pandacular
Omono
I think surmounting rather solving that challenge is key to success.
Will this work?
- Thread starter RNbonsai
- Start date
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
Personally expect your trees to die. I learned to water as a kid. It is pretty much a strength of mine. My trees are ALWAYS hand watered. You need to learn it or find a non green hobby
Gabler
Masterpiece
Personally expect your trees to die. I learned to water as a kid. It is pretty much a strength of mine. My trees are ALWAYS hand watered. You need to learn it or find a non green hobby
I normally try to assume the best intentions, but I can't figure out a way to read your comment that it isn't rude and unhelpful.
OP, I recommend you focus on mnemonic aids rather than automatic watering. Automatic watering is great for a week at a time while you're taking your summer vacation, but in the long term, it isn't optimal for the health of the trees.
RNbonsai
Shohin
I totally agree. I’m going to try to get a watering schedule. I’m hoping that this may help me along the way
RNbonsai
Shohin
I put the Amazon bought water wicks in, the yarn did seem to be working somewhat.
My next idea is getting a 50 gallon bucket and attaching some sort of hand pump sprayer. The hose attachment is on the back side of the house where the trees wouldn’t get sun. I’m just trying to make an easier way to water so I don’t forget.
My next idea is getting a 50 gallon bucket and attaching some sort of hand pump sprayer. The hose attachment is on the back side of the house where the trees wouldn’t get sun. I’m just trying to make an easier way to water so I don’t forget.
RNbonsai
Shohin
And finding a non green hobby is not an option unfortunately. I love bonsai. I used to actually be pretty good at watering, then life shit happened and made it more difficult to remember.
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
Please explain why you think using an automatic watering system isnt optimal for the health of the trees.
Gabler
Masterpiece
Fungus. If you have an expensive setup, it could be as close to optimal as realistically possible, but using a cheaper setup tends to mean some plants will be too wet.
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
I agree if your trees are staying wet for a long time, it can be a problem.
I use an oscillating sprinkler. The key is timing. I have it set to go off in the morning so the trees dry off fairly quickly and I do preventative treatments for fungus on my pines which you should do anyway. I dont really have much of an issue with fungus. When I used to hand water and only could water at night after work, the foliage stayed wetter for longer.
Gabler
Masterpiece
That's a good point about timing. If you're watering too late at night, it will definitely leave your trees too wet for too long. I found that even with my sprinklers set to go off in the morning, I still had issues with needle fungus on pines and powdery mildew on deciduous trees. I've switched to hand watering because I can avoid wetting the foliage at all, or at least I can minimize it.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
This iswhy typically drippers or micro-spray jets are recommended. but these have challenges of pots not getting fully hydrated. And of course, automated watering assume the same level of watering is needed every day, leaving some pots too wet or too dry on some days.
Mad Tabby
Yamadori
It depends on the tree. Basically your roots will always be wet (not necessarily sopping wet, but wet) some trees won’t be happy. I’m worried about my ponderosas because it’s been so wet for the last month. They like dry.
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
It was a bit of a loaded question.
There are things called timers that can help with that. I water early in the day so the soil tends to dry faster than watering at night.
During the early spring when it is cooler and evaporation is less, my pines and juniper get watered every other day not every day like the deciduous.
I can also pause it for however many days I need to if it is going to rain or rains for a day or two. If we get or I think we are going to get more than half an inch of rain, I pause the timer.
Also the choice of soil and the mix used helps with water retention.
A well draining soil keeps the roots from being too wet for too long.
For pines and juniper, I use 1:1:1 lava, pumice and akadama. That mix dries faster than the mix for deciduous trees that is 1:1:2 Lava: pumice: akadama or even more akadama to hold more moisture between waterings
I have used a hose and sprinkler for 7 or 8 years now with no problems with overwatering.
I also dont keep ponderosa because I know they dont like my more humid summers and come from a drier climate, but if I did, Id probably think about reducing the akadama or removing it from the mix altogether because they like it dry.
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How many minutes and are you doing every day already or do you do it twice a day in summer?It was a bit of a loaded question.
There are things called timers that can help with that. I water early in the day so the soil tends to dry faster than watering at night.
During the early spring when it is cooler and evaporation is less, my pines and juniper get watered every other day not every day like the deciduous.
I can also pause it for however many days I need to if it is going to rain or rains for a day or two. If we get or I think we are going to get more than half an inch of rain, I pause the timer.
Also the choice of soil and the mix used helps with water retention.
A well draining soil keeps the roots from being too wet for too long.
For pines and juniper, I use 1:1:1 lava, pumice and akadama. That mix dries faster than the mix for deciduous trees that is 1:1:2 Lava: pumice: akadama or even more akadama to hold more moisture between waterings
I have used a hose and sprinkler for 7 or 8 years now with no problems with overwatering.
I also dont keep ponderosa because I know they dont like my more humid summers and come from a drier climate, but if I did, Id probably think about reducing the akadama or removing it from the mix altogether because they like it dry.
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
It varies depending on temperatures and weather. If we aren't getting at least 0.5 inches of rain, my trees get watered as follows:
Spring and fall as long as temperatures stay below a high of about 70F. Every other day unless we have one particularly warm day on the off day. Right now I'm doing every other day.
Once temperatures are above 70 during the day more consistently, they get watered every day.
When we reach around 85 and above, I'll take a look after work and I'll run the sprinklers again with the manual timer function if I feel they need it.
Deciduous zone runs for 10 min, pines and juniper zone for 15 minutes. The difference in watering time is because the Deciduous bench is one long bench so a much smaller sweep on the sprinkler so each plant gets more water per minute. The pines and juniper benches cover much wider area so need more time.
I am looking to try a spray emitter (ie drip) system to conserve water. I use a small system like this on my azalea bench and I've observed that I could probably water for less time and waste less water.
99 Mile Creek
Yamadori
Today, I set up the second and third irrigation zones. After expanding zone one, I noticed a drop in water pressure. To compensate for the reduced flow, I extended the watering duration, as you did, by a couple of minutes. I then programmed the system to initiate a second watering cycle after a five-minute interval.
The temperature was a little past 85°F, and the heat was punishing today. The soil in zone one was completely parched, making this the first 'second watering' for the year. Thankfully I could easily activate the irrigation system for another round, allowing me to cool off and rehydrate myself.
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
Do you have all your zones on the same timer?
I don't have the pressure and flow rate to run both zones at once.
My 2 zones are on 2 different timers.
D trees and azalea on one zone
Pines and juniper on another
I use a gang valve off the spigot.
Left timer is pines and juniper zone
Right timer is D trees and azaleas
Two hoses in the middle are just hoses to water/use manually if needed for something.
My son waters his soon-to-be terrarium plants with this wicking method and it works at least for small pots in organic mixes for this short time. But watering is one the things I enjoy about bonsai. I go out every morning (and evening) to say hello to the trees. I check the soil and see what’s otherwise going on with each tree. Then I water what needs water. If I’m unsure, I err on the side of watering more. I find watering relaxing. It also washes the liquid fert out of the soil and oxygenates it. Then I can take pics, share with the group and go to work.
99 Mile Creek
Yamadori
I found 4 in 1 at Lowes. Orbit B-hyve water timer.
I water based on substrates.
Here is a screenshot on how I have it set up currently. When summer is here in full swing, I'll change the settings. I think you can save 'profiles' in the application to make quick changes to presets for the changing seasons.
It's extremely useful. I was gone for over 48 hours the past few days in another county, and it was as easy as checking in with the camera system to see if it was watering. It even sends me notifications.
I find the 'manual' watering feature very helpful. Turn it on for a little water on warmer days or just a quick few seconds of a quick mist.
Attachments
99 Mile Creek
Yamadori
I enjoy this too. I tend to hit rain delay on my system if I'm at home to do so and have my son join me, teaching him as we move along. He may love bonsai one day -- he may well hate it -- but he will know how to take care of them.
But I find the early morning a nice time to be out with the trees. Between that and writing, the morning regimen is quite relaxing.