jeremy_norbury
Omono
Rain? What a novel concept. We're watering every day - I say we, my lovely wife is watering every day for me whether they need it or not!
Has anyone here started watering every day yet?
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Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Except for rainy days, my automatic watering comes on TWICE a day at 10 am and 3 pm. I have 10 zones of watering and each zone receives 3 minutes of watering each watering.
We’ve had 60s in the day and 50s at night. Been raining since Saturday, no rain today and then rain again Thursday Friday and Saturday. So no watering for me this week. JMs in grow boxes and trees in bussing tubs can go two days (maybe 3) without water otherwise. Apple seems to be thirstier. I water the dawn redwoods and bald cypress daily because they like water and I enjoy watering (not sure I could overwater these if I tried). I dont get around to watering everything everyday until the weather is above 80. Almost everything I have is in bonsai soil (some with added organics), so I’m not overly concerned about overwatering once the growing season is in full swing. That said, I’m outside every morning with my coffee checking on each tree to see what’s going on.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
The only thing I change is the duration. In the spring it's 2 minutes; now it's 3 minutes; and it will be 4 minutes during the high heat months.
Of course all things have to change when I move to PA. I will figure that out.
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
We're expected to have our first 100 F day this Saturday. If it hits, that will set the record for earliest 100 F day in Fresno by over two weeks. Glad I'll be in town to babysit the trees.
99 Mile Creek
Shohin
Highly depends on your substrate, I'd say. My current blend is requiring me to water my trees (about) 1 to 1.5 days apart. Though it changes with the weather.
Lots of rain here lately.
Lots of rain here lately.
I know this subject haunts us beginners and probably irritates the pros. I got my trees late in the year last year and the heat was gone. My area of the county is having a brief shower here and there (1/4 to maybe 1/2 inch) with heat of 100 degrees Fahrenheit with feel like 105 or so, Zone 8b Georgia. The humidity stays very high around here and I know I need to account for that also.
I am watering in the morning and evenings on weekends. Should I have my wife water in the morning also on weekdays.
I am watering in the morning and evenings on weekends. Should I have my wife water in the morning also on weekdays.
RobGA
Mame
I go out of town a lot and set up a watering system that waters twice a day for 12 minutes. Waters whether it rains or not and the growth has been better than when I am home and water based on when I think they need watering.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
It all depends on your trees. A larger tree in a bigger pot needs to be watered less frequently than a shohin in a small pot. Also, trees that have recently been repotted will require less water than a tree that is almost root-bound. Deciduous trees will often require wetter soil conditions than conifers... and the list goes on. I find it easiest to use broadcast sprinklers with a WiFi timer and group trees based on water needs. That way, if (for example) you need to water your Japanese maples, while you want to avoid watering your Japanese black pines, you have different "zones" that will receive different levels of water.
If water conservation is an issue, you can do the same thing, but with drip irrigators.
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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It's been mid to high 90's with dew points upper 70's to low 80's the last few days here in SE MI... breezy, too. I've been watering twice daily, but I'm checking them
.
RJG2
Masterpiece
Daily for most things, twice daily for some (small) things. Probably more tomorrow 96° forecast...
Adamski77
Chumono
I'm slowly getting to 3 times a day on some deciduous... later this week 35+ celcius... don't want to think what August will bring here in Shanghai...
Jrmcmich
Chumono
Once daily for most twice for few trees for me. Last 2 days mid 90s and probably could just done twice on everything but at 5:30-6:00 in evening seems most can make it till morning for the 7am watering
shohin_branches
Omono
I've been watering three times a day with the heat and wind. Mid-day watering is more just spraying everything to cool it off and the evening watering is where anything on the dry side gets a deep watering.
Desert O'Piñon
Omono
As @Bonsai Nut stated, my junipers get water every day or two, deciduous daily, and seed flats and Dawn Redwoods sometimes more often. But this past couple weeks, we've been getting the weather that the north and east usually gets, so I have only watered my lawn twice in the past month, and I've been skipping a day for my trees here and there.
I think I don't water fully or something.The first 2 days of long rain I looked at everything in the morning and it is still stopping wet, not needing water the next day at all. I never had things looking like that the day after I watered.
After 2 weeks of substantial rain I had a couple things ROTTING! But it is better than dried out : )
After 2 weeks of substantial rain I had a couple things ROTTING! But it is better than dried out : )
shohin_branches
Omono
You can tip large flat pots up on one side with a block of wood to help them drain faster when you have heavy rain.
With all the replies, I feel like I am on the right path. I do let the pines and junipers get a little drier than the maples and azaleas. Most of my pots are on the smaller side 10 inches or smaller. My azaleas and junipers are still in a light soil mix with lots of pine bark.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Yup. Watering every day and since the heat cranked up this weekend, checking to see if the deciduous and trops need a second watering in the afternoon. Haven't yet
The Barber
Chumono
Heat index hit 108 here in Kentucky yesterday, humidity has been rediculous all spring. It hasn't rained in almost a week. Prior to this week I think I had watered maybe 7 times total this year. We've had more rainfall this year than I've seen in my lifetime though, going no more than 2-3 days between rains till this week other than a few times. The trees have loved it though, some of my trees collected this spring have started pushing a 3rd round of ramification this year.
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