Root & Wire

A pot for this tree

Conifer (juniper, pine, larch), informal upright (moyogi), under 20 cm (shohin) tall, trunk medium (2 to 5 cm).

Lengthabout 10 cmabout two thirds of the tree's height (or of its width, when the tree is wider than tall)
Depthabout 4 cmabout the width of the trunk at its base; a little more for a stout trunk, a little less for a slim one
Shapeovalan oval or a soft-cornered rectangle; curves in the trunk read better against a curve
Finishunglazedunglazed clay for conifers: the matt brown or grey agrees with bark and needles and does not compete

Rules of thumb, as bonsai people have passed them on; a good eye beats a tape. Measure the tree's height from the soil to the apex and the trunk just above the surface roots.

Where to look

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  1. A oval unglazed pot, about 10 cm

    The recommendation itself, as shops list it: sizes are rounded to the ones sold, so look at 10 cm and the size either side.

    Search: bonsai pot oval unglazed 10cm

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See also

  1. Unglazed ceramic pot (rectangular)

    What to look for: Frost-proof stoneware, unglazed, with real drainage and wire holes and feet. For conifers. Check 'frost-proof', not 'frost-resistant', for an outdoor tree.

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  2. Plastic training pot

    If the tree is still being developed, a training pot of about the same length is the better buy this year.

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  3. Drainage mesh and tie-in wire

    For the repot itself.

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