Do u move ur plants when it rains?

[Nybonsai12]

Not just any rain, like 5-7 days of rain and little to no sun. I figure most of you will say heck no and I have agreed with that until now. I'm just worried about 2 of my pines staying too wet. A JBP and a ponderosa. I have been treating for needle cast and just wonder if this rain will do more harm. Would you move em?

 

[davetree]

I don't move my pines but I will tilt them for better drainage. I also have covered the top of the soil with a small piece of wood or plastic to keep the rain off. Usually I have to do this every spring.

 

[Beng]

Yes and no. All healthy trees are outside. But I have a chojubai that's upset about something and he has been in the greenhouse during this monsoon like sunless weather. Although I took him out for a few hours to get watered. Along with the Chojubai I moved a azalea that's not happy and a recently repotted Sakura in there. The sun should be out tomorrow. Trees like rain, but if you are seeing signs of overwatering then bringing them under cover is a good idea.

 

[Dav4]

I don't move my pines but I will tilt them for better drainage. I also have covered the top of the soil with a small piece of wood or plastic to keep the rain off. Usually I have to do this every spring.

Yes and no. All healthy trees are outside. But I have a chojubai that's upset about something and he has been in the greenhouse during this monsoon like sunless weather. Although I took him out for a few hours to get watered. Along with the Chojubai I moved a azalea that's not happy and a recently repotted Sakura in there. The sun should be out tomorrow. Trees like rain, but if you are seeing signs of overwatering then bringing them under cover is a good idea.

What these guys said. For trees in small pots, I don't worry about it at all. For trees in big pots, usually junipers or pines, I'll tip the pot. For trees with suspected root problems, they get moved out of the rain.

 

[Adair M]

All my trees are in a coarse inorganic mix. Rain goes right through.

I do bring mt satsuki azalea in before it rains if its blooming. Rain ruins the blossoms.

 

[Poink88]

My trees are in training and in mostly organic soil...but I don't move them. They all seem to love the rain. The only ones having problem with too much water are fresh cuttings.

 

[TheSteve]

5-7 days of rain with little to no sun???? You guys should probably stay south or east of the Cascades if this worries you....

Sorry but it does make me chuckle

 

[fourteener]

Now that I have my stuff in a free draining soil, it doesn't matter as much. But years ago I did have a very nice white pine not grafted on to black pinestock that died from all the rain. So some trees may respond very negatively.

I've tipped my pots in the past. I have three trees right now that I would be concerned about if we had two week of rain and 47 degree days.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Not just any rain, like 5-7 days of rain and little to no sun.

I wouldn't worry about moving my trees, I'd be more concerned about moving myself to somewhere with better weather

 

[Bonsai Nut]

What's rain?

*smirk*

 

[Poink88]

What's rain?

*smirk*

LOL. You might not believe it but we have lots for 3 days now. Was driving earlier on very low visibility (no more than 40 feet) and lots of traffic due to flash flood going to the (Rio Grande) valley (south TX).

 

[milehigh_7]

It does not rain here so I am not sure...

 

[Anthony]

Of no use to you, NYbonsai, just sharing.

The island's cycle allows for no rain or little rain just after Christmas until around April/May or June. Repotting is done from January 2nd and the trees / shrubs are normally rootbound by May.
The heavy rains of June / July and August have no effect on them, and if you didn't know my soil is and always has been less than 1/3 organic to 2/3 inorganic.

I also learnt a little trick / fact a while ago, do not deepen the pot, but use saucers up to 3 inches deep. This allows for better growth. We can get UV resistant saucers up to 2 feet wide.

Our rain can fall in buckets for days and weeks.
Good Morning.
Anthony

 

[Beng]

Of no use to you, NYbonsai, just sharing.

The island's cycle allows for no rain or little rain just after Christmas until around April/May or June. Repotting is done from January 2nd and the trees / shrubs are normally rootbound by May.
The heavy rains of June / July and August have no effect on them, and if you didn't know my soil is and always has been less than 1/3 organic to 2/3 inorganic.

I also learnt a little trick / fact a while ago, do not deepen the pot, but use saucers up to 3 inches deep. This allows for better growth. We can get UV resistant saucers up to 2 feet wide.

Our rain can fall in buckets for days and weeks.
Good Morning.
Anthony

Can you explain the saucers a bit more I don't quite understand it?

 

[Beng]

Not just any rain, like 5-7 days of rain and little to no sun. I figure most of you will say heck no and I have agreed with that until now. I'm just worried about 2 of my pines staying too wet. A JBP and a ponderosa. I have been treating for needle cast and just wonder if this rain will do more harm. Would you move em?

I just went out and did a little dance to the sun gods and saw the sun rising! My trees and I feel like we've made it through a mini apocolypse as it's been more or less no sun with heavy downpours for a week straight. My yard was as big a mess, as big a mess as after hurricane Sandy... Had to sweep up all the leaves and broken branches. Was 90 earlier this week like a mid august day, 45 last night and the night before.... This morning feels like a crisp fall day and we probably won't break the 50's. Upper 80's are scheduled for later this week. I'm glad i'm not a tree i'd be so confused. CRAZY east coast weather!

 

[Tieball]

Not a move...but I cover the soil

I don't move any trees out of the rain. However, I cover the soil area with a plastic mesh, a fence mesh from Home Depot that looks like drainage screen. The color is black. This works perfect for me throughout the summer...let's air in, keeps squirels out, keeps the rain from washing out the soil. Two small size rocks hole the material in place so the wind does not blow it away. The material is cut in half with a larger hole in the center area to accomodate the trunk...custom fit. But...I should mention that the trees I protect are in wooden boxes. I don't have trees in bonsai pots yet...perhaps in a couple of years.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

LOL. You might not believe it but we have lots for 3 days now. Was driving earlier on very low visibility (no more than 40 feet) and lots of traffic due to flash flood going to the (Rio Grande) valley (south TX).

Yeah I was just kidding around. We won't have any rain - not a drop - for at least another six months.

I used to live in Chicago though, so I understand week-long rains and the OP's original point.

(1) 99% of your problem will be solved if you use an open soil mix and keep your trees from becoming root bound.

(2) As others have pointed out, if things become really bad, tilting a pot by putting a rock or wedge under one side will help water drain, and allow air to circulate under the pot.

(3) This is another argument for using high wood benches for your trees. In case of bad weather, you can place the trees under the bench. In case of REALLY bad weather, you can throw a tarp over the bench and stake it down.

 

[coppice]

I've had porch growing trees lean out into the rain. Does that count?

 

[Anthony]

Ben,

instead of placing plants into the normal nursery pot, we shift from say 4" pots to a 5" diameter saucer that is about 2" deep. Keeps the roots growing flat, and easier to shift into the eventual bonsai pot. Plus the plants seem to prefer the saucers over the normal nursey type pots. The saucer's shape might mimic how they grow in the open ground.

By the way there has been no problem with very shallow pots and the supposed retaining of extra water. [ 1'' to 1/4 " deep pots.]

Just finished shifting 5 Sageretia from saucers into bonsai pots, the root density was impressive.

Bonsainut, we count on the trees being potbound before the heavy rains, simply because there is no zone of unused soil for water to sit in. However the mix being used also remains freely draining right up to the time of repotting.
Good Day.
Anthony

 

[TheSteve]

I'm still wondering what "sun" means....