As you know, Bonsai......... essentially are plants growing in Shallow containers.
It’s of prime importance to use a container which compliments us, i.e. the plant in size, shape, colour & finish, while designing the overall display of a BONSAI. The container should never ever dominate us i.e. the plant.
A good bonsai pot should be well equipped with generous drainage holes, a level base, small feet to allow excess water to run freely etc.
A Bonsai artist follows a set of Bonsai rules while choosing a container for us, the plant keeping in mind a lot of parameter’s and even while placing the plant in the container. As of now, I will not dwell into the intricate details and the SET of RULES...a bonsai artist has to follow ... may be some other time.
But,Nonetheless
If you notice most of these containers are glazed outside....with a smooth, shiny finish and unglazed, rough towards the inside, the area which will actually hold the soil compost.
Indian summer’s are scorching with temperature ranging anywhere between 35 to 45 degrees on an average from March/April till almost October/November, i.e. for a prolonged period of 7-8 months we plants have to endure the HEAT if kept outdoors in the open.
Such high temperatures are indeed torturous for us teeny-weeny plants, more so because these GLAZED POTS absorb HEAT & in turn the SOIL COMPOST becomes HOT; the roots dry out & shrivel up, in spite of regular watering & misting because of the extreme ... unbearable heat.
Off course, a special green house to battle all weather conditions would be an ideal solution, for us plants, but until then......... another thought crossed my mind ...........
How about a cost effective, INSULTATORY layer between the glazed exteriors and unglazed interiors of these containers? Is it possible?
Any potter around here, designers, engineers.......any body listening, reading?
The glazed surface should ideally reflect back most of the heat, and the layer of insulation cover should prevent the soil compost from getting too hot, so as not to damage the root system of the plant on which it thrives.
Hmmm.... In other words, I am hoping we had a HEAT RESISTANT BONSAI CONTAINER, to keep us snug and cared for during all weather conditions.
Waiting for a day.......... when PANDIT JI or any other reputed Ceramic Potter comes up with a Therma-Heat Resistant & Frost Resistant Bonsai Container... for those endless Indian summer months.....& at the same time, combat the Cold wave which sweeps across the country during December and January.
Now that I have shared my sorry state of affairs here at Y360, I am hoping for valuable suggestions from my friends here? How about floating some ideas here in this blogosphere, in this regard?
If there is a problem, there is bound to be a solution too somewhere? Isn’t it?
So long, till we meet again....
Ever Green Tree
PS: First published @ Y360 Jun, 2008
1 comment:
Interesting thought on the pot that can be used for the Bonsai containers. But is it possible to introduce such a layer in the pot creation process. Another simpler solution might be to water at an appropriate time so that the heat in the soil in neutralized by the water. More heat will get absorbed from the top soil that the pot I would assume. Can mulch also help?
Post a Comment