Too much water

[Cip]

I just lost another tree, I think I am watering them too much.

 

[Trigobontree]

I’m a beginner myself, so if anyone with more experience than me says anything different by all means listen to them. But from my own ventures, after I get any tree I almost immediately slip or re-pot them into inorganic bonsai soil (unless they were shipped to me; then I give them a few days to recover first). I use boon mix for most everything. I’ve learned that each day and plant are different so I don’t have a schedule. But with good draining soil, I think it would be really really hard to over water.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Okay, then don't water as often.

When you water you want to drench the pot, until water runs free out the bottom drainage holes. Then you let the pot approach dryness. Dig your finger into the pot, at least to the base of your fingernail, if the media feels cool and damp, don't water. If the media feels dry at that depth below the surface, you should have watered yesterday. Ideal is allow the media to dry to the "just barely moist level, then water. Each watering should be thorough, flooding the entire surface of the pot with water, water heavily enough that water runs out of the drainage holes in the bottom. Then allow the pot to approach dryness.

Each time you check for moisture, notice the weight, or heft, of the pot. Dry soil is light, wet soil is heavy. Soon you will know if you need water just by noticing the weight of the pot.

You did not mention what species of tree your bonsai is. Each species has its own requirements, some like more water, some like less water.

Without knowing what species of tree you have I would not repot, some species tolerate summer repotting, some species do not. Slip potting is a bad technique, as often slip potting is a traumatic for a tree as a "formal repot". Better to hold off repotting until the proper season and then do a proper repotting.

So adjust your watering to the tree's schedule. Use the actual feel of the potting media to decide when to water. My indoor trees seldom need water more than once every 4 or 5 days depending on temperatures. My outdoor trees need water anywhere from daily to every 3rd day depending on weather. And if we get rain, I water less often outdoors.

 

[Mara of dragon clan]

Hello,

The solution to overwatering is porous soil- composed of mostly if not completely organic matter and appropriate rootmass to pot size and style

Varying inorganic soils have different water retentions and different breakdown periods.

Trees like us, need to respire meaning they need to have exchange. They arent drinking the water per se but breathing by using the molecules in them.

Pot size is one of the biggest pieces, ideally the trees should be dry by nightfall which the roots continue to grow and seek moisture in the air when the leaves are not photosynthesizing at the same rate of speed. This not only prevents root rotting but strengthens the root mass as it is forced to seek resources.

Wide shallow pots hold water, and tall narrow pots pull water. The taller the pot, the greater the gravity affects water. However, without proper drainage, this water can pool to the bottom while leaving the top layer dry.


Watching how the soil receives water, lifting the pot when it is watered and when it is dry to determine density are some of the ways to know when water is enough. Digging through an inch or 2 of the top of the soil is the certain way to check if the tree needs water. Presence of moisture can be felt easily by blowing on your finger after testing the soil.


Here is how you can decide what type of soils will work for you based on your tree and climate

Most successful artists tend to need to water treea twice during the growing season. This represents the balance of soil composition, pot size, and tree consumption

 

[Cip]

I’m a beginner myself, so if anyone with more experience than me says anything different by all means listen to them. But from my own ventures, after I get any tree I almost immediately slip or re-pot them into inorganic bonsai soil (unless they were shipped to me; then I give them a few days to recover first). I use boon mix for most everything. I’ve learned that each day and plant are different so I don’t have a schedule. But with good draining soil, I think it would be really really hard to over water.

I'm using Monto Clay and lava rock with a little Perlite. I also might add just a little potting soil, but not very much.

 

[ShadyStump]

I'm using Monto Clay and lava rock with a little Perlite. I also might add just a little potting soil, but not very much.

And how often are you watering? And what sort of trees?

Trick I started using is the chopstick method. Poke a wooden or bamboo chopstick in the soil, sticking right under the tree if you can. Pull it out to check how deep down it's dried out, then stick it back in right where it started, like a dipstick.

 

[sorce]

It's not too much water.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[penumbra]

I'm using Monto Clay and lava rock with a little Perlite. I also might add just a little potting soil, but not very much.

Again, don't be so cryptic or did I miss it? What kind of tree? Monto clay is acid, is it appropriate? Potting soil in a bonsai mix is not appropriate for most bonsai .... if any.

 

[leatherback]

Again, don't be so cryptic or did I miss it? What kind of tree? Monto clay is acid, is it appropriate? Potting soil in a bonsai mix is not appropriate for most bonsai .... if any.

This is what I was thinking. Which tree, which substrate, where did the plant sit. Any pictures?

My crystal ball broke, and I have not been able to get a replacement.