It's Quiz Time!

bonsai barry

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One of my bonsai goals for the coming year is to become more knowledgeable about plant physiology. Hopefully, others share this important goal. In the spirit of fun, I thought I’d do some research, ask a question and then let other bonsainuts show off their knowledge.

So today I have two questions both concerning watering:
1)How can overwatering lead to a tree dying of dehydration?
2)What tool did John Naka recommend to check the moisture level
of the substrate(“bonsai soil”)?
 

jk_lewis

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This is third time in a week, the site has created duplicate messages. Can the moderator fix it so we at least can delete our OWN posts?
 
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jk_lewis

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1. Roots die or get stressed, then no longer take up water. Dead tree.
2. If it wasn't a chopstick, it should have been.
 

Dav4

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1) Over-watering with sub optimal soil drainage can lead to lower oxygen levels at the root zone, which then leads to root damage. Damaged roots don't pull water from the soil as effectively as healthy roots.

2) index finger (or chopstick)
 
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Bob

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1) Water salinity leading to reverse osmosis?

2) Finger.
 

bonsai barry

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One of my bonsai goals for the coming year is to become more knowledgeable about plant physiology. Hopefully, others share this important goal. In the spirit of fun, I thought I’d do some research, ask a question and then let other bonsainuts show off their knowledge.

So today I have two questions both concerning watering:
1)How can overwatering lead to a tree dying of dehydration?
2)What tool did John Naka recommend to check the moisture level
of the substrate(“bonsai soil”)?
ANSWERS:
1) "Overwatering can lead to dehydration. If the soil is too wet, the roots will suffocate and decay, losing their absorbing capacity. If the soil is too dry and will wilther and be unable to absorb water and inorganic nutrients." (Taken from professor Amy Liang's "The Living Art of Bonsai".
2) John Naka suggested using a finger and also provided this sage insight: "if its dry, water it."
 
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HotAction

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If you want to know about plant physiology, go online and order a used botany text book. You should be able to get an older edition from $1-5. I have one and it is surprisingly a decent read. And yes, plants do grow at night. There exist two types of photosynthesis in trees. The light reactions, and the dark reactions.
 

Vance Wood

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QUESTION #2 Is it possible for plants to grow at night?

Yes they can grow at night expecially if they are still attached to a seed from which they geminated. When I was young I tried everything, and remember growing a Horse Chestnut. When I went to bed one night it was about three inches tall and by morning it was five or six.
 

Ang3lfir3

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of course it is possible for plants to grow at night..... just make sure the lights are on.... :p :p (tho we all know that plants need a night/day cycle)
 

Vance Wood

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of course it is possible for plants to grow at night..... just make sure the lights are on.... :p :p (tho we all know that plants need a night/day cycle)

Of course we are only assuming that we are talking about green plants. Fungi are plants that do not need day light to grow, quite the contrary, they do quite well in the dark and they to are technically plants.
 

Randy

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Of course we are only assuming that we are talking about green plants. Fungi are plants that do not need day light to grow, quite the contrary, they do quite well in the dark and they to are technically plants.

Fungi have their own kingdom. For good reason. Fungi are heterotrophs while plants are autotrophs. Well, that is of this past year. Who knows what system will come next.

Plants grow until they are dead. If the plant is alive it is growing, regardless of sample time-frame.
 
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bonsai barry

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QUESTION #2 Is it possible for plants to grow at night?

Here is an excerpt from an interesting article about scientist discovering a gene in plants that stimulates growth spurts at night. They are hoping to use this new found knowlege to develop faster growing plants.

"Scientists have discovered the genes that control the phenomenon of plants growing in a spurt during the night. These rhythmic growth spurts, and the ability of plants to move in response to light, are actually controlled by genes involved in circadian rhythms - the “biological clock” genes. “This is an incremental but important step in understanding how plants grow,” said Todd Mockler, an assistant professor of botany at Oregon State University (OSU).
Ultimately, more understanding of these growth genetics could allow scientists to create plants that grow faster, produce more food or have other useful characteristics, according to the researchers. “We now know that the expression of certain genes and hormones at night and just before dawn is important for plant growth,” Mockler said.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080916101146.htm
 
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If you want to know about plant physiology, go online and order a used botany text book. You should be able to get an older edition from $1-5. I have one and it is surprisingly a decent read. And yes, plants do grow at night. There exist two types of photosynthesis in trees. The light reactions, and the dark reactions.

Can you tell me the tittle of the book ? and the author name, please. Thanks.
 
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