What strategies do you use when you go away?

[River's Edge]

For short trips I used the automatic sprinkler system. 4-5 days
For longer trips, paid help to water daily, trained in advance. Individuals who I know to be reliable and consistent.
My watering takes approximately 1 1/2 hours per day with the assorted developing trees and bonsai collection.
Generally pay for extra time and get some weeding done as well. Makes the trip to my acreage worthwhile for the individual and helps me keep up with the overall workload. Works in my situation as I have several hundred trees to care for.

 

[ShadyStump]

For a few weeks now I've had everything that could use a little humidity tucked up against the vegetable garden where the sprinkler over shoots, testing out mine. A simple daylight activated timer set to run 15 minutes every morning. A splitter with one hose to the vegetable garden in the back yard, and another leading to the front flower bed and herb garden with soaker hoses.
I check everything each morning still, but am confident I can get away with leaving as long as a week without worry. If I am worried, I can just set the timer to water for longer, but then I'd also have to worry about root rot on some.
The spots that really concern me in that case aren't on this setup and need watered by hand. I figure a coffee can or some such placed over the roots with a pinhole in the bottom will keep those alive for a while. Haven't tested that out yet though.

 

[crea7or]

Had the same dilemma a few weeks ago and found out that classical method with a towel covering the pot, keeps the soil moist for a few days. I improvised a little bit: after I watered the trees, I covered the soil with newspaper and over the newspaper I wrapped some aluminum foil. After 3 days, the soil was still moist and the trees were really happy
.. But I'm still looking for better ideas and since this post is really active, I'm interested what you guys think about this: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/blumat-tropf-system-any-good.56007/#post-969157

 

[Mikecheck123]

After a couple of days of experimentation, I'm kind of enjoying my sudden newfound freedom! Maybe this will be my permanent setup. Until I get the water bill maybe...

 

[Carol 83]

My son has volunteered to water my trees for me when we're on vacation. He doesn't live here, so I am afraid, very very afraid.

 

[Mikecheck123]

My son has volunteered to water my trees for me when we're on vacation. He doesn't live here, so I am afraid, very very afraid.

Relying on people is tough. Last summer my friend didn't come once when I was gone for a week.

"It looked rainy all week," he explained.

 

[Maiden69]

After a couple of days of experimentation, I'm kind of enjoying my sudden newfound freedom! Maybe this will be my permanent setup. Until I get the water bill maybe...

Your set up, as those relying on lawn sprinklers waste around 80% if not more of the water they use. I was contemplating setting one up with pop-up sprinklers until I realized how much water don't make it into the pot, not only because of the empty space, but also water that hits the canopy of the tree and falls outside the drip line. This is why I decided to get the spitters, as drip irrigation is not enough unless you run it for a long time.

Believe it or not, a simple kit to water all those trees, minus the timer would run you around $40-50 depending on how elaborate you want to make it from Drip Depot. A multi-program timer will run you around $30 (This is the first one I used) and a multi-zone with multi-program will run you a little over $50 (This I use currently). They have the same one with Bluetooth programing only for $60.

I can bet you will pay up to 4 times more in water than what it will cost you to buy the entire system in one growing season. While I think you will use this only for the times you are out of town, it will probably become your main watering system once you see how efficient it is. This is how I started, I bought it only for vacation time, and not use it exclusively. I start work at 5:30am, so getting up at 4 am to water the trees, to notice a few of them wilting by the time I got home was getting frustrating. I started watering in the morning, then having the system water around 12-1 pm. Now I sleep an extra 30 minutes and have the system run at 9 am and again at 2 pm depending on the season (mostly, twice only during summer).

 

[penumbra]

My son has volunteered to water my trees for me when we're on vacation. He doesn't live here, so I am afraid, very very afraid.

I ruined my son when he was a teen. I took him on a few landscape jobs in summer. One job was a large area that was completely denuded for acres. It looked like the surface of Mars. It was 96 degrees and the only shade was from the trees we were planting. This was not the worst scenario. Now he hates plants.
If I take a vacation (last was 5 years ago) I take it in February.

 

[sorce]

What A Terrible Extended Retreat.

Water For Real. Resorce I went away for a week recently. For the first time in a long time, had a great vacation. Didn't worry about my trees cuz I tucked them all under this... Cheaper versions of these products...plastic not brass blah..under about $80 w/ batteries. Set for 25 minutes at...

www.bonsainut.com

Sorce

 

[Carol 83]

Relying on people is tough. Last summer my friend didn't come once when I was gone for a week.

"It looked rainy all week," he explained.

My neighbor/friend usually does it but I think she is getting tired of it. My son volunteered, although I did offer a $ incentive. He needs to check on his cat anyway.

 

[TreeTwister]

You know you have a problem when you get back from vacation and the first thing you check is not whether the house has been burglarized or burned down but how the trees are doing.

LOL, it's true. I head straight to the yard to check the plants. I have auto drip and sprinklers to water when away. It's not bullet proof. Last year a heat wave hit while away, bonsai just don't like 110+ temps, lost five trees.

 

[Treefer]

Several years ago, a neighbor returned from week long vacation to find a riser feed to a toilet had burst while he was away. The house could not be occupied for almost a year because of mold. House had to be stripped to the studs. Floors, drywall, kitchen cabinets, furniture, everything, had to be replaced. So now, I shut off the main water valve if we go away for longer than overnight. Now you will have something else to worry about.

 

[Carol 83]

Several years ago, a neighbor returned from week long vacation to find a riser feed to a toilet had burst while he was away. The house could not be occupied for almost a year because of mold. House had to be stripped to the studs. Floors, drywall, kitchen cabinets, furniture, everything, had to be replaced. So now, I shut off the main water valve if we go away for longer than overnight. Now you will have something else to worry about.

No way I am sharing that little tidbit with my OCD husband, or we'd never go on vacation again.

 

[Shogun610]

Several years ago, a neighbor returned from week long vacation to find a riser feed to a toilet had burst while he was away. The house could not be occupied for almost a year because of mold. House had to be stripped to the studs. Floors, drywall, kitchen cabinets, furniture, everything, had to be replaced. So now, I shut off the main water valve if we go away for longer than overnight. Now you will have something else to worry about.

Wait is that a risk with an automatic sprinkler set up with water on?

 

[vp999]

Had the same dilemma a few weeks ago and found out that classical method with a towel covering the pot, keeps the soil moist for a few days. I improvised a little bit: after I watered the trees, I covered the soil with newspaper and over the newspaper I wrapped some aluminum foil. After 3 days, the soil was still moist and the trees were really happy View attachment 442274
.. But I'm still looking for better ideas and since this post is really active, I'm interested what you guys think about this: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/blumat-tropf-system-any-good.56007/#post-969157

Looks like bonsai potluck party

 

[Shogun610]

Going away for 3 days then back and then away for 3 days again. Deciduous and some bog Spruce / Larches under sprinkler 12 minutes In am. Conifers and high elevation pines were watered this am and have old wet t shirts covering up. Highs are only in the mid 70’s early this week so should be good. When I left this morning I also put chicken wire up all a of. Everything in the back.

 

[PaulH]

Wait... What?.... You people actually leave home?

 

[Mikecheck123]

Several years ago, a neighbor returned from week long vacation to find a riser feed to a toilet had burst while he was away. The house could not be occupied for almost a year because of mold. House had to be stripped to the studs. Floors, drywall, kitchen cabinets, furniture, everything, had to be replaced. So now, I shut off the main water valve if we go away for longer than overnight. Now you will have something else to worry about.

This is why I'm a proud renter.

 

[Mikecheck123]

Update on the sprinkler setup: All trees survived. A few got extra crispy, but should be fine in the long run. Very unsurprisingly, the ones that did the worst were trees in pots having a narrow cross section (i.e. tall and skinny). I think I have an easy solution for that--all the ones that dried up will go in a tub of water next time. You're welcome, mosquitos!

 

[chuckwc1]

Leaving for a week today. Bought an automatic timer, and a dramm sprinkler. Having my dad come through once or twice just to make sure everything is okay.
Using this timer: https://www.amazon.com/DEWENWILS-Programmable-Controlled-Automatic-Irrigation/dp/B088GQYJHC
Really like the options it gives you, you can set up multiple watering times, and program each of the two hose outlets independently.

We’ll see how it goes!