Learn how to grow bonsai trees, bonsai plants and miniature trees. From pruning to caring, this is the ultimate online bonsai guide.
Style and your own expectations rule when it's time to choose the proper bonsai vase. I assume, or rather hope, that you already know this simple rule: the Plant and the Pot. To correctly allow a lovely bonsai tree to grow you have to spend some time selecting the proper pot. That's to say: love the plant, love the pot. Now I don't want to go into an Harry Potter analogy, however the relationship between the vase and the plant is just like the relationship between wizards and their wands. And this can be a match you make when you initially plant the bonsai, with no second thoughts. A vase is forever, or at least it's supposed to be, just like we all love to think about marriages and friendships.
If you would like to mould or cut the plant into a particular form, select a pot of the appropriate size. Don't even suppose about harming your bonsai tree by transplanting it as you decide another vase would look better on Aunt Anne's polished table. Think about regular sized plants. Think about the way they grow. Have you ever noticed how the roots finds their way through sturdy concrete and bolted metal cages? The same applies for a miniature bonsai tree. It's just that it doesn't have the strength required to crack open the pot: but it wants to grow!
Now, spend some time doing a bit of reasearch. Shop online or offline, it doesn't really matter. But do your fair share of research looking for the vase that matches your budget and your pursuit of style. The hard fact is that plastic pots can protect your bonsai tree way better than any other material. Yet, I prefer to avoid plastic vases. It's nothing but my preference, of course. But I feel like there's something wrong concerning plastic pots. They look to me like faux flowers: a cold beauty that doesn't heat the hart. They don't fit. Not a physical match, rest assured, more kind of an emotional match. Bonsais depict nature, life and are chosen by people that love to care for life. Plastic is rational, it may fit in an Ayn Rand novel, along with steel and chromium, but then bonsai trees don't find their place in Rand's novels. To me a plastic pot does not properly depict Bonsai Plants Care.
Most folks don't live in Japan, where Japanese Maple Bonsai trees feel at home. Be sure about the climate and don't be shocked if you discover yourself pruning yellow leaves even when watering and fertilizing the plants exactly as you were expected to do. The quantity of water and nutrients required varies with the climate, the exposure to the sun and the amount of moisture within the air. Be wary of air conditioners! What you'll find cozy will be a death spell for your beloved bonsai tree. Once again, there are some Bonsai How To worth having a look at. Think about humidity trays: they guarantee proper growth of the smaller roots. And don't miss sub-sized spray cans that will provide some moisture on the leaves without soaking them. Just like you wouldn't feed a lucky bamboo with tap water, never use water straight from the kitchen sink. Let it rest for two hours at room temperature as this will reduce the amount of chemical compounds that would harm your bonsai tree.
If you decided to buy a wooden pot, water your tree twice. Once for the tree, and once for the wood pot. Wood will drink some of that water. The same holds true for some ceramic pots, those that have a glossy surface only on the outside, but the quantity of dispersed water would be much smaller than for wooden pots. Concrete pots are best left to offices, however there are some pretty nice concrete pots that would work a minimalist loft or a creative agency. If you decide on them, do not worry about water loss as it's minimal and can not damage your bonzia trees.
A whole art discipline has grown out of photographing bonsai trees. You can find dozen of flickr and picasa galleries showcasing bonsais framed from the most original angles. Getting good photos is not hard but remember that bonsais are small sized, so you should always aim at them from below to reduce the lessening effect of perspective.