How to Make Sure Your Bonsai NEVER Dries Out!
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- Опубліковано 11 лип 2024
- Here's a hack to make sure your bonsai doesn't dry out in shallow pots if you forget to water it or if you're on vacation for a few days. This is a technique I like to call the "Rube Goldberg Method" of keeping your bonsai alive and it's super easy and quick.
0:00 Introduction
0:38 The problem with shallow bonsai pots
1:08 What is the Rube Goldberg Method
3:00 Example 1: Small bonsai
3:50 Example 2: Medium bonsai
4:18 Example 3: Large bonsai
6:27 Example 4: Giant bonsai
8:48 My recommended soil mix
9:15 Summary
To watch my comprehensive video on watering, soil mix, and fertilizer, please check it out here: • Bonsai Techniques: A U...
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I've always (for 30 years) used a tray, but only from late spring to early autumm, and always let it dry before refilling again. The problem is that people misunderstand instructions.
Yes...has to be absorbed, interpreprete, and decide to keep or not., Folloiw instruction blindly is asking for trouble.
Milton, if you ever publish a bonsai book, I have the perfect title for it. The title could be "With That in Mind Then". Something you say in each video.
Hmmm, A great suggestion!
Thanks!
With that in mind then, this book would have no urban legend!
🙂
@@MiltonChang-ee6rq How about selling 'T' shirts with that logo?
I'm quite new to bonsai, so I tried a few different approaches to watering, the best one I've come up with is to get a plastic seedling tray, fill it with 20mm pebbles and then fill with water , if you then stand your bonsai on top of the pebbles, above the water level , you then poke a watering wick cord into the bottom of the pots and the other end into the water below , the plant just socks up what it wants, you just top up the tray once a week if needed 👍
Thanks for sharing. Good idea!
Thanks for sharing your tips with the community!
Irrigation system is the way to go on vacation. Just set it up and you are done.
Yes. A drip timer system works great...just make sure the tiny holes do not get clogged over time...or run of of battery. Instructioin says change battery once a year...given the low cost of.battery....change every 6 to 9 months.
Have travel!
I’ve used “tray” method for several bonsai trees, such as you describe here. Especially for new trees in shallow pots I’ve procured over the past years. Have even brought a couple back from the brink for friends. And yes, we have lost a few. I also learned, that hard way, you need to keep it up for more than a few hours or one day. Great video my friend.
Sharing best practices as I figured out, in this case th eobvious. Thanks!
Great video as always. I soak the soil then pack a thick layer of Sphagnum moss over the surface, then wrap the whole thing with cling film, stays moist for weeks 👍
That is a good 2-weeks vacation idea.
Thank you so much for sharing.l
Great
Be seeing you!
Great info!
Thsnk!
Great tips! Keeping my bonsai hydrated has always been a challenge. Thanks for the practical advice and easy-to-follow steps! 🌿
Glad you like it.
Thank you!
Thank you for making these informative videos. I wish I watched this before going to holiday.
1st time I had to leave my bonsai trees for so long. I watered them very heavy and then stuck them in garage in the shade. Was pleased to see that after a week they didn't dry out.
Watched many of your videos and have learned few things.
Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! It's great that your bonsai didn't dry out!
great video! thanks for such great content.
Just beautiful trees :)
Thank you Dr. Chang. This video is just what I needed. I look forward to learning from you.
Be seeing you!
Great video
Thanks!
Beautiful trees! Thanks for the information.
Thanks!
Very useful tips, Thanks.
The tree for the bonsai exhibition is beautiful!
Thank yoiu...I will take a pictoture and show it in next week's video. The showmaster tooka tweeze and got rid of all the remaining dried leaves. I need to learn the finer touch!.
Excellent knowledge share! Thank you!
Thanks!
Thank you 🙏
Thank you!
for the giant tree you could also use a kiddie pool 👍 good ideas sir
Yes...who your entiire bonsai table.
always thumbs up for you mr milton. nice trees. i use those same plastic tote/tubs as diy hydroponic flood tables for my other plants. great for keeping smaller planting mame size bonsai watered too
Thank you kindly!
It’s getting so hot here in South Louisiana that I was having to water twice a day and I don’t have time to. Some of my pots are so shallow. I think I’m going to put some trays together and give this a shot. Thanks for the tip!!
Glad this is helpful...I imagine to a lot of people.
Now I know you aer in Louisiana.
There’s been automatic watering systems for pots available for decades now. It’s worth looking into it.
They don’t totally eliminate the need for hand watering and checking regularly but they are a huuuuge help.
Thanks for that video one problem with that method is draining that can be the start of root problems you’re thoughts
I suppose if your rootball is laready rotten, In the limiting case (being an engineer (not a botanist) there will be no tree on earth if it rains a month...Generally bonsai soil is pretty "clean".
Have you tried to use concrete to make your own water catchers. It's very easy. You can also decorate them with tile. Just have to reinforce the bottom with metal rods or chicken wire. Lots of videos on UA-cam on making plant pots with concrete. I love working with concrete and all you can do with it.
Bricks or wood pieces are more flexible in case you want to put something else at the same spot.
I began my first official bonsai for $50. It’s a small yew in a shallow pot. The man said he had no customers that day, so despite my inexperience I’m pursuing a desire that I never had the courage to attempt.
It is a small yew and it was very dry when I purchased it. This week it has been 80-90 degrees. I soak it in my bird bath for base watering thru a single drainage hole, approx 1-2 hrs and keep it it in direct sun outdoors .
1. I’m worried I may cause rot rot.
2. I’m worried I may leach fertilizer out.
I gave it a drop of - 2-3-1 NPK The Grow co. Fish emulsion and plan to do this every week.
Can anyone warn me if this is in advisable?
I really don’t want to fail because it took decades to develop enough confidence to attempt a single small yew. The art of Bonsai is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen and it’s a connection to nature , life, and God that’s hard to describe. It’s important to me.
The NPK ratio is correct, how to dose correctly must be stated in the instructions. With most liquid fertilizers, you can either mix the specified dose into the water once a week between the start of growth in spring and 2 months before the start of hibernation or dilute it further daily in a ratio of 1:20. If it is very hot, dilute it further and make sure that you take evaporation into account when refilling the bowl. In general, too little fertilizer is less harmful to conifers than too much.
If it is very hot, you can put the pot in water every day and let it soak up. Instead of 2 hours, I would let the tree soak for 15 minutes, drain it for 10 minutes and then put it in water for another 15 minutes. It is helpful if you have a layer of substrate on top that changes color when it is moist, then you can immediately see whether the soil is dry. Seramis works very well otherwise you can crumble old bricks (fired at a low temperature), which is about the same as Seramis and helps keep the soil airy at the same time. Air in the soil also helps to prevent root rot. What kind of substrate is your tree growing in?
I’m so grateful this was exactly the advice that I was seeking. It all makes practical sense.
It appears the substrate is a combination of soil and sharp shards of lava rock. This mix is new medium to me as an avid gardener. I peeled back the moss and peaked.
Your advice is important to me because I am starting my own bonsai species from cuttings, seeds, and fruits that I find. They will be my introduction into using different substrates instead of compost and organic soil that i’m used to. I am saving your instructions , I value this foundational advice. It makes me feel a little more confident because it makes complete sense. I will follow this to the Tee. My approximated fertilizerdikution ratio is an approximation of 1:20 ratio (25 ml dropper to 2 gallons water) . The excess liquid, I use for my garden plants and potted braided willow weekly. My bonsai yew is only the size of my palm . I almost felt embarrassed to ask for advice, but this is the beginning of my journey and vision and it’s important to me.
Specimens, not species for trials and error as I learn.
@@danih7577
I'll divide my comment into 3 blocks.
1) your yew tree is very small and the smaller a bonsai, the more difficult it is to care for, simply because the small volume means that you have to water and fertilize more often and even small differences have a proportionally greater effect. You can get around the problem by burying the pot a third into a larger pot with sand or planting the tree in a larger pot, neither of which looks so nice.
2) General information about starting with bonsai: The basic techniques are the same as in normal gardening, but due to the limited root space, the trees need a little more regular care. The most important tips I got at the beginning were: always care for at least 6 trees at the same time. and the advice that at least a dozen trees will be pruned to death in the first few years. This happens to everyone and is part of the learning process. If you start with robust trees such as juniper or boxwood or trees that are native to your area, you can reduce the losses somewhat. You can buy trees or shrubs at the garden center and design them yourself. This way you save money and get practice. It's best to care for them in normal flower pots or larger bowls for the first few years and slowly work your way up to the flat bowls.
3) bonsai substrate: the ideal substrate for bonsai can store water and nutrients, is very loose and permeable to air and can easily be combed out of the roots when repotting. However, there is no substrate that meets all the conditions. That's why different components are mixed to find the best compromise depending on the tree species and the climatic conditions. Organic material stores moisture but decomposes, thereby compacting the substrate. Grit and other mineral components do not decompose, keep the substrate airy, which is important for healthy roots, but dry out very quickly.
I think those are the most important points. If you have any further questions, please write.
I wish all the best for you and your plants.
@@Jona-kb7mu That was really kind of you to take the time to help me. I screenshot your instructions and created a bonsai photo album. Thank you for being my first teacher!
for a watering system could you have a large shallow bath / trough that all the individually potted bonsai fit in as a display, then have a system where the whole tank fills to a certain level for an required time, then drains out until its time for the next watering
this would soak all the bonsai in the area but not leave them in standing water for longer than need.
this could also be automated on a timer
Sure…the point is play by ear… see what works. The point is soak a lot but let dry out every few days…you’ll see how fast your tree grows…and it will tell you if it is not happy…by observing the leaves.
This may be an impossible question to answer, but how much water is lost to the tree consuming water, compared to how much is lost to evaporation?
Another amazing video as always ❤️
Hard to quantified scientifically. My guess is depending on the amount of leaves...Evaporation occur at the surface. Estimate what is the total surface area x2( top and bottom) compared to the bonsai soil surface area. ././How aobut call it about 2 to one?
Just an estimate...cxlose enough.
@@MiltonChang-ee6rq you know I’m a pretty garden tree guy that’s first stepping into bonsais. I appreciate all your help along the way
Enjoy! Great hobby!
Hard to quantified scientifically. My guess is depending on the amount of leaves...Evaporation occur at the surface. Estimate what is the total surface area x2( top and bottom) compared to the bonsai soil surface area. How abut call it about 2 to one?
Just an estimate...close enough.
Depends on many factors:
Water loss through tree consumption (glug, glug)
Water loss through evaporation (soil surface)
Water loss due to transpiration (evaporation that occurs through the stomata, or openings, in plant leaves)
Tree species
soil type
Tree size
Size of canopy
Amount of leaves
Water availability
Pot type and size.
Good luck figuring this out, bro.😉
I hear that many trees are repotted for exhibition--to a better quality, cleaner pot of aesthetically pleasing depth. Is it good to use a very shallow pot for long-term care? I have always said: Better a live tree in a deep pot than a dead tree in a shallow pot.
Bonsai grows in shallow pot are more likely to dry out. Water or soak to keep them moist.
You can also plant in bigger pot...still have to water, just less frequently..,.and then shake/scrape off excess to put into a smaller pot for show.
Your preference.
The key message is to never let it dry out.
The tradition of planting trees in shallow bowls comes from Japan. Due to the island's climate, it either rains or the humidity is very high, which makes watering much easier. Also, strictly according to tradition, bonsai is a time-consuming form of meditation comparable to training cats. In most other countries the environmental conditions are different and many do not have the time to devote exclusively to their bonsai collection, so it is usually necessary to plant the trees in deeper pots to keep them healthy. At exhibitions, it depends on whether the judge strictly adheres to the formal rules (among other things, the bowl must not be deeper than the trunk is thick and no longer than the tree is high), or whether he takes regional conditions into account.
Im on vacation right now, I am trusting my neighbour to water my trees, hopefully they are all still alive when i get home, I think they are getting rain so should be good
🤞
Has anyone tried LoRa WAN sensors to keep track of your bonsai soil moisture? Or something like Fyta Beam?
In terrariums, systems that control all parameters and can sometimes also be controlled remotely are widespread, but you have to test for a few weeks until you have set all the parameters and you know the system. I think if you only have a few trees close to the house (electricity and internet access) this can be quite useful. For larger collections or without a power connection, the costs and effort are out of all proportion to the benefits.
@@Jona-kb7mu I get the point regarding the infrastructure, but the one cost effectiveness not so much. Imagine having a expensive tree for hundreds or even a thousand plus dollars. Then the 100+ bucks for a moisture sensor seem like a good investment.
@@40KTTR You always have to decide on a case-by-case basis, depending on what goal you want to achieve. If you are fascinated by technology and want to maintain high-quality trees with little effort, automation is exactly the right thing for you. If you see bonsai as a form of meditation and engagement with nature, such a system feels wrong. These are different opinions, none of which are more right or wrong than the other. In my case, automatic watering is not worth it, my most expensive tree is worth around €100, I have around 30 trees all on a property without electricity or water connection. In addition, the time I spend with my trees and seeing their development are my main focus. But I also know that I could win a lot more prizes at exhibitions if I made my work easier, but that's not my goal. In short, it always depends on what your goal is.
@@Jona-kb7mu good points. All the best for you and your trees
What I do is I find thick moss growing in my nearby creek and put it on my bonsai and it traps a lot of moisture I did this on one tree and I got sick and didn’t water it for two days but when I came back it was still a little moist under the moss and it was in a very small pot
Couldn't be a hot spell.
Thanks for sharing your tips with the community! :)
What works very well for me is to wrap the trees in raw wool, which you can get for free from any shepherd. I put the small bowls in a large tub and fill them with the wool. For large bowls I wrap the fleece around the bowl, for deeper pots You can also use the wool as a drainage layer in the pot. Advantages: Moisture is retained for a long time, wool is a nitrogen-containing long-term fertilizer and even when wet there is still enough air to reach the roots. The only disadvantage is that you have to adjust the fertilizer.
I'd like to see some pictures of how those look like... seems to be brilliant idea! I'm very surprised and will probably use it.
@@mmmaddyxf With cascade pots you can simply put 1-2 cm of wool in the pot and then plant as usual. You often see the variant with the large bowl where you put the pots in (especially with care tips for mamebonsai), but most people use sand or peat moss. For large trees or when it is very hot and dry, I spread a thin layer of wool on a linen or jute cloth and wrap the pot in it.
Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks with the rest of our bonsai community!
@@Jona-kb7mu thanks so much for sharing! I'm already searching for wool!
@@mmmaddyxf It sounds like you're well on your way. I'm still looking for the shepherd!
Seems everyone quietly accepts that bonsai is antithetical to a love of travel or a vacation home. It’s like having small children who never grow up and leave the nest. At least you can travel with kids.
There is a will there's a way!
🙂
All you’re promoting is root rot. This work with same trees, but conifers/pines, maples ect will end up dying from fungal infections, root rot.
If you can’t keep tree in slim pots and you’ve been doing bonsai for 50 years then your methods aren’t very good. And if that tree is really 40 years old then it hasn’t been trained correctly because it should be a specimen tree by now.
Try it and you;'ll like it.
There wikll be no tee on earth if it rains continuously for two weeks!!!
@@MiltonChang-ee6rqabsolute nonsense. You give out more bad advice and information about on UA-cam bonsai it’s a joke.
Your Bonsai’s must be very beautiful, but your words are so ugly. I don’t understand why you’re attacking him for an art he loves too? We are all just doing our best with the skills we have and continue to develop because it gives us peace and a place in the natural order. It feeds the soul, but you have come to tear down? I just don’t understand what is broken in you, but wish you peace anyway.
@@danih7577 the guy gives out bad advice that will kill trees for 95% of people. End of story.
I gather that he lives in California up in the mountains where it is very dry and arid. One video he speaks about his lawn that he let grow wild because of the watering ban. In his environment I would bet the trays dry out every day and need refilled. In a more humid and or temperate environment, likely this would be a recipe for mold and rot. Do what works for you and maybe we can give each other enough leaway to do the same 😉👍
Thank you 🙏
You are welcome!