Ideas for automatic watering system

[Tak]

I am gonna have to leave the house for 3 weeks with no reliable watering solution (aid) in sight.

So I am going to try to setup an automatic watering system with some stuff I had.

Fortunately all of my trees are all in pre-bonsai stage (grow bags, pots, mesh pots - mix of coco choir and perlite) and I have already buried half of them in my raised bed garden that I won't be using this season.

I do however have anything from seedlings to cuttings to trees, with some needing water every day and others every few days.

I plan on burying them all in their pots in the garden to help dampen the watering a bit.

Any ideas on how to swing that?

I have a programmable timer and a watering kit that has Drippers, Sprinklers and Misters.

Would like to keep them all on the same circuit so I was thinking short waterings every day for the seedlings followed by a long watering every 3 days or so to drench everything. Try to monitor for rain and colder weather and put a rain delay on.

Currently summer in southern Canada (Toronto)

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Shibui]

I plan on burying them all in their pots in the garden to help dampen the watering a bit.

Any ideas on how to swing that?

Dig holes. Place pots in then backfill. Not really sure what you are asking here? Burying pots should certainly reduce watering stress.

Would like to keep them all on the same circuit so I was thinking short waterings every day for the seedlings followed by a long watering every 3 days or so to drench everything. Try to monitor for rain and colder weather and put a rain delay on.

Sounds like a reasonable plan. Your trees should cope with extra water for a couple of weeks unless you've already been overwatering. It takes a few weeks for root rot to take hold.
If you can monitor and make changes for weather and rainfall that's great but, if not just set for worst case and forget. My system does not have remote capability so I set for hot and dry whenever I go away. Seems to work here.

 

[ponderingsage]

Maybe have someone spot check pot every few days.

 

[Paradox]

I have a programmable timer and a watering kit that has Drippers, Sprinklers and Misters.

Would like to keep them all on the same circuit so I was thinking short waterings every day for the seedlings followed by a long watering every 3 days or so to drench everything. Try to monitor for rain and colder weather and put a rain delay on.


Thoughts?

How many trees do you have?
These drip/spray emitter systems have a limit to how many can be on one line and still have all emitters work properly depending on water pressure.

Also when are you leaving? These systems take a bit of time to set up. Lots of measurements between pots. You'll have to have the spacing o the pots already done before you set up the drip system.

A simple lawn sprinkler on a timer would also work for such a short time, take much less time to set up and would be a but more fool proof/less tweeking involved with set up.

Plan the drip system out for when you gave your trees on your benches

 

[BaKiBonsai]

Interested in how this pans out. The main reason I've not moved to modern substrate is my yearly 4 weeks travels. My mother in law is nice enough to water, but not daily and she would not understand the details anyhow.

Am currently designing a timed watering system based on gravity. Am just about ready tot test my adjustable sprinkler heads (it is the first piece I designed).

 

[Tak]

Dig holes. Place pots in then backfill. Not really sure what you are asking here? Burying pots should certainly reduce watering stress.

I was asking for the plan in general, not the part about burying trees

Sounds like a reasonable plan. Your trees should cope with extra water for a couple of weeks unless you've already been overwatering. It takes a few weeks for root rot to take hold.
If you can monitor and make changes for weather and rainfall that's great but, if not just set for worst case and forget. My system does not have remote capability so I set for hot and dry whenever I go away. Seems to work here.

Awesome, thanks for confirming!

Maybe have someone spot check pot every few days.

Wish I could. Unfortunately not an option...

How many trees do you have?
These drip/spray emitter systems have a limit to how many can be on one line and still have all emitters work properly depending on water pressure.

Also when are you leaving? These systems take a bit of time to set up. Lots of measurements between pots. You'll have to have the spacing o the pots already done before you set up the drip system.

A simple lawn sprinkler on a timer would also work for such a short time, take much less time to set up and would be a but more fool proof/less tweeking involved with set up.

Plan the drip system out for when you gave your trees on your benches

I have about 15 plus about 20 seedlings. Leaving in a week or so. I am mostly concerned about my Blue Atlas Cedar Seedlings (black tray, first pic) as they are very sensitive to over watering yet can dry fairly quickly in 30 degrees heat. Everything else I feel would just survive well under watering every 3 days with a sprinkler.

This is what I have so far... there are 4 azaleas underneath the burlap tent. It's not much but it's my start and I would like to keep it going