how to have large trunk

[rollingdom]

I'm very green with bonsai.
What I want to know is how do you make the trunk of a plant larger, do you buy a plant from bunnings and put it in a large pot and let it grow?

[shibui]

There's lots of ways to make the trunk grow. Putting it into a larger pot is one of them (doesn't matter whether you get it from Bunnings or anywhere else though)
Also depends on the species. Figs and banksias will thicken quite well, even in smallish pots.

[rollingdom]

what is the largest sized pot you would use?

[Naimul]

pot size would depend on the size of the plant itself. You dont want to stick it in a pot thats too big, then itll struggle with constantly wet potting medium since it wont likely be able to absorb everything, leading to problems like rot and fungus and so on. The same goes for the opposite, where the potting medium will dry out/tree will absorb the water too fast. It would probably also depend on the potting medium itself.

[kcpoole]

Check out the wiki, good place to start
https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... nd_growing

Ken

[shibui]

It would probably also depend on the potting medium itself.

I think this is probably the key. Personally I have never had any problem putting a little tree from 5 or 7 cm pot into something as large as a polystyrene box.
If you leave the pot on the ground so that roots can escape into the ground growth rate can be huge.

[Rory]

It would probably also depend on the potting medium itself.

I think this is probably the key. Personally I have never had any problem putting a little tree from 5 or 7 cm pot into something as large as a polystyrene box.
If you leave the pot on the ground so that roots can escape into the ground growth rate can be huge.

Yeah, I will have to 2nd that. I never thought it would work well, but on the advice of other members a few years ago here too, I have comfortably potted rootballs into approximately 4 times the open area, HOWEVER, you have to have great drainage. I add course / medium (about 1cm and less) little drainage rocks in about a 1 to 1 ratio with soil, and never had a problem. Though it also depends a little on the species. If they like a light soil mix, this is perfect, though some prefer a heavy soil mix and just use less rocks if this is the case.

Google the soil requirements and get to know the preference of medium for the species you are using.