I have several glazed chinese pots that have a white crystal like mineral on
the out side.
The mineral will wipe off but in a few days it returns. Does anybody know
what it is and how can I correct it?

Thank you,
Adam
Zone 8b

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In a message dated 3/6/2004 7:41:35 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:

I have several glazed Chinese pots that have a white crystal like mineral
on
the out side.
The mineral will wipe off but in a few days it returns. Does anybody know
what it is and how can I correct it?

This is more common with unglazed pots but this water borne minerals
leeching out of your pot. You can try to use distilled water. This tends to happen
with less expensive pots because they are usually not fired to as high a
temperature. It also is a function of you water and maybe the clay the pot is
made from.

I bought what I though was a nice little Chinese unglazed pot last
year that really leeches minerals. Another pot bought at the same time from the
same seller has not leeched. Maybe the leeching pot was further from the heat
source in the kiln.

Maybe one of our potters can contribute more.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast
BSF Annual Convention May 28 - 31, 2004 Radisson Hotel, Cape Canaveral,
Florida
Sponsored by The Bonsai Society of Brevard and the Treasure Coast Bonsai
Society
http://www.bonsaisocietyofbrevard.org/2004/2004.html

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I have several glazed chinese pots that have a white crystal
like mineral on
the out side.
The mineral will wipe off but in a few days it returns. Does
anybody know
what it is and how can I correct it?


It's calcium carbonate (or a related salt) from water drying on
the pot and chemicals leaching out of the soil.

Look in our archives for a list of remedies -- most of which
involve scouring pads, Lime Away or "Dutch" cleanser, and a lot
of elbow grease, or time (burying pots in the compost heap for a
year).

Get to the archives through the URL below.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I was thinking the same thing but wanted other opinions.
Do you think that maybe a ceramic sealer would fix the proble. Applied only
to the glazed portion of the pot?

Thank you,
Adam
Zone 8b

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I was thinking the same thing but wanted other opinions.
Do you think that maybe a ceramic sealer would fix the proble. Applied only
to the glazed portion of the pot?

Thank you,
Adam
Zone 8b

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

In a message dated 3/6/2004 7:41:35 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:

I have several glazed Chinese pots that have a white crystal like mineral
on
the out side.
The mineral will wipe off but in a few days it returns. Does anybody know
what it is and how can I correct it?

This is more common with unglazed pots but this water borne minerals
leeching out of your pot. You can try to use distilled water. This tends to happen
with less expensive pots because they are usually not fired to as high a
temperature. It also is a function of you water and maybe the clay the pot is
made from.

I bought what I though was a nice little Chinese unglazed pot last
year that really leeches minerals. Another pot bought at the same time from the
same seller has not leeched. Maybe the leeching pot was further from the heat
source in the kiln.

Maybe one of our potters can contribute more.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast
BSF Annual Convention May 28 - 31, 2004 Radisson Hotel, Cape Canaveral,
Florida
Sponsored by The Bonsai Society of Brevard and the Treasure Coast Bonsai
Society
http://www.bonsaisocietyofbrevard.org/2004/2004.html

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I was thinking the same thing but wanted other opinions.
Do you think that maybe a ceramic sealer would fix the proble. Applied only
to the glazed portion of the pot?

Thank you,
Adam
Zone 8b

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

----- Original Message -----
Subject: [IBC] white mineral on outside of pots?


In a message dated 3/6/2004 7:41:35 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:

I have several glazed Chinese pots that have a white crystal like
mineral
on
the out side.
The mineral will wipe off but in a few days it returns. Does anybody
know
what it is and how can I correct it?


This is a common trait of cheap Chinese pots that are molded from cheap clay
with lots of talc and glazed with cheap glaze and very underfired. (
somewhere around, or less, than our familiar terra cotta flower pots) The
water ( with minerals) actually seeps through the clay AND glaze to the
surface of the pot and when the water dries it leaves the minerals caking
on the surface. You can clean it with something like a 3M Scotch Brite pad
and coat with baby oil ( the oil will help a bit to stop sticking) but you
can't stop it. I guess you could coat the inside with something not attacked
by water BUT that would cost more than the pot! These pots are not to be
confused with high quality Chinese pots made now which are excellent quality
( although I wish they'd stop coating some of them with that darn wax that
flakes off after a short time requiring constant scrubbing/oiling also). The
type pots you talk about are only a couple dollars retail and probably
should be stayed away from, ESPECIALLY if you live where your trees freeze
in Winter. These pots don't have a chance of surviving freezing.
Also, with these pots you might notice lots of algea buildup in the summer
around bottom/lfeet.
Regards,
Dale Cochoy, Wild Things Bonsai Studio, Hartville, Ohio
http://www.WildThingsBonsai.Com
Specializing in power wood carving tools.
Yakimono no Kokoro bonsai pottery of hand-built stoneware

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Ken Rutledge++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

the pot is porous and will act as a filter for any soluble elements present in the soil.

Calcium carbonate will be there in trace, as will nitrates of potassium and some phosphates of same.
it`s totaly harmless (although unsightly if you`re fussy), you could scrape them off and re add them to your water again, or collect them and use them as a plant feed "Waste not, Want not"

it`s just leeched out nutrients, that crystalise as the pot has a large surface area to allow evaporation of the water used to carry these chems.