Upgrading my Training Pots
Over my first few years, I have explored and experimented with felt grow-bags, pond baskets, wood grow-boxes, and larger nursery pots.
I have been swayed by some of my peers moving towards Japanese high-fired terracotta training pots. Shallow, well draining, and wire holes—will outlast typical terracotta pots by years. More affordable than expected, from Bonsai Tonight (Jonas). Benefit of a smaller footprint on the bench.
Size 4-4.5 for Mame
Size 7-7.5 for Shohin
Size 9 for larger
https://store.bonsaitonight.com/pages/high-fired-training-pots
The terracotta pots help with heat retention too and are fired high in the kiln so quality is great compared to the terracotta you buy here in the states.
The tortoise beats the race like Ed Clark said.
Lots of nursery’s in Japan never ground grow their trees. There’s problems that arise from that and can take years to correct. Also just how old lumber is highly sought after and super expensive because of the quality ; applies to bonsai. Growing a tree too fast causes weak wood density which is more prone to breaking , decay, rot , pests , etc. that’s why collected junipers have decades old shari and Jin… it was slow grown in nature and wood on it is stronger.
Also the training pots aren’t bonsai pots; since you should be using a pot that’s 3-4 times the size of the pot that would if you were to be showing it. You should watch that bonsai Q YouTube channel and see how they grow all their stuff in these training pots.
Also using organic comes with its own issues too. And proponents of it are usually people who have grow operations so they must keep costs down to improve profit margins. In Bonsai Heresey , michael briefly goes over soil and why the nursery men use organics. So important for a hobbyist with a smaller operation to maybe question some of these techniques.
End result is better growing in containers but it’ll take more time for sure. That’s why there isn’t a right or wrong way to do bonsai. Kinda just do what works for you. I also don’t have a ton of space nor do I have ability to grow in the ground. So having giant grow boxes and ground growing go out the window.