pics as I go along. I have 3 more full kilns waiting to get fired. I love what you said about the nordic forms shining thru. I spend much time in nature, both on yamadoris but also for week long trips that probably mark my way of shaping things.
I mostly have scots pine and I love the old gnarly troll look in the trees just like you.
Pot # 702 = 23 X 17 X 5 cm
Pot # 709 = 25 X 19 X 5 cm

Love the bark on this scots pine !!

Attached Images

Bark1.jpg (41.7 KB, 43 views)

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Dale Cochoy

Rich,
Heres my "take" on your questions.
There is a big difference in making, drying, firing, potting trees in aclay bonsaipot than there is in molding/making/growing in a plastic training box.
The plastic boxes I/You mention have a bottom of complete mesh with approx. 1/8" holes. I'd say the surface is at least 50% "Hole", this allows for for surface tension breaking and increased water flow and great rooting activity ( which you surely know , since you use them, if they are sitting on the ground )
MAKING pottery is a different story. I remember when another USA potter started making bonsai pots several years back about the same time I did. The pots were covered with 3/8ish" holes that looked....awful! I doubted their functionality over just a few big ones. Also, the strength of such a group ( I'm talking about 20 in a 10" pot) . I bought a few pots. Sure enough I just bumped one against something and it cracked into 3 pieces.
I have always used 4 or 5 holes in med sized rect., and up to 7 in larger pots. That is MORE THAN ENOUGH. If spread throughout the bottom they afford fine drainage especially if bigger. Water surface tension is more easily broken with a few bigger holes than with a whole bunch of tiny holes.
Now, theres this big "push" for newbies viewing pots to want to see a ton of wiring holes. Well, you don't need them! If you have 5-7 large drain holes in a pot and can't get a tree wired into it....give up bonsai!
I've heard the complaint"If I use drain holes to wire through it tears my screen". Well, my answer to that is to stop using that cheap a#@ plastic mesh, wallboard tape and knitting backing with the tiny holes and use galvanized hardware cloth. You can buy 1/8" and 1/4" Hdrwr. cloth at any good hardware store . It last a long time.
Now, MAKING pots with too many holes is just asking to have a bunch of pots thrown out from cracked bottoms. As pots dry and are fired there are quite a bit of stresses on them and mostpots that crack during any process USUALLY crack from the drain holes. Having a mesh of them in the bottom that you don't need is just asking for it.
But, some folks buy pots for the holes! Especially if "name hype" is involved. But when its all said and done, 2 to 4 larger holes in any pot is enough.
I'm SURE there will be disagreement, but...Thats my story, and I'm stickin' to it!
Regards,
Dale

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If you want to be Different....
You have to DO something Different!
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Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time....
but, they always seem to make the time to do it over again...
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Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

Dale Cochoy

First let me say to Leica, I'm sorry the thread got drawn off your nice pottery. I hate it when that happens!

Having said that....



Colin,
Have yo tried the 1/4"ish sized Sequoia "baby orchid bark" sold by orchid suppliers? Thats what I've used for over 20 years.

Greg,
"Whoa there, Dale Sounds like you're identifying with the perfect, wheel-thrown crowd"

Well...Yes, I do Greg!

__________________
________________________________
If you want to be Different....
You have to DO something Different!
__________________________________________

Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time....
but, they always seem to make the time to do it over again...
____________________________________________
Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

rlist

Thanks Dale. That is what I thought would happen. Thanks for the additional info.

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Both gold and muck come out of the same shaft...

Colin Lewis

Dale, Yes I have, and that's why I decided never to use it again! Bark is generally extremely acidic, entirely nutrient free and totally inhospitable to roots. Orchid bark of all grades is also virtually sterile and very difficult to wet. When I have repotted trees growing in a mix including bark, the bark has been still intact after three years and there are practically no roots growing into the particles of bark. For the lif of me, I canot think of any useful purpose bark serves in a bonsai soil. Now my head's on the block



Leica,
I have seen quite a few Norwegian Scots pine yamadori in my friend's garden in Manchester - beautiful material that shows aged character even in small plants. I am envious.

rockm

Colin, have you tried composted pine bark mulch, sold as "soil conditioner" at the bigger hardware chain outlets?