Trees gonna be okay in the shade for a while?

[WIlliam_Butler_Yeets]

Hey folks, I'm heading out on a little vacation for about a week here soon. My one "styled" bonsai is coming with me as I don't have an automated watering system to run while I'm away (I'm sure it will enjoy the ocean views). What I'm curious about is the pre-bonsai I have in flower pots. I've ordered some "blumats" which are a sort of passive watering solution consisting of a ceramic spike attached to a siphon that I'm going to use for them. It should be quite warm while I'm gone so I'm thinking I will have the trees under a shade (they'll be sitting on top of a hot tub cover under an awning) both to limit their heat exposure and limit evaporation from the water reservoir the blumats will be drawing from. Is a week worth of shade anything to be concerned about, or anything obvious I'm not thinking of that stands out to more experienced tree keepers?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I don't know if blumats work very well in open soil like bonsai soil, since they rely on water tension to draw more water and the main trait of our soils is is that the water tension is broken up by the open structure.

I made a video for my dad and my sister who babysit my trees, on how to water. And I send them daily reminders, along with a nice vacation pic.
Yes, they will be over watering for a week or two, maybe three. But that's a risk I'm willing to take.

If you have any pre-puberty kids or post-puberty teens in the neighborhood, offer them a couple dollars a day. I say pre/post-puberty because during puberty their brains rewire and we all know how that works for homework and side-jobs.
I struck a deal with a kid down the street at one point, he made about 50 euros a week for about 70 minutes of work each week. All together that's a very decent wage for a 10 year old.

 

[WIlliam_Butler_Yeets]

I don't know if blumats work very well in open soil like bonsai soil, since they rely on water tension to draw more water and the main trait of our soils is is that the water tension is broken up by the open structure.

I made a video for my dad and my sister who babysit my trees, on how to water. And I send them daily reminders, along with a nice vacation pic.
Yes, they will be over watering for a week or two, maybe three. But that's a risk I'm willing to take.

If you have any pre-puberty kids or post-puberty teens in the neighborhood, offer them a couple dollars a day. I say pre/post-puberty because during puberty their brains rewire and we all know how that works for homework and side-jobs.
I struck a deal with a kid down the street at one point, he made about 50 euros a week for about 70 minutes of work each week. All together that's a very decent wage for a 10 year old.

So the pre-bonsais are in mostly regular potting soil with some added pumice, I got them recently enough that I haven't had a seasonal opportunity to repot them yet, so just slip potted into flower pots with mostly organic soil, I'm hoping the blumats will work out, I'm gonna set them up the day before I leave just to make sure I have them functioning correctly

 

[Tieball]

I'd look about for a retired or middle-years age person. Very reliable. Almost always willing to help. Especially Oregon people helping other Oregon people. They usually don’t want any payment….perhaps just a similar favor in return if they travel away. I have a local retired couple. I gave them certificates for a pizza place before I left. I wrote down a brief set of requests. Worked perfect. And with the certificates they feel more obligated to do the chores. They didn’t want to take the certificates but i insisted. So look around. Make new friends. The older generation can be trusted to follow through with requests. It’s not always about money with more mature people…it is about a sometimes lost connection to help each other when needed….mature people understand that connection….its an adventure to help another person.

 

[Shibui]

A week in the shade will not harm your trees, especially as the strong spring growth should be slowing now.
A week may be enough for the existing leaves to adjust to shade so it would be prudent to shift back to full sun in stages when you return.

Getting reliable help appears to have worked out for @Tieball but there's so many cases where it did not work out so well. Non Bonsai people just do not understand that every day means every day rather than just when they remember. While technology can also not work or go wrong it seem to be far more reliable than people IMHO.

 

[JudyB]

Why not set the blumats up as soon as you can, to see if they work. One day won't really tell you much. You can always get a cheap timer and a sprinkler set up in time that way if they don't.

 

[Colorado]

I found a website called House Sitter where you can hire people to water your trees while you’re away. It’s been great for me so far! I feel much more comfortable with that than asking a friend or neighbor to do it.

 

[Paradox]

I'd just set up a timer, hose and a sprinkler.
Use it a few days before you leave to make sure it's working as you want it.

 

[WIlliam_Butler_Yeets]

just popping back in here to update, the blumats worked perfectly, soil remained damp but not wet the entire time I was gone and didn't even come close to running through the entire water reservoir I set up.

it was also quite hot while I was away, daily highs ranged from 100 to 105°f

 

[Tieball]

just popping back in here to update, the blumats worked perfectly, soil remained damp but not wet the entire time I was gone and didn't even come close to running through the entire water reservoir I set up.

it was also quite hot while I was away, daily highs ranged from 100 to 105°f

Well done then. Your plan worked. And, you have alternative ideas to explore for the next time if needed.