Watering timer for vacation?

[Katie0317]

Am looking for a watering timer that can be attached to a hose. A digital battery operated timer. It's a bit overwhelming as far as choices on Amazon and would prefer to order from them or HD and have it delivered.

What do you use when you're out of town? Thank you.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I only recently left my plants for longer than 12 hours.. I used a trusted and trained caretaker.

I know others have nice timer systems. There is a few conversations on the subject.. I believe @Bonsai Nut was speaking of his watering system... I’ll bet there’s Cellular Telephone Applications that can monitor conditions/efficiency as well.

I Just walked a friend of mine, who also enjoys/practices horticulture, through my daily operations once or twice, and left notes, detailing the procedures at strategic points throughout my growing rooms/areas.

 

[Katie0317]

You're lucky to have a friend who's interested in and practices horticulture. We definitely don't have friends who share that interest. Good friends but they're not into caring for other peoples plants.

We need to be gone for longer periods of time on occasion and shorter periods more often so we need a reliable system. We're thinking a timer that attaches to the hose would be a simple solution. I'm sure there must be others with this kind of concern and situation.

 

[HorseloverFat]

You're lucky to have a friend who's interested in and practices horticulture. We definitely don't have friends who share that interest. Good friends but they're not into caring for other peoples plants.

We need to be gone for longer periods of time on occasion and shorter periods more often so we need a reliable system. We're thinking a timer that attaches to the hose would be a simple solution. I'm sure there must be others with this kind of concern and situation.

Oh yes! With such varied schedules around here.. there are many who use them.

 

[JudyB]

The Claber timers are the best ones I've used. They are a bit more, but so reliable and there are duals and single versions available. They have multiple sequences per day and you can choose days on and off, or all days.

 

[jimib]

I have a couple of these. Not just got my trees but our landscape in general. I’ve had them a couple of years and have been happy with them.

 

[moke]

I have a couple of these. Not just got my trees but our landscape in general. I’ve had them a couple of years and have been happy with them.

I use this same timer and have been for years. I definitely recommend this one as well.

 

[Pitoon]

Thread 'Auto Watering Set-up' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/auto-watering-set-up.51402/

 

[Katie0317]

@JudyB I see a Claber timer for sale on Amazon and I see it has the amount of time and the number of days you can set it for...Up to 7 days? Does yours run daily until you tell it to stop watering or will it only work for a set number of days and then stop at 7? That seems odd to me but it may just be that model.

@jimib @moke That's the one my husband said, "Just get that one"...After a Rainbird he chose was sold out. It has 17,000 reviews. That's a lot!

@Pitoon Thank you for that thread. The spray nozzle info will be very helpful. My husband built benches for the bonsai so I'll share that with him to figure out how he wants to do it. He ran underground drip lines to all my roses. A lot of rose growers use a system more like what you're using btw...Watering from above rather than at the roots. Two different ways of doing it.

 

[Katie0317]

Do you think this will work with the timer? Any reasons why it's not a good option? Liked the misting option.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P2L8VZ1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[bluesky]

Do you think this will work with the timer? Any reasons why it's not a good option? Liked the misting option.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P2L8VZ1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hi, a couple of weeks ago I did a YouTube video on automatic watering for bonsai. Please take a look, it's only a 6 minute vid.

You can see I recommended the orbit timer. It's the third digital timer I've tried, and I'm very happy with it. HTH.

Ps. Misting is only worthwhile if it gets really hot and dry where you are. Not close to a substitute for a proper watering system. I use misting here in Madrid in July and August but that's all.

 

[Underdog]

I've used this one from Ace Hdwr 2 years with no trouble. Still original batteries too.

ACE Automatic 2-Outlet Water Garden Lawn Timer New 82901277699 | eBay

ACE Automatic 2-Outlet Water Garden Lawn Timer New.

www.ebay.com

 

[Bnana]

I have a couple of these. Not just got my trees but our landscape in general. I’ve had them a couple of years and have been happy with them.

I have this one (from post 6) but don't use it. When it switches off it still leaks a bit so the trees closest are watered way too much.
Now I use a gardenia timer.

 

[Katie0317]

I've used this one from Ace Hdwr 2 years with no trouble. Still original batteries too.

ACE Automatic 2-Outlet Water Garden Lawn Timer New 82901277699 | eBay

ACE Automatic 2-Outlet Water Garden Lawn Timer New.

www.ebay.com

The timer from Ace looks almost identical by the one from Orbit. I already ordered the one from Orbit on Amazon but thank you. Good to know if we need something in a hurry.

I'm trying to decide on the sprayer for now. @bluesky I watched your video, nice job. That's probably more intensive then what we're looking for right now. We want to find a sprayer/mister system if we need to do a more intense individual drip later we might.

I have individual hoses underground on each of my roses but they're hidden and that's part of their beauty.

In our environment..Rarely in the low 50's for just 2 months of the year, we want something that will be visible year round and we'd like it to look streamlined and not stand out. Thanks for sharing that though.

 

[Pitoon]

The timer from Ace looks almost identical by the one from Orbit. I already ordered the one from Orbit on Amazon but thank you. Good to know if we need something in a hurry.

I'm trying to decide on the sprayer for now. @bluesky I watched your video, nice job. That's probably more intensive then what we're looking for right now. We want to find a sprayer/mister system if we need to do a more intense individual drip later we might.

I have individual hoses underground on each of my roses but they're hidden and that's part of their beauty.

In our environment..Rarely in the low 50's for just 2 months of the year, we want something that will be visible year round and we'd like it to look streamlined and not stand out. Thanks for sharing that though.

A lot of these timers on the market are the same model just rebranded.....along with different prices.

 

[JudyB]

@JudyB I see a Claber timer for sale on Amazon and I see it has the amount of time and the number of days you can set it for...Up to 7 days? Does yours run daily until you tell it to stop watering or will it only work for a set number of days and then stop at 7? That seems odd to me but it may just be that model.

@jimib @moke That's the one my husband said, "Just get that one"...After a Rainbird he chose was sold out. It has 17,000 reviews. That's a lot!

@Pitoon Thank you for that thread. The spray nozzle info will be very helpful. My husband built benches for the bonsai so I'll share that with him to figure out how he wants to do it. He ran underground drip lines to all my roses. A lot of rose growers use a system more like what you're using btw...Watering from above rather than at the roots. Two different ways of doing it.

I set mine up to run for specific amounts of time, twice a day, I use it all 7 days but could pick and choose days. Like you choose which days you want it to water, and it does that pattern every week. You can program each side of a dual one separately except for what days you want, that setting will be the same for both sides.

 

[JudyB]

Here is a thread about my watering system. It’s pretty funny, this was long enough ago, I have two more timers than I did then, I use more for different zones for different trees…

Automatic watering system

Here are some photos of my system and how it hooks together. I use hoses to get to the filter as I'm on a well, and need to filter rust particles out. Its called a Twist-2-clean. After the filter, pvc fittings to the timers. I use clabers, one is a duplo, to control two areas, and one is a...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Katie0317]

Here is a thread about my watering system. It’s pretty funny, this was long enough ago, I have two more timers than I did then, I use more for different zones for different trees…

Automatic watering system

Here are some photos of my system and how it hooks together. I use hoses to get to the filter as I'm on a well, and need to filter rust particles out. Its called a Twist-2-clean. After the filter, pvc fittings to the timers. I use clabers, one is a duplo, to control two areas, and one is a...

www.bonsainut.com

Judy, thank you for sharing that.

What I meant with the question I asked is that when I looked at your timer on Amazon it appeared it had a 7 day max setting on it. I wondered if you could set it for longer? Thank you.

 

[JudyB]

I

Judy, thank you for sharing that.

What I meant with the question I asked is that when I looked at your timer on Amazon it appeared it had a 7 day max setting on it. I wondered if you could set it for longer? Thank you.

it starts over again at day one after day 7, so will continue on every week forever until you change it. It perpetuates the seven day cycle forever until you change it.

 

[Katie0317]

A lot of these timers on the market are the same model just rebranded.....along with different prices.

I'm so used to that at Costco I forget that most other companies do it too. Costco though does a great job at making deals so they can set lower price points.

Costco's also been making more and more deals/relationships with creators like Calvin Klein. They're the only jeans I wear and Costco sells them for 21.00. Huge difference buying them there and at dept stores like Macys. More and more designers are getting on board with Costco...Lucky, Flora Nikrooz, Donna Karan, etc...