Drip head system vs. Spray head system which is better for automating watering system ?

waydeo

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After reading the threads on auto watering I'm still not sure which is the best setup ,drip heads or spray systems. I plan on puting my bonsai next to my privacy fence under 70% shade cloth. This area gets all day sun. Im leaning towards a timed automatic spray head system.
What about a combo system of drip heads and spray systems for the pots?
Anyone have any good advice on which would be better ?
Thanks
 

penumbra

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Please add your location to your profile. It is important to get and give the right information, particularly on this subject.
 

BrianBay9

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Generally speaking people prefer spray emitters. Drip emitters tend to water a straight bath down through our coarse soils, so the whole root zone doesn't always get wet. Spray emitters do a better job at covering the whole pot.
 

penumbra

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Generally speaking people prefer spray emitters. Drip emitters tend to water a straight bath down through our coarse soils, so the whole root zone doesn't always get wet. Spray emitters do a better job at covering the whole pot.
This would be my concern, especially in hot and dry climates.
 

waydeo

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Location is northwest georgia. Rome/ adairsville area.its been very hot and dry at my house more so this year than in the past. I'm probably going with the mist nozzles when I build my system as you guys pointed out. Good call on that.
 

Fidur

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Ten minutes ago, everything was properly watered but it was 34ºC (about 94F) under my 50% shade cloth. I've misted the area and temperature has fastly dropped to 26C (78F). I'm impressed.... Make your own conclusions.
 
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jeffapana

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Look for spot spitters. They are designed for watering potted plants and direct a fine mist at the soil line which will saturate the entire pot
 

Kadebe

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Ten minutes ago, everything was properly watered but it was 34ºC (about 94F) under my 50% shade cloth. I've misted the area and temperature has fastly dropped to 26C (78F). I'm impressed.... Make your own conclusions.
Yup, that's normal... a water screen is a heat protection... like the firemen use :)
How long do you mist? I guess if you mist not long enough, the center of the pot stays dry? I think a combination of misting above the trees and spraying water in the pots would be the best?
 

Kadebe

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After reading the threads on auto watering I'm still not sure which is the best setup ,drip heads or spray systems. I plan on puting my bonsai next to my privacy fence under 70% shade cloth. This area gets all day sun. Im leaning towards a timed automatic spray head system.
What about a combo system of drip heads and spray systems for the pots?
Anyone have any good advice on which would be better ?
Thanks
I use 30%.. when sun is more intense and temps going above 80ºF, I use 50%
 

Colorado

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I have tried overhead sprayers, drip emitters, and drip hose. I’ve found that the overhead sprayers are the best for my garden.
 

sorce

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I've been keen on a anti chlorine/chloramine water which, even if it only kills one type of fungus or bacteria, disrupts the balance which is necessary in the entire system.

Since the soil is a larger microbiome, therefore more resilient than that of a leaf surface, if use of chlorinated water is a necessity, I'd opt for a system like @jeffapana is suggesting, that will at least leave the leaves safe against bad fungals.

Sorce
 

sorce

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After a dive into the information for what I personally believe as necessary for life, my garden, read, very important and with a huge importance.....

I believe it is not the spraying of leaves and "wet" that causes the noted "too humid" conditions we believe bring about bad fungals....

But the destruction of the preventative bacteria and fungus by the chlorine that makes a leaf susceptible to bad fungals.

It's......in the Science.

Sorce
 

WNC Bonsai

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Location is northwest georgia. Rome/ adairsville area.its been very hot and dry at my house more so this year than in the past. I'm probably going with the mist nozzles when I build my system as you guys pointed out. Good call on that.
I would say watch out with misting nozzles that spray from above. They will get moisture all over your leaves and potentially contribute to fungal growth. Here in our area the humidity is high enough without adding to it. I have used drip emitters but due to the spotty application I have moved to spray type spot spitters set in the soil on the edge of the pot. I wish there was some kind of little plastic or metal clips that would allow attaching the spray heads to the edge of the pot. The spot spitter spray heads I have found are actually made for placement in nursery pots and are difficult to use with bonsai pots.
 

WNC Bonsai

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@Bonsai Nut I hate this darned time limit for editing posts—why in the world can’t that be turned off? Anyway I was going to add that the best drip system I used had emitters directly in the small diameter tubing. I used to make up rings using that and placed it around the tree and that gave pretty good distribution. For the last 3 years I have just been hand watering which I think is best as it allows me to tailor the amount of water to the soil mixture and the species in the pot. However now that I am dumping akadama and going back to pumice, Permatil, and a touch of pine bark I might reactivate the irrigation system at least for the morning application then do hand spraying in the afternoon as needed.
 

waydeo

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I've seen some people using 2 or more bubbler heads to avoid wetting leaves too much. I don't think wetting the leaves would be too much of a problem for my area. I hose water from a wand and so far no problems with fungus. "Crosses fingers for good luck".
 
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