Pots for a fig.

[GavinG]

It's finally fig season in cold old Canberra, and I had trouble matching a fig to a pot.

I thought this pot was too close to the trunk colour, so the leaves seemed too different in colour.

P1080427.jpg

The pot is too big, and the colour and tone not a lot different, but the trunk just stands out a bit stronger.

P1080433.jpg

I find it really hard to get green leaves to harmonise with a green pot. They always seem to jar.

P1080428.jpg

Even a broken green won't go with the leaf colour.

P1080431.jpg

I like the broken colour with the trunk, but the pot is too small.

P1080429.jpg

This colour is a bit too solid, but it balances the leaves, lifts the trunk and catches the red tips on the ends of the shoots.

P1080430.jpg

This is just too damn loud.

P1080432.jpg

Thanks for your attention,

Gavin

[matlea]

Out of the pics, I don't mind the first or the fifth pot..fifth one could be good shame you say it's too small

[Qitianlong]

I agree, 1 or 5

[Andrew F]

1

[anttal63]

5 and 6... i realy like 5 and if it were mine i would just cut the roots more aggressively and make room in that pot.

[TamworthSteve]

Hi Gavin,

I really like pots 1 and 5 also.

Pot 1 as I am a fan of unglazed pots for evergreens, and usually go for glazed pots with deciduous and flowering. I wouldn't be too worried about the pot and trunk being similar colour, as the trunk is a strong trunk and will hold it's own against the pot. Not only that, I like the fact that the foliage will stand out, glossy leaves over a matt pot.

Pot 5 I like simply because it looks like a 'pleasant combination'. I think at repot time, you will likely be able to reduce the rootball so it will fit in without a problem, and I don't think the glaze is too strong for the tree.

That's my opinion anyway, but at the end of the day, completely your call, whatever you feel comfortable with.

Cheers,
Steve.

[pasquale]

I like 4, the colour combo works for me. Of course in real life it might not look as good.

[bki]

aren't they all too narrow and too deep. a bit shallower and wider pot will emphasize the power of the tree and will give more negative space. just my opinion.

[ben the barbarian]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say #3. It's the most pleasing to my eye.

[MattA]

Nice choice of pots, I really like the broken green one but agree, not for this tree...

Which pot from the selection did you end up choosing? Or did you find another better suited.....

[Joel]

I also like 5. The red tones match with the red tips of the new growth of the fig.

Joel

[dennismc]

Gavin

Not sure I would use any of these pots. They are too small for a fig in my opinion.

The best pot for a fig is of low height and with a much more substantial surface area. If u observe figs in the wild they invariably have a widespread root system. The choices shown will constrict the root system too much. The result will be a tree under constant stress and and the canopy will not develop much beyond where the roots extend.

In terms of colour for the glaze a light brown or subdued green seems to work best.

Dennis Mc

[Scott Roxburgh]

I don't know how big the fig is but...

Fig - Koyo.jpg

[GavinG]

Thanks for your thoughts folks. Photography gives a parallax error, making the pots seem more substantial than they are - pot 5 is I agree a good colour match, but the fig's fat carcass wouldn't sit in it. Dennis, the butt is really solid and "cubic", so it needs a deeper pot, for my money. It's not a spreading banyan by any means. Scott, (sighs deeply) let me tell you about the Great Financial Crisis, retired people, and the threat of desperate torture, violent death, and subsequent divorce should I Spend Unreasonably On Anything At All. It is indeed a fine pot, and the greens even seem to survive each other. Fig is about 25cms high, and about 14cms across at the base. I think I got it originally from bird poo in one of my maples.

Gavin