Maintaining Large Collection / Refined Collection When Traveling

BrianBay9

Masterpiece
Messages
2,781
Reaction score
5,551
Location
Fresno, CA
USDA Zone
9
o_O
Wow. That is ong without rain. Deserty where you live?

No, just the San Francisco Bay Area. We have a pretty classic Mediterranean climate - mild, wet winters and warm dry summers. From April to Dec all of our water comes from snow melt in the Sierra's, and in some areas from heavy fog.
 

Garyh550

Seedling
Messages
22
Reaction score
112
I have had my misting sprinkler system watering my bonsai for years. For the past two years it has been on an automated system that monitors the local weather at the airport and makes adjustments. It can also be manually adjusted though either a iPad or a iPhone.

In the photo below you can see the fine misting of water in the air watering the trees. Others trees have a combination of individual micro watering heads set in each pot and misting heads
97E32227-1E71-4435-BE9D-FEBDD8DCA9CE.jpeg4B966FD6-61D7-4667-BF82-EAA78856791F.jpeg8B9D6322-BCCA-4661-9ED0-E391B03467F2.jpeg
 
Last edited:

eb84327

Mame
Messages
170
Reaction score
207
Location
Idaho
USDA Zone
7b
We haven't had any rain since April, but that's pretty normal here. Seems like the fall rains start later and later these years. We're supposed to have the first measurable rain of the season tomorrow. Hopefully we'll get enough to make a difference to the fire fighters.
Wildfire just seems to becoming a regular part of life on the west coast. Im in idaho, this year wasnt too bad, but thats because a few years ago it burned every thing up. I feel for every one in California involved. Forest management is not easy and is seriously important with no good answer.
 

shinmai

Chumono
Messages
900
Reaction score
2,091
Location
Milwaukee WI
USDA Zone
5b
We had so many rain days in each of the last two summers that the challenge was not having pots get waterlogged. On several occasions I moved everything under the porch overhang when the forecast called for three days of rain and possible hail.
I left this morning for a week of travel, and have a retired neighbor who watches the house for us, brings in the mail and such. He’s a little on the obsessive compulsive side, so he’ll check the trees every morning. I use the wooden skewer indicator, and he’s been pretty successful thus far. The majority of my stuff is in straight kanuma, which in the short term is pretty difficult to over-water.
 

Garyh550

Seedling
Messages
22
Reaction score
112
Hi I use Rachio, below are some screen shots of the app. You can see that you can add photos to each zone so that you know which one you are watering when you just want to do a quick watering other than that it is all automatic. It is all wireless and logs into the local airports weather station and makes the necessary adjustments to the weather conditions. I can also if I know it is very hot out one day just bring up the app at work and water a particular area that I know gets a lot of sun. I also have a high definition camera system so I can also see it watering when I set it off, from anywhere in the world.
2178EAB3-CB20-407B-A762-90D14C6BD5A2.jpeg6E8AEF5A-7376-406D-BFC7-F8415791D9CE.jpeg
 
Last edited:

crust

Omono
Messages
1,317
Reaction score
1,838
Location
MN
USDA Zone
3A
I have had my misting sprinkler system watering my bonsai for years. For the past two years it has been on an automated system that monitors the local weather at the airport and makes adjustments. It can also be manually adjusted though either a iPad or a iPhone.

In the photo below you can see the fine misting of water in the air watering the trees. Others trees have a combination of individual micro watering heads set in each pot and misting heads
View attachment 217999View attachment 218002View attachment 218003
This system sounds pretty sophisticated. what controller do you use and what kind of heads?
 

KLSbonsai

Yamadori
Messages
61
Reaction score
82
Location
NE Georgia
USDA Zone
7A
Most all irrigation manufactures are making wifi based controllers now. I have worked on both the contractor side and distribution side of the landscape and irrigation business for 28 years. For mist/ spray heads, Toro and Rain Bird have the best nozzles the match perception rates no matter the pattern. Also Rain Bird has more options for drip systems, you can also get micro sprays for each pot than run off the micro tubing. You will find each region has a strong manufacturer based on which one landscape contractors prefer in that area. I'm in Atlanta Georgia, and it is divided up between the north metro and south metro on manufacturer preference.
 

BckCntry

Seedling
Messages
18
Reaction score
25
USDA Zone
6a
Are any of you utilizing "secondary water" that is not culinary or potable water? I ask because this is the system available to me but I already have issues with lawn sprinklers getting plugged up with debris. A filter is the obvious solution but I also worry about the water quality and have not figured out how best to test the water quality.
 
Messages
1,077
Reaction score
1,280
Location
Germantown, TN
USDA Zone
7b
The watering system I use when I'm away from home is controlled by my phone.
I call my wife and ask if she watered yet?
Technology at its best.
Just be sure to ask how she’s doing before you ask the obvious. Learned the hard way on my end..pretend to be genuinely interested in the answer as well.
 

M. Frary

Bonsai Godzilla
Messages
14,307
Reaction score
22,120
Location
Mio Michigan
USDA Zone
4
Just be sure to ask how she’s doing before you ask the obvious. Learned the hard way on my end..pretend to be genuinely interested in the answer as well.
It took about 2 minutes to show her how to water bonsai.
No problems.
 
Top Bottom