Watering in fall

[Scrogdor]

So I have a tree in a bonsai pot w/tray and inorganic bonsai soil on my balcony. What I was doing over the summer was just watering it every day, the bottom tray would fill up, and then evaporate by the end of the day. Now, what's happening is the tray is full for days, and I'm having to lift the pot up and dump the water. The soil is mostly akadama, lava rock, pumice and some pine bark, so the top of it always feels dry even a few minutes after watering. I'm struggling to really know if the tree needs water if there is still water in the bottom tray and it's been cool/overcast out. Tree sits in full sun, but it's been cloudy out.

What are typical watering intervals in the fall and winter in California, in extremely free draining soil? Are there any tricks to checking soil moisture in rocky bonsai soil?

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

Watering deciduous bonsai - part 1 - Bonsai Tonight

The easiest way to tell if a deciduous tree needs watering is to look at the soil. For most deciduous species, I want the soil to start drying out before

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Watering conifers - Bonsai Tonight

I've seen signs, recently, that some of trees in my garden are staying too wet. What does this look like? On pines I might see yellow at the base of the

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[A. Gorilla]

Terrible watering habit. In fact, I can think of nothing worse unless you have a swamp tree.

Have a soil components that can deal with 1-2 regular waterings in a day. It might not be what you have.

 

[Mr.E]

It would help to know if this tree were a conifer, deciduous etc……
Dig down a bit and when it is starting to dry is when you should water. When it’s hot that might be every day, but cool overcast weather that might be closer to a week, or more….

 

[Scrogdor]

Terrible watering habit. In fact, I can think of nothing worse unless you have a swamp tree.

Have a soil components that can deal with 1-2 regular waterings in a day. It might not be what you have.

What do you mean? The soil I have drains super freely into a tray below, the tree doesn't sit in water, it's just a tray to catch water. Currently I'm watering it once a day and just dumping the tray below it every day so it doesn't overflow and drip to the balcony below me. I guess what I'm asking is, how do watering habits change in overcast/cooler weather.

 

[A. Gorilla]

Sorry...thought it was sitting in water

 

[Scrogdor]

It would help to know if this tree were a conifer, deciduous etc……

Sorry, it's a tropical.

 

[A. Gorilla]

Free draining is fun because you dont have to split hairs about frequency. Keep a convenient schedule and monitor for underwatering

 

[Mr.E]

I would say a tropical could stand to be watered more frequently but I think watering depends how well ramified any given tree is. I live in inland Southern California which is much hotter than Oakland and I have a ficus in similar soil that gets watered once a day when it’s around 95 deg. Above 100 it will probably be watered twice, keep in mind this tree is not completely ramified so that will probably change the more foilage it has….

 

[badatusernames]

Free draining is fun because you dont have to split hairs about frequency. Keep a convenient schedule and monitor for underwatering

you know I was wondering about that but I think you still want to be careful. Watering as though it’s still summer can’t be good.

@Scrogdor if you can find a cheap takeout chopstick (excuse to order a buttload of Chinese tonight!) you can cut them into a smaller size and stick them in the soil, that way when you’re curious you can pull the small dipstick up and see if it’s moist. If it’s moist, probably you’re ok! If it’s dry, time to water!

feel for changes in weight too, that’s the dead giveaway for me

 

[A. Gorilla]

How does one "be careful"?

Its free draining.

 

[A. Gorilla]

>>>@Scrogdor if you can find a cheap takeout chopstick (excuse to order a buttload of Chinese tonight!) you can cut them into a smaller size and stick them in the soil, that way when you’re curious you can pull the small dipstick up and see if it’s moist. If it’s moist, probably you’re ok! If it’s dry, time to water!

What a pain in the ass.

Who actually does that?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Sorry, it's a tropical.

The only trees that get a tray of water are my wisteria and bald cypress. None of my tropical sit in water ever. As one heads into fall...and temps are cooler. You are seeing your tree sitting days in water. That may...end up causing root rot.

*Bougainvillea are known to get root rot.

Is there a reason...you said tropical. And not list the species?

 

[Paradox]

So I have a tree in a bonsai pot w/tray and inorganic bonsai soil on my balcony. What I was doing over the summer was just watering it every day, the bottom tray would fill up, and then evaporate by the end of the day. Now, what's happening is the tray is full for days, and I'm having to lift the pot up and dump the water. The soil is mostly akadama, lava rock, pumice and some pine bark, so the top of it always feels dry even a few minutes after watering. I'm struggling to really know if the tree needs water if there is still water in the bottom tray and it's been cool/overcast out. Tree sits in full sun, but it's been cloudy out.

What are typical watering intervals in the fall and winter in California, in extremely free draining soil? Are there any tricks to checking soil moisture in rocky bonsai soil?

Monitor the tree and learn to water it when it needs water. Trying to follow someone elses timed watering interval when the conditions their tree are under are probably different than yours is asking for trouble. Stick a chopstick into the pot and leave it there. Take it out and look at it every day. Water the tree when it starts to get dry but dont let it dry out completel.

NEVER follow a strict timing schedule for watering. Learn when your trees need water in your microclimate and how it changes throughout the season. Youll be much better offf

 

[Katie0317]

So I have a tree in a bonsai pot w/tray and inorganic bonsai soil on my balcony. What I was doing over the summer was just watering it every day, the bottom tray would fill up, and then evaporate by the end of the day. Now, what's happening is the tray is full for days, and I'm having to lift the pot up and dump the water. The soil is mostly akadama, lava rock, pumice and some pine bark, so the top of it always feels dry even a few minutes after watering. I'm struggling to really know if the tree needs water if there is still water in the bottom tray and it's been cool/overcast out. Tree sits in full sun, but it's been cloudy out.

What are typical watering intervals in the fall and winter in California, in extremely free draining soil? Are there any tricks to checking soil moisture in rocky bonsai soil?

Is there dirt in your mix? You said there's akadama in the mix. Akadama changes color when it's wet. Learn to see the color difference in the akadama and use that as your measure. Add more akadama in it until you see the difference. Also, when I water I let the water run out and wait then repeat and wait until the water runs out the drainage holes a second time. A through soaking.

 

[Scrogdor]

The only trees that get a tray of water are my wisteria and bald cypress. None of my tropical sit in water ever. As one heads into fall...and temps are cooler. You are seeing your tree sitting days in water. That may...end up causing root rot.

*Bougainvillea are known to get root rot.

Is there a reason...you said tropical. And not list the species?

It's a dwarf black olive, Bucida. Just to be clear, it is NOT sitting in water, the bonsai pot has feet to separate the pot and the tray. I live on a balcony top floor, so I have a tray so water doesn't drench the balcony below me through the wooden boards every time I water the trees.... Sucks, but it is what it is.

you know I was wondering about that but I think you still want to be careful. Watering as though it’s still summer can’t be good.

@Scrogdor if you can find a cheap takeout chopstick (excuse to order a buttload of Chinese tonight!) you can cut them into a smaller size and stick them in the soil, that way when you’re curious you can pull the small dipstick up and see if it’s moist. If it’s moist, probably you’re ok! If it’s dry, time to water!

feel for changes in weight too, that’s the dead giveaway for me

Thanks, definitely going to give the chop sticks a try.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Well, I lost a cactus from a drip tray under it. So there is that.

Honestly...I would get a nice boot tray with grids. And set the tree on it. Use a siphon hose when the tray gets full. Then you never have to worry of a pot with any run off water onto the people below. It also will allow for more trees in one area,, to fill an area and only worry of draining one vessel. The boot trays are the best way to ensure roots don't get waterlogged. Also allows for deep thorough watering. Because small trays don't hold much run off. Less work for you...and happier trees.

https://www.gardeners.com/buy/boot-tray-set/37-314.html

Chopstick method is bang on for monitoring.

 

[Scrogdor]

Well, I lost a cactus from a drip tray under it. So there is that.

Honestly...I would get a nice boot tray with grids. And set the tree on it. Use a siphon hose when the tray gets full. Then you never have to worry of a pot with any run off water onto the people below. It also will allow for more trees in one area,, to fill an area and only worry of draining one vessel. The boot trays are the best way to ensure roots don't get waterlogged. Also allows for deep thorough watering. Because small trays don't hold much run off. Less work for you...and happier trees.

https://www.gardeners.com/buy/boot-tray-set/37-314.html

Chopstick method is bang on for monitoring.

Yeah, I learned my lesson about drip trays the first time with a cactus as well. I always make sure to have the drainage hole sit above the water with pot feet or rocks now. Thank you! Siphon hose actually sounds perfect for my situation, my balcony has 8-9 trees along the walls on tables(as many as I can fit). It was getting tough to lift all them up and empty the trays since the weather has cooled down and water takes over a week to evaporate now.

This will be my situation for the next few years probably, can't wait to have a back yard.

 

[Cadillactaste]

A gift from clients...and I killed it. Made me sick. I had put pebbles under it to raise it more. But the weight of the pot sunk into the pebbles. I now only use grid boot trays...or keep upturned pots under my trees. I don't trust rocks under a pot to not shift.

Fish aquarium siphon hose are cheap...and great for that draining a tray.

 

[Katie0317]

A gift from clients...and I killed it. Made me sick. I had put pebbles under it to raise it more. But the weight of the pot sunk into the pebbles. I now only use grid boot trays...or keep upturned pots under my trees. I don't trust rocks under a pot to not shift.

Fish aquarium siphon hose are cheap...and great for that draining a tray.

Did it die from root rot or what exactly? Very cool looking. Cactus. They don't like wet feet.