8 Best Bonsai Pots To Ensure Healthy Root Growth

Every bonsai lover like you faces a challenge to choose the right pot for planting their loving bonsai. The task will be more difficult when you have to repot the tree for maintaining proper growth. Because the wrong choice of pots can be the reason for your exclusive bonsai die. 

You will find a wide range of bonsai pots in the market, and all of them are not the best match. Such as, metal bonsai pots are highly dangerous for outdoor bonsai. Because it causes toxicity in high heat, that is why according to your bonsai species, choosing the right bonsai pot is a must.

To solve all these issues, we have narrowed down the 8 best bonsai pots to give you a happy gardening experience. After in-depth analysis, we pick these pots based on quality, depth, materials, ventilation, shape, size, and many more categories. These pots will give your bonsai maximum growing environment with healthy root growth. 

We also try to share some buying tricks to make your buying lucrative. So if you are confused to decide the best match, you can easily choose one from our top 8 high-quality bonsai pots.

Overview Of The Best Bonsai Pots

If you don’t have enough time, look at this quick overview to pick the right pots for your bonsai.

1.Bonsai Outlet Training Pots – Best For Training

It is not easy to pick the right training pots for your tiny bonsai tree. Because bonsai needs extra care and room in the training phase to develop the root freely. That’s why a durable and specious pot is required to grow the tree as per your desired shape.

By considering all those features, we have found the Bonsai Outlet Training Pots the right choice for you. The pot is made with heavy-duty and long-lasting shatter-proof polyresin. So there is no chance of getting unwanted scratches or cracks on your pots. 

It also provides drip trays to avoid water leaks during watering bonsai trees. The plastic tray won’t fade like normal plastic. You should consider this training pot if you want a thick trunk and ramifications bonsai trees.

However, as the pot is specially designed for the training phase, it has extra depth compared to ordinary pots. The exact measurements are 6.75″×9″×3″, that makes it ideal for bonsai root development and healthy growth.

Besides, it comes with an optimal drainage hole to ensure proper airflow and avoid water stuck in the bottom. It also comes with reusable drainage mesh on the holes to avoid soil falling and keep the room clean. A smooth drainage system is a key to avoiding bonsai die. 

The bonsai training phase is a critical time, so don’t take a risk with your favourite bonsai by choosing the wrong pot. Finally, we can ensure the optimal growth of your bonsai when you set it on this best bonsai training pot.

Pros

• Solid built so highly durable and long-lasting
• Deeper enough for healthy root development
• Flawless drainage system with multiple holes and trays
• Right choice for beginner bonsai lovers 
• Lightweight, proper shape, and affordable

Cons

• The design is not attractive and stylish
• Not ideal for mounting or hanging

2.Muzhi Ceramic Bonsai Pot – Best For Budget

Our next pick is the Muzhi ceramic pot because of its round shape, plain color, and vintage design. It is suitable to decorate your home, office, and patio garden. This post is produced with handmade unglazed ceramic that can consume high temperatures. That’s why you can consider it as the best-unglazed bonsai pot. 

Training bonsai requires many drainage holes to ensure a perfect watering system besides its aesthetic appearance. This ceramic pot provides an 8-inch drainage hole, so there is no risk of a water pool at the bottom that can kill your trees. 

It also provides a fresh mesh pad to prevent soil from falling to avoid muddy water that helps to keep the room clean. The Muzhi pot is more breathable than a glazed pot. So the survival chance of training bonsai is 3x with this vintage-style solid pot.

You will also get a bamboo tray to avoid water leaks due to drainage holes. The Muzhi round ceramic pot is a good choice to ensure healthy growth and a stable root system for your succulent, cactus, and bonsai. So purchasing this pot will be the best investment for your home garden. 

Pros

• Good quality ceramic offers presentable design and excellent durability
• Provide enough room for perfect root growth and development 
• Wide drainage system to safe the bonsai roots from rotten
• Classic and simple design with wall mounting opportunity
• No assembly is required and worth your investment

Cons

• The bamboo plate is a bit flimsy
• Packaging needs improvement to include all parts 

3.Growneer Bonsai Pots – Best For Portable

Are you looking for a combo with multiple pots and trays? Then we suggest you another best training pot for bonsai from the popular Growneer brand. They are a six-pack combo pot that comes with a convenient tray to make your gardening easy and hassle-free.  

These heavy-duty pots are made of premium plastic that is reusable, eco-friendly, and highly durable. The pots introduce raised feet to ensure superior airflow to enhance the bonsai tree’s growth. You can set these plastic pots for indoor and outdoor to decorate your home, office, garden, party center, patio, and porch.

They are nearly 3.2 inches deep, 9 inches long, and 6.6 inches wide. The training bonsai will get adequate room to develop roots when you plant them into these pots. They also provide tray and plant levels to make your bonsai journey smooth. 

The bottom design is impressive because small drainage holes ensure an optimal drainage system. So it has less chance of water leakage and storage on the bottom. On top of that, they have a built-in mesh to avoid soil leakage and loosening. 

As the pots are plastic-made, lightweight, and easy to handle so that you can set and move these pots anywhere depending on your needs. This set of pots will be a great choice for small bonsai, bonsai training, or growing seedlings.

Pros

• Made from premium and eco-friendly plastic to ensure durability 
• Proper airflow that promotes plant’s growth and shape
• Adequate holes to provide an excellent drainage system 
• 15 pieces free plant levels for marking plant names 
• Multi-purpose use and affordable price

Cons

• Packaging is a bit poor and needs attention
• The tray is a bit flimsy 

4.Muzhi Extra Large Pots – Best For Large Bonsai

It is our second pick from Muzhi brands. Muzhi is popular for providing high-quality pots. These 3-piece combo rectangular pots are the perfect choice for large bonsai that requires a vast space to spread its roots.

The pots are made from PP plastic that is environmentally and eco-friendly. They are thick and sturdy, so you can enjoy a long-lasting service and reuse them. However, Muzhi designed the pots with a matte finish and classic style to use both indoors and outdoors to display your bonsai. 

Besides, it provides 4 raised feet to ensure maximum air circulation that is important to ensure the healthy growth of trees. They also have so many holes to ensure breathability and a proper drainage system. You have no risk of drainage glitches with these stylish spots. Not only that, the pots have 12 wiring and breathable holes that you can use when you wire the bonsai branches to fix the bonsai shape.

These extra-large bonsai pots are ideal for bonsai training or display. They provide 7.5″ depth that is enough for bonsai root development. They come with humidity trays to keep your furniture dry while watering. If you want highly long-lasting and big-size training pots for bonsai, then the Muzhi rectangular is the best option. 

Pros

• The pots are strong, reusable, and good looking
• Offer you sufficient space, humidity, and drainage system
• Proper ventilation and wiring holes for perfect shaping
• Well packaging for protecting shopping damage
• A nice choice for training pots and easy on your wallet

Cons

• We find no cons

5.Dahlia Stone Pots – Best For Indoor

Till now, we have talked about bonsai pots which are made from polyresin, premium plastic, and ceramic. Now, we will introduce the Dahlia stone bonsai pot, which is built with handmade concrete to give an aesthetic vibe to your home garden. It will last for decades because of using durable concrete and stone.

When you set up this planter with bonsai on your home or office compound, it will change the outlook of your surroundings. At first glance, its unique natural stone pattern will grab the visitors’ attention. 

This pot is 8.6 inches long, 2.9 inches high, and 5.1 inches wide with a Novelty shape design. That’s why the pot can offer a wider space for roots’ healthy growth. It is moderate weather-resistant and breathable. So there is no risk of bonsai dying due to lack of air supply. But in case of freezing temperatures, if you use it outdoors, it may fade color or crack the pots. So you should not keep the pot outdoors while it snows. 

It also comes with drainage holes to ensure airflow and drainage systems to prevent root rot. So your bonsai will be fine in this pot and get enough space to develop. You will be satisfied with this best handmade bonsai pot quality, durability, and looks. 

Pros

• Rock stone and concrete makes the planter highly durable
• Unique design with aesthetic look and vast space
• Versatile use for cactus, bonsai, and decorative plant 
• Provide good drainage, breathability system 
• Excellent customer service with no question return policy

Cons

• A little bit heavier than other pots
• The not right choice for large plant

6.Mica Bonsai Training Pot – Best For Winter

If you are annoyed with pot cracks or damage due to snow or freezing temperatures, grab this Mica bonsai pot. This pot is made with 80% mica, 15% superior plastic, and 5% graphite that won’t break or damage from freezing temperature or snow. That makes it an ideal pot for bonsai trees.

This oval-shaped pot gives sufficient room to grow bonsai trees despite super durability. It provides 8.5 inches of depth that helps to develop roots conveniently. You will also get 11.33 heights and 3.25 widths to grow bonsai branches. As a result, you can give your bonsai an impressive style and shape.

It also has two large holes to offer airflow and a smooth drainage system. So that when you water the plant, excessive water can easily come out through the holes to prevent root rot and save your bonsai life.

Mica pot is dark brown and gives a vintage outlook that makes it perfect as a display pot without extra expense. So you can use your training pots as display pots to save money.

However, Mica pots have the power to balance soil temperature that is highly essential to make the roots strong and healthy during winter. Yet it is a plastic pot; it looks like ceramic. If you want budget-friendly versatile pots that look fancy, then Mica is for you.

Pros

• Classic shape, and design, with good drainage and attachment holes
• The plastics are sturdy, strong, and highly durable that will not break easily
• Multiple sizes to choose a specific size depending on your tree 
• Hole drilling opportunity to wire branches to bring right shape
• It looks like a ceramic pot and helps to grow roots safely 

Cons

• Slightly warmer in summer
• The finishing is not up to the mark

7.Sun-E Japanese Style Ceramic Pot – Best For Display 

Sun-E Japanese-style is the best pot for bonsai trees as their modern design adds a green or refreshing vibe to your home or office. These distinctive black color pots with glaze and snowflake grain design are enough to enhance the beauty of any place. You can increase your bonsai value with these display pots.

These ceramic pots are made of top-quality clay and come in a 4 pieces combo package. The measurements are 3.9×3.9×3.5 inches, perfect to set any green thumb succulent plants and bonsai. In addition, the innovative shape and sleek design make them suitable for decoration.

It also provides a matching tray to store water while watering. That helps to avoid unwanted plant death due to excess water. So if you need 4 pieces pots, then this package can be the best fit for your trees 

Pros

• High-quality materials make the pots durable
• Attractive design, lucrative, and decorative at any place 
• Different shapes enhance the functionality to place different sizes of trees
• The right choice for bonsai starters
• Affordable price that fits your budget

Cons

• Poor drainage system, so be careful when watering
• Not perfect choice for large bonsai

8.Muzhi Rustic Bonsai Pots – Best for Small Bonsai

Muzhi brings Rustic model unique bonsai pots as 4 pieces set for versatile use to decorate a home office, dining, patio, garden, lawn, etc. These unglazed ceramic pots give a vintage look that makes them a good choice as a display pot. However, they also give you brilliant functionality that helps to train any bonsai. So you can use them in the training phase and the developed phase.

These round ceramic pots are given a 4-inch depth enough for root growth. They are manufactured from handmade high-temperature unglazed ceramic that is highly breathable and ensures better growth of bonsai trees. 

They have middle drainage holes to offer smooth water circulation. You will also get a free mesh pad to avoid soil falling. It also provides a bamboo tray to store extra water. So by considering the overall quality of these pots, there is no reason to ignore them. 

Pros

• The pots are well made and designed for small plants
• Rustic outlook and unique shape to increase the beauty of your surroundings
• Excellent drainage system to prevent root rot 
• Sturdy, convenient, and plain color
• Wall mounting opportunity for hanging

Cons

• Packaging needs improvement

How To Choose A Bonsai Pot? (A Perfect Buying Guide)

Before you buy a bonsai pot you have to know some features to determine which types of pot will be the best fit for you. Because wrong selection can be a reason for your plant’s inadequate growth, even death. 

We have prepared this buying guide to remove your confusion about choosing the right bonsai pots and trays. You have to look for some features before making your decision. Let’s read the buying guide to know what to look for when buying the right pots for bonsai plants.

Shape and color

Bonsai is famous for its unique shape and beauty. As you are buying bonsai pots, appearance is the key priority. You need an elegantly shaped pot that helps focus Bonsai plants. So, it is better to choose vintage or classic style pots according to your bonsai shape. 

The shape, color, or design depends on your preference, tree’s needs, and decor theme. But if you are looking for pots to train bonsai, you need to focus on functionality instead of shape and color. 

Size

Well, the growth rate of bonsai trees depends vastly on the size of the pots. So, you need to determine bonsai plant pot size carefully. You can’t choose an extra-large pot for a small plant. Similarly, some small pots are not for big trees. It can kill your expensive bonsai.

If you plant small trees in a big pot, it hampers the growth. To avoid such issues, it is important to select the right size. To find the right size pot, you have to know How do you measure pot size? Here is the 5 simple steps to determine bonsai pot size

1. First, you need to measure your bonsai height from the bottom surface to the top of the canopy. You should also measure the trunk diameter.

2. Then decide which shape you like to grow bonsai, such as oval, rectangular, round, etc. According to the shape, the size rule is different. 

3. Next, if you are buying an oval or rectangular-shaped pot, then the pot’s size needs to be ⅔ the height of your bonsai. 

4. When you choose round-shaped pots, the diameter needs to be ⅓  the height of your plant.

5. Now, you can ask what the right depth for choosing bonsai pots is. You can use the same depth according to trunk measurement results to get the best outcome. If you buy training pots, try to choose a deeper pot to give proper space for bonsai development.

Material

Your bonsai survival depends on the materials. If you choose materials that release toxins or can’t pass airflow, that can kill your bonsai. So it is better to go for breathable materials to ensure a happy home for your favorite bonsai.

1.Ceramic

Ceramic pots are the most traditional materials for bonsai. You will get plenty of designs, shapes, and types of ceramic pots. The unique shapes, breathability, and vibrant colors are the top choice. But if you are living in an area where a natural disaster is common, you should avoid ceramic because it is easily breakable.

2.Mica

Mica is a popular alternative to ceramic pots. Mica pots are manufactured with 80% mica, 15% polyethylene, and 5% graphite. That makes Mica pots long-lasting, and the material is sturdy enough to avoid freezing cracks or unwanted breaking due to wind. Even it doesn’t break when it falls on hard ground.

Besides, Mica is lighter than ceramic pots. So you can easily carry your bonsai with these handy pots. Mica pots can be great for both indoor and outdoor. Mica is highly breathable, so it ensures the perfect insulation system to develop your bonsai. It is especially great for protecting bonsai during winter dormancy. But unfortunately, Mica pots have limited design, shape, and color options. 

3.Plastic pots

Plastic pots are ideal for training bonsai. It is lightweight and durable. Plastic pots are comparatively cheaper than ceramic pots. But it is not ideal for display pots.

Drainage system

The drainage system is highly essential for bonsai. Whether you are buying a display pot or training pots, drainage is a must. A good drainage system protects your trees from dying in overwatering. 

It helps to remove extra water through the drainage holes. Besides, the holes ensure perfect airflow that enhances the growth rate of bonsai.

Glazed vs unglazed pots 

You will find glazed and unglazed bonsai pots in the market. The glazed pots have a porous surface on the pot and evenly absorb heat. It is easy to maintain and clean but can not absorb more water. Glazed pots are generally used for display purposes. On the other hand, unglazed pots offer you an earthy look that is suitable for a home environment. 

So you can go for any ceramic glazed or unglazed pots that catch your eyes. But glazed color is suitable for fruiting and flowering plants. You should use gray or brown tones for evergreen bonsai such as pine and juniper.

So these are the important factors that you must consider to get high-quality bonsai pots for your tree. Otherwise, there is a high chance to choose wrong pots that will be worthless. 

How To Make DIY Bonsai Pots?

Homemade bonsai pots are known as DIY pots. If you love to do DIY jobs, then you can make a bonsai pot without buying. You can easily make bonsai pots by following some easy steps. Such as 

1. Take a plastic bowl 
2. Then apply oil into the bowl
3. After that, mix sand and regular cement in a 3:1 ratio
4. Now put water to make a paste of sand and cement 
5. Then pour the paste into the plastic bowl to make a layer
6. After the fix, the layer load the whole mixture
7. At the edge area put some mixture of sand and cement to give a shape 
8. Take a spoon to fix the depth crucially and take out the extra mixture 
9. Take a pipe to make drainage holes
10. Keep 24 hours to dry it properly
11. Now loosen the corners of the plastic bowl to remove the DIY pots gently

You can easily make the best DIY bonsai pot by following the above steps that saves your bucks. 

How To Clean Bonsai Pots?  

After using the bonsai pots for many days, they become dirty, and you have to clean them. You can clean the pots by following two simple methods. Here we will explain both of the methods. 

Method 1 – Using regular dishwashing detergent 

You must have dishwashing detergent in your kitchen. You can simply use this thing to clean your bonsai pots. You need some equipment to do the job.

The things you need

• 2-3 teaspoons dishwashing detergent
• Plain water
• An old toothbrush
• A middle-size plastic bowl
• 2 sponges 
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

Step 1- Prepare soapy water

First, add two to three teaspoons of dishwashing liquid detergent with some water to make soapy water. Then keep the pots into the water solution and rest them for 3-5 minutes to soften the dirt, dust, and mud. 

Step – 2 Gently scrub the pots

Now, thoroughly scrub the pots with the old toothbrush and remove all the dirty things from the pots. Then rinse the pots with clean water.

Step – 3 Dry the pots and apply oil

Finally, pat the pots with one sponge to dry them. Pour olive oil into another sponge and wipe the pots with that to get back their shininess and brightness. That’s all.

Method – 2 Using pots cleaner spray

Different kinds of bonsai pot cleaning sprays are available in the market. If you don’t like to clean them with soapy water, you can use the spray cleaner. The sprays are slightly more expensive than homemade cleaners. But they are also easy to use. 

How to clean the pots with the spray cleaner

First, store all the pots that you have to clean. You can apply the cleaner with trees, so there is no problem if the pots have trees. Just move the pots in different directions and spray the cleaner. Then keep the pots aside until the cleaner dries. When the liquid cleaner dries, you notice that the pots will be glazed like showroom condition. 

So if you don’t want to spend more bucks only for pot cleaning purposes, the first method is the right option for you. But if you don’t have much time, you can follow the second method to clean your bonsai pots.

FAQs

What is a bonsai training pot?  

A bonsai has two phases in its lifespan. One is the training phase, and the other is the display phase. The pot, which has large and multiple drainage holes to prevent waterlogging in the bottom to ensure proper root growth, is called a training bonsai pot. When the bonsai completes its training phase, you have to repot it into a display pot for adequate development. 

What is the best small tree for a pot?

If you want to grow a small bonsai tree, then you can check Persian silk, Japanese maple, Apple, starry magnolia, and many more. These small trees are growing rapidly in pots.

What is the best place to buy bonsai pots?

If you want to buy the pots offline, then you can visit your nearest nursery to find good quality bonsai pots to buy. Here you will find a wide range of pots that will meet your needs at an affordable cost. But for online shopping, Amazon may be the best option.

Can I keep a big bonsai in small pots?

It is not good to place big bonsai trees in small pots. That can kill your expensive plants. You need to give proper space to grow bonsai roots and develop branches and trunks.

How deep should a bonsai pot be?

You have to choose a pot whose depth is the same as your bonsai trunk. So that you can level the soil above the bonsai trunk and easily water, and fertilize the soil. 

Why are bonsai pots so shallow? 

Bonsai trees need limited soil but much maintenance. So shallow pots are suitable for both purposes. That’s why bonsai pots are so shallow to easily water, wiring, pruning, and bring the desired shape. 

Where is the best place to buy bonsai pots online?

Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, and Best Buy are some of the common e-commerce websites to collect your bonsai pots from online. But, Amazon is the best of the four because of its service quality, price, customer support, packaging, early shipping, etc. That’s why most people like to do their online shopping from here. 

How to care for a bonsai tree in a pot?

You have to properly take care of your bonsai

trees to enjoy their aesthetic look and beauty.  For example

• Lighting -Try to keep the tree in a place where it gets enough sunlight. 
• Positioning – Never keep the tree under direct sunlight because it may burn the leaves. 
• Watering – Every day water the plant to maintain soil moisture. 
• Pruning – If you notice the branch and leaves grow faster, prune them to bring a beautiful shape. 

How big should bonsai pot be?

A bonsai pot should be ⅔ of the length of your bonsai tree. If the length of the tree is shorter, then the pot can be ⅔ of the width. For example, if your bonsai is 18 inches high, the pot should be 6 inches. 

Do bonsai pots need drainage holes?

Absolutely yes. Bonsai pots should have drainage holes to pass out excess water to prevent root rot. Not only that, the holes help to ease breathability of the plant roots to get proper nutrition. 

Can a bonsai pot be glazed on the inside?

Bonsai pots are made from clay and can be glazed inside and outside. But, it is not necessary to glaze the pots inside as it doesn’t add any value to the pot. Instead, pots that are not inside glazed are helpful to grow bonsai roots as they get a grip for growing. The unglazed pots are easier to clean and cheap. So you have to collect a pot that is not inside glazed. 

Final Thought

You must own the best bonsai pots for faster growth and development of your bonsai. We have explained those 8 brilliant bonsai pots regarding pros, cons, and functionality.

Now it is time-saving for you to choose the right one. We include various pots such as training pots, display pots, 2 in 1 pots, and many more. So from now on, you can give your bonsai tree a happy environment by choosing the best pots. 

You can choose Muzhi Extra Large Pots if your bonsai needs large space and Dahlia Stone Pots for indoor decoration. But if you have a tight budget then Muzhi Ceramic Bonsai Pot will be a quality purchase. 

Happy gardening!