New to Bonsai...help needed on watering

lonepalm · Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:55 pm

Hi Everyone....I need help with my brand new bonsai...it is a Hawaiian Umbrella Tree, given to me by my fiance. I have read so many books on watering and I hope I am doing the right thing. I have watered it in the early morning hours when I first get up.....till the water runs out the bottom drain hole. Do I let the water stay in the tray or do I wipe it up? Do I water it every day? I'm still trying to get a feel for the dirt and not make it too wet. I'm so afraid of killing it with too much water...yet I don't want it to be dry....can someone please help me???
Thank you so much...I'm excited about my new hobby....but I also want to be successful with this tree...it is very special to me.

Gnome · Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:50 pm

Lonepalm,

I have watered it in the early morning hours when I first get up.....till the water runs out the bottom drain hole.

Thorough watering (volume of water) is good but not on any kind of schedule. It sounds to me that you may be overwatering it. Do you mean you water it every single day? If so that is probably excessive, especially if the tree is potted in a heavy peat based soil. Constantly soggy soil is never good.

Do I let the water stay in the tray or do I wipe it up?

The water must be able to drain away from the pot. If you use a humidity tray ensure that the water level is low enough that it cannot wick up into the pot.

Here is a link that might help a bit. [url]https://www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Schefflera.html[/url]

Norm

lonepalm · Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:12 am

I thank you, Gnome, for your help with my watering schedule. I just got my bonsai this past Wednesday through the mail. I wanted to make sure it hadn't dried out in transit. But now I understand that I can ease off on the watering. Yes, I had watered it on Wednesday and Thursday, not Friday or Saturday, but yes on Sunday.....
I know that I have to learn to test the dirt with my finger...I also learned that you can put a wooden tooth pick into the dirt to check for sufficient moisture....Little by little I am learning. It is so good to be able to ask the questions here and find people who can help me. As I said, this tree is very important to me. Thank you so much for your help....I really appreciate it.

Gnome · Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:50 am

Lonepalm,

Thank you so much for your help....I really appreciate it.

You are very welcome.

Little by little I am learning. It is so good to be able to ask the questions here and find people who can help me.

Bonsai is as much a journey as a destination. I wish that I had the resources that are available today when my interest first emerged. I would be much further along than I am now.

I know that I have to learn to test the dirt with my finger...I also learned that you can put a wooden tooth pick into the dirt to check for sufficient moisture.

A better idea would be to leave the toothpick/chopstick in the soil continuously, removing it to check the moisture level, then re-inserting it. After a few months you will begin to know how to water it without the aid of the toothpick/chopstick.

This is not to discourage you, but some would not consider this a traditional bonsai specimen. Not to worry though, I grow Jade plants because I enjoy them even though they too are considered by many to be outside the realm of bonsai. If you stay with the hobby it can become a life-long endeavor. There are many other species that are worthy of your consideration.

Norm

lonepalm · Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:26 am

Many thanks, Norm and Gnome, for your advice and help. I will insert the toothpick to help me determine the water level for now...As I progress in my journey of bonsai care, I hope to be able to judge my plant and its needs from my own learned experiences.
As far as the choice of plants is concerned...my fiance chose it for me.
He said that it is easier to raise as a first time owner, and he is also Hawaiian. His dad raised these plants and now he would like us to take over this tradition....thus the choice. That is why this particular tree is so near and dear to my heart.
Thanks again, my friends......I will let you know of my progress!!

lonepalm · Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:30 pm

Hi Gnome, I am following your guidelines about inserting the toothpick in the soil to test for moisture. The toothpick is damp and the earth clings to it. That is a sign that it has sufficient water, am I correct? I am assuming that when the toothpick is dry and the earth no longer clings to it that it is time to water. My tree is an Hawaiian Umbrella Tree. I read in some of the links I saw on different postings, that misting should be part of a daily routine. So I do have one question about that. If I mist the leaves daily, should this be done at night or in the morning? I do have a humidity tray. How does the humidity tray work? I hope I don't sound too ignorant, but I would like to understand everything pertaining to the health of my tree.
Thank you for your continuing advice...I hope you don't mind if I ask you so many questions....
Liz

Gnome · Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:55 am

Liz,

Many thanks, Norm and Gnome, for your advice and help.

First off, their both me. I'm not schizophrenic, me neither.

As far as the choice of plants is concerned...my fiance chose it for me.
He said that it is easier to raise as a first time owner

This plant may be easy to keep in general but you will have a hard time training it into a traditional bonsai style. That's OK you can still enjoy it for what it is.

Hi Gnome, I am following your guidelines about inserting the toothpick in the soil to test for moisture. The toothpick is damp and the earth clings to it. That is a sign that it has sufficient water, am I correct? I am assuming that when the toothpick is dry and the earth no longer clings to it that it is time to water.

That is correct.

So I do have one question about that. If I mist the leaves daily, should this be done at night or in the morning?

I think I would do it during the day so that the foliage has a chance to dry off before night.

I do have a humidity tray. How does the humidity tray work?

Gravel (please use something clean, I use the Haydite that is a component of my soil but aquarium gravel is fine) is placed in the tray and water is added until it comes up to the level of the gravel. Your pot is then placed on the gravel. This greatly increases the humidity in the area of the plant. Ensure that water cannot be drawn up into the pot. Either the pot should have feet or you simply keep the water level slightly lower.

I hope I don't sound too ignorant, but I would like to understand everything pertaining to the health of my tree.
Thank you for your continuing advice...I hope you don't mind if I ask you so many questions....

Think nothing of it, glad to help.

Norm

lonepalm · Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:55 pm

Norm/Gnome.....LOL..I knew you were the same person AFTER I posted the reply!! silly me!!

Humidity Tray: My pot has raised ridges around the bottom and these ridges keep it from sitting directly on the tray, so I am assuming that is what you mean when you say that the pot should not be touching the water. I will get the gravel you suggested and set my humidity tray up properly...right now I don't have anything on the tray except for the pot!!

My main goal is to keep my tree healthy and disease free...after I master that, we will include different kinds of bonsai in our collection. I'm really excited about this and I thank you for all your help...you have put me so much at ease now with what to look for and how to properly care for my bonsai. It's nice to know that people are here in this forum to help.
Thanks again....

lonepalm · Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:18 pm

[url=https://img474.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hicksnurserydecember200ot1.jpg][img]https://img474.imageshack.us/img474/7792/hicksnurserydecember200ot1.th.jpg[/img][/url]

OK...I tried to paste a photo of my Hawaiian Umbrella tree here on this post....Let's see if I followed the directions correctly. I think it is a beautiful tree....Hope you all do too!!

Gnome · Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:36 pm

Liz,

Norm/Gnome.....LOL..I knew you were the same person AFTER I posted the reply!! silly me!!

It's cool, just having a bit of fun at your expense.

Humidity Tray: My pot has raised ridges around the bottom and these ridges keep it from sitting directly on the tray, so I am assuming that is what you mean when you say that the pot should not be touching the water. I will get the gravel you suggested and set my humidity tray up properly...right now I don't have anything on the tray except for the pot!!

Yes that is correct. You want to be in charge of when you water, best not to have the plant sitting in soggy conditions. The gravel, while not strictly necessary, will provide a much greater surface area for the water to evaporate from. This helps a lot in increasing the humidity around the tree. Keep the water level just below the surface of the gravel.

My main goal is to keep my tree healthy and disease free

Good, take some time and learn how to manage it. After you are comfortable with it and sure it is thriving you should really consider doing some pruning. These things tend to grow at the tip and need to be pruned to encourage branching. I have to say that it looks better than I had been envisioning it. The challenge will be to increase the ramification so that it does not just grow straight up.

I'm really excited about this and I thank you for all your help...you have put me so much at ease now with what to look for and how to properly care for my bonsai. It's nice to know that people are here in this forum to help.

Again, you are welcome. I think you will find that most people who share this interest are very willing to help. I'll see if I can dig up any more information for you. Good luck with the tree.

Norm

lonepalm · Wed Dec 20, 2006 8:34 pm

Hi Gnome/Norm....

OK...now I've set up the humidity tray with gravel and water...
The toothpick still indicates that the soil is moist...
I last watered my tree (Hawaiian Umbrella tree) last Saturday....
Is it normal for the soil to stay moist this long? I just want to make sure it is ok that I'm not watering it ...and that I've read the signs my tree is sending out correctly...
Thanks again!!
Liz

Gnome · Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:47 pm

Liz,

Is it normal for the soil to stay moist this long? I just want to make sure it is ok that I'm not watering it

If it doesn't need water, it doesn't need water. That is why it is impossible to put your watering on any kind of schedule. The watering needs of a plant will depend on many factors including species, pot size, soil texture, temperature, light level, humidity, etc. The link I provided suggests limited watering during the winter. Even tropicals can slow their growth when conditions are not optimal. With reduced growth will come, in turn, a reduced water requirement.

By way of example your tree will need less frequent watering if it is not actively growing, in a peat heavy soil, in a cool room and behind a curtain than if it were growing quickly, in a gritty/free draining mix, in a warm room, getting good light.

Norm