gibstu01
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:55 am
Location: Gibraltar

Holiday Watering Help

Hi all, firstly thanks for the forum I am new to it but there is certainly a lot of valuable information around.

I recently purchased my first bonsai, a chinese elm. I have it in my apartment's small balcony where it is sheltered and although it is bright, the tree is out of direct sunlight. It has been growing nicely and I currently need to water it about every 3 days or so.

I am going away on a short holiday in a few weeks time. I am only going to be away for 4 or 5 days but am worried :( that my bonsai will suffer from lack of watering as I have no one who can water it whilst I'm away.

I have been doing some research on ways I can keep it water whilst I am away. One solution I have seen for normal plants are self watering trays which use capillary matting. The matting draws up water from th tray and the plants draw this in from the bottom of the pot. This is an example of one:

https://www.twowests.co.uk/TwoWestsSite/product/SWAT.htm

Would this be a suitable way of ensuring my bonsai has water whilst I am away for a short time? I think I have read that bonsai don't actually like this sort of thing as it keeps their roots wet all the time but would it be ok for 4 - 5 days if I then reverted to watering normally once I was back?

I am also open to any other suggestions for "automated" watering whilst away. I have seen various solutions for normal plants such as drip systems and spiked tops you can attach to plastic bottles and insert into the soil but all of these are way too big to fit in my small bonsai pot!

Any help much appreciated.

TomM
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Posts: 749
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:28 am
Location: Cedarville (SE of Utica) NY, USA

How warm is your location? Can you give high temp ranges for the approx. time you will be away? Typical Mediterranean spring?

Would there be any possibility of rain on this tree?

If it is for just 4-5 days I would not be real concerned. I think I would just give it a good soaking (but drained well) protect from winds. Unless your elm gets a real hot sun and drying wind it should be OK for that amount of time.

gibstu01
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:55 am
Location: Gibraltar

Thanks for the reply. High temp for that time could be about 22C.

I actually went away for a similar amount of time last weekend and watered it just before I left. I'm sure it suffered from lack of water though, as I noticed quite a few leaves had fallen when I got back. Thats why I want to find a solution I can use for when I'm away for short periods like this. I'll also be away for short times in the summer when temp will be max of over 30C so I want to find something that works by then.

I've also read suggestions (for normal plants) of using plant wicks, where one end goes in a bowl of water and the other is pushed into the soil, and also about water retaining crystals that release the water slowly. Don't know if these are suitable for bonsai though.

I wouldn't use these permanently but can anyone recommend something I could use for when away for short trips?

TomM
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Posts: 749
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:28 am
Location: Cedarville (SE of Utica) NY, USA

Plant wicks might work well though I have never used them. I have been experimenting with mosses for this purpose. As long as the moss doesn't get too embedded around the roots and some air space is left along the outer edges of the pot it works quite well. The moss will hold water well and cool the root ball. Then remove it when you get home.

kdodds
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Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

I would just water copiously the day (or day before) I was leaving. To keep it from drying out in that time (depending on soil) you can tent it. I would not tent it outside if the sun beats on it at all. If that's the case, you can tent it inside for the time you're gone.

gibstu01
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:55 am
Location: Gibraltar

Thanks for the information. I'm new to this so I'm not sure exactly what "tent it" refers to? I've tried seaching the forum but not seen an answer.

Is this when you place the bonsai in a plastic bag in order to keep it humid? If so do you place the entire bonsai in the bag or just the pot, up to the bottom of the trunk?

Thanks again



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