How To Water Bonsai When On Vacation

There is no substitute to having a person water your bonsai.

How to water bonsai when on vacation. Put a layer of gravel or bricks on the bottom of the bath tub and place your plants on the bricks or. It s important that plants are not over watered. However use a mixture that retains more water by using more akadama or even potting compost when you cannot water your trees that regularly. Water plants while on vacation using water.

The soil mixture greatly influences how often trees need to be watered for most bonsai trees a mixture of akadama pumice and lava rock mixed together in a ratio of to to should be fine. Fill the plastic bottle with water and then quickly turn it over and plunge it into the first few inches of soil in the pot. Before you head out on vacation water your plant as normal. This simple method of watering your bonsai when you are off on short holidays could save you your bonsai and indeed your long bearing friends.

We don t recommend using a watering drip for several weeks at a time. Watering bonsai instructions should read something like keep evenly moist keep wet or allow to dry out a little between waterings. Place your plants in a bathtub. Two basic types of automated water timers.

Fill the bathtub with inch of water before adding the plant. You can purchase a vacation drip watering tool but these should only be used in the event a friend forgets to water your bonsai for a day or two. Be especially careful with succulent plants such as bonsai jade. I have yet to hear of a reliable way of watering indoor trees.

Another vacation option is to water your bonsai and then wrap a plastic bag around the pot and soil. Watering bonsai too much can be as big a problem as not enough. The bonsai dripper allows a slow trickle of water and never lets your bonsai accidentally dry out.