self waterers

[bubba92]

hey guys, i'm heading away for just a few days over christmas, and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for self watering devices to keep my bonsais going just for 3 or 4 days. cheers

[shibui]

No indication of where you are so we can only guess at the conditions the trees will face and there's no mention of the types or size of your trees. These answers are therefore general and may not suit all trees in all places.

Most bonsai will be fine for a couple of days if the pots are placed in containers of water. Root rot from overwatering takes many weeks to develop so a few days will not usually hurt unless you have already been overwatering.

An automatic watering system can be programmed to water once or twice a day. Can be as simple as a tap timer connected to a garden sprinkler placed so the spray covers all the pots. Make sure there's no chance of the hose popping off anywhere when it gets hot and under pressure. Don't water during the day where a hose is in the sun (water in the hose may be close to boiling on hot days)

Auto system with drippers or shrubblers on each pot takes more time and expense but is much neater and does not waste water. See notes on making sure it works well above.

Best to test any auto system for a week or more before leaving it to iron out all the bugs.

[Sno]

I remember Ray Nesci once saying a way to preserve moisture in a pot for a week or so was to water the pot well then place in a plastic bag so it can’t evaporate then put the tree in a shady spot . I suppose this would work if you didn’t have a couple of hundred trees . Not that I have counted in a long time .

[HarleyD]

I've had success with a hose timer and sprinkler system I bought from the big green shed. It cost a little bit but it kept my plants alive over 2 weeks I was away during the hottest part of the year.

I had 2 sprinklers that 1 had set to mist and had the system turn on for 15 minutes at sunset each day. The only tree I lost was a young one in a plastic pot that fell over.

The important thing is to test it before you go away. Positioning is very important as the sprinklers water most effectively at a certain radius from the centre. If plants are too close/far away they might not get enough water.

[Per PF]

The important thing is to test it before you go away. Positioning is very important as the sprinklers water most effectively at a certain radius from the centre. If plants are too close/far away they might not get enough water.

I second the testing out part. During the testing you can also put out pot-sized receptacles where you intend your bonsai to stand to get a good idea of just how much water actually ends up in each pot.
I have a programmable timer with two outlets leading to two adjustable sprinklers, I then sort the bonsai into once/day or twice/day watering. Has worked well so far.


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