What strategies do you use when you go away?

[Dr3z]

Bonsai need a lot of attention and a moments neglect can undo years of care. The fast draining soils we use particularly seem to have very little wiggle room when it comes to the risk of drying out during summer months.

It's the norm for me to go away, especially in the summer, for a week or weekend and during this time of year when trees benefit from multiple watering a day I particularly worry.

What strategies do you guys employ to minimize the risk. Do you move trees to shaded areas or even inside? Are there other moisture retaining strategies you use? Automation?

 

[WavyGaby]

I use automatic sprinklers. It covers about 90% of my plants. Not perfect so I still have to supplement. However, you could get the sprinklers situated to work for your out if town needs.
Lowes has kits that are really easy to use and install. The timer takes some research to get one that is suitable for 2 or 3 watering a day, daily, if needed.

 

[cishepard]

I have too many pets to worry about (koi pond, indoor aquariums and dogs if they arent coming with me) in addition to the vegetable and bonsai garden, so I use this service to find help to stay at my home:

https://www.housecarers.com/advanced-find-housesitters.cfm

People come for free, because they desire accommodation for various reasons and easy to find ones who love taking care of pets and gardens. Many are bonded, with good references. I have had great success with short term carers (up to 10 days) with no issues. I do write up detailed instruction sheets and call daily to check in.
As an example, one lady who has come a few times is a retired widow who sold her house and bought a RV and travels all over the US and Canada from housesitting job to housesitting job. She seeks out homes with dogs and gardens in particular.
Honestly, I would trust a person like this over a neighbour or relative who would be coming to quickly get their commitment over with and get back to the own life.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Supervision is the key.

 

[penumbra]

What is this going away thing of which you speak?

 

[Carol 83]

One year I had my son water, bad idea. The last few years I've had a neighbor/friend do it. Last year I came home to a few plants that were on the verge of kicking it. I think she is getting tired of it, even though I bring her nice gifts. Everything on the south side can be watered by hose but the azaleas and things on the east side have to be hand watered with a watering can. Not sure what I'll do this year But for the first time since 2019 we are getting more than 1 state away and we are going!!

 

[Mikecheck123]

What is this going away thing of which you speak?

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.

 

[Scorpius]

What is this going away thing of which you speak?

It's been YEARS for me since I've "gone away" for vacation. I love my home. Last time I had a week off I think I left the property once. lol.

 

[Godschick]

Well up until last year I didn’t have bonsai, just indoor\outdoor plants and a few things in the garden. I usually just had a friend or neighbor come over and water and I’ve had pretty good luck with that. But now that I have bonsai and this ups what’s at stake. I went away for two days last weekend and I put a couple of them inside while I was gone, especially the more heat sensitive ones. I myself have a side business that I have done for a few years offering house/pet sitting, including plant/yard/tree care. So there are definitely people out there who will do this for you, it’s just finding someone you can trust.

 

[Backwardsvg]

I have heard these are quite good. Not super expensive. Haven’t tried them but maybe I will as this summer things are picking up.

Ace HydroLogic Programmable 2 Zone Digital Water Timer - Ace Hardware

Keep your lawn healthy and the garden green with a 2-Zone HydroLogic Digital Timer. Water when you want by selecting up to four independent start times on each valve. Water on specific days of the week or every few days, depending on your plant's needs. Avoid wasting water when it rains with the...

www.acehardware.com

 

[Shibui]

Well planned and reliable watering system is my first choice. If you plan to go away regularly it is well worth the time and expense.

Unless plant sitters really know about potted plants they can be notoriously unreliable just because they are not in the habit of watering PROPERLY EVERY day. So many bonsai growers have disaster stories about son/aunt/neighbour. Checking in each day you are away may help.

For occasional short absences pots can be in a tub of water. Plants do not drown or develop root rot in a few days. That takes months of chronic overwatering. 2-4 days in a tub won't hurt. No need to completely submerge the pots. Just check how fast the water in a specific tub evaporates at that time of year, multiply by the days you'll be gone then add a safety margin for particularly hot days.

Moving trees indoors or to a dark location can extend time between water. Trees in the dark use far less water. No sun or hot wind means less evaporation so trees can go 2-4 times as long between watering. I can post trees that require daily watering on the benches and they arrive healthy after up to a week in a dark box.

I would only use those last 2 methods for very occasional absence. Both will put the trees under some stress. Too often or too long could cause further problems.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Plan vacations for warm location in Fall/Winter/early Spring. IF allowed to leave Canada by dictator trudeau.

 

[Paradox]

Orbit timer and hose with sprinkler.
As long as the batteries are good and the sprinklers are functioning properly (easily checked prior to leaving by setting up the week before and testing) it's the most reliable system imo.

Also, it does not impose on a friend/neighbor to commit 1+ hour a day after a hard work day and strain relationships.

 

[Eric Group]

I went away for just like 2 1/2 days last week, figured my girlfriend could ten my trees fine for such a short trip. Got stuck in Indy for an extra days due to flight issues, that extra day was the HOTTEST WE HAVE HAD ALL YEAR! Came home to a few crispy critters. Mostly it was some azaleas and a few Maples that got crunchy.. I hope they will all come back but most my trees that were wilty perked right up after I watered. Some did not… I am going out of town this weekend but there is rain in the forecast for part of the time and the temps will be 10-15 degrees cooler so I think it will be OK if she handles it this time. Still think Ima ask a friend of neighbor to check in on them for me as well.

 

[Joe Dupre']

When I had 30 trees, I would just stand four 2x4's on edge in a rectangle and drape a tarp over them, making a shallow pool. I set the plants in 3 inches of water and left them for a week. Some got raised on wood blocks. None gave the slightest hint of stress. The oaks absolutely LOVED it. I now use a battery operated timer and a simple single sprinkler and congregate all 70 trees under it.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I agree with Potowatami about timing...

I also agree that while sprinklers could definitely work...

Experienced, trusted caretaker is best.

So a combination of "Fall Travel" and "Plant Person"-caretaker is what I use.

I have many plants.. and NORMALLY cannot leave for more than 10ish hours.

And that's JUST FINE with me.

 

[HorseloverFat]

What is this going away thing of which you speak?

Don't worry! I'll bring the "party" TO you, come fall.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I made an instructional video for my dad and my sister.
It shows the watering wand from my point of view and I've incorporated "seconds to water" per spot.
Before I left I grouped all my conifers together and all my deciduous in a separate group. That makes it easier.

 

[ShadyStump]

I have the same issue with being gone days at a time, and finding reliable care while I'm gone, as well as doing it all on a budget.
I've put cypress mulch on top of the soil of all my trees that are in 100% inorganic mix (yes, I'm FINALLY trying this despite my grave concerns about the thread topic) and that has cut my watering down to once a day for those so far. We'll see what the height of summer and 90+ F temps does.
I set up one of these a couple weeks ago...

Melnor Sunrise 1 Zone Water Timer - Ace Hardware

This timer is very simple to operate. Set the amount of time you want to water and it turns on when the sun comes up. No clocks to set, no programming required.Find the SUNRISE WATER TIMER at Ace.

www.acehardware.com

on a sprinkler for the vegetable garden, and gathered my trees around that, and a splitter with another line to soaker hoses for the flower beds and herb garden.
All I've done is test it out a couple days so far- haven't been able to get away yet since the weather got warm- but so far I just need to tweak the time, water pressure and pot placement to make it work out well.
And see about that leak when the spigot is on. That's costing allot of money on its own.
The goal is to be able to spend 5+ days away with only someone to check in and make sure this ghetto system is still running once or twice over the whole time.

 

[Maiden69]

I have a 4 zone each with 4 different start time automatic timer. Right now I am only running 2 zones, but I plan to add a third one soon once it gets hotter to run a mist sprayer system to cool down the area and add a little extra humidity. I use Primerus Spot-Spitters on most of my trees, a few mini sprinklers, and I just bought a roll of 1/4" soaker hose to add to some of my bed growing trees. I love the Primerus system where you don't need adapters to run the line to the spitters, just make a hole in the 1/2" line with their 1/8" punch and push the line in.

I added a sediment filter before the timer and there is a vacuum breaker at the beginning of each zone. I also added a few vacuum relief valves from DIG in both zones to help the air out on start ups.