fredman
Masterpiece
Hell yeah. How else will you dig and play in the dirt.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
You, myself, and several thousand members can be hobbyists and there is nothing bad that can be said about it... Enjoy, and if you are keeping things alive in pots, do as you do and be happy - many of those thousands have some troubles and there are at least 2 species I cannot
Grimmy
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
This will sound a little corny but... once you get used to looking at your trees, you can tell when they need water. I can tell when my trees are "sad" or "happy" based on their overall appearance of strength and health. Pines are hardest, because they lag between cause and effect, but even pines will droop a little when they are dry.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
I've got a great water meter for you. Takes 30 seconds for the probe to work each time you use it
Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
I get mixed readings with my probe. It's just about useless with inorganic soil. I'd like to find a better one.I've got a great water meter for you. Takes 30 seconds for the probe to work each time you use it
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
I can tell if something is moist or not just by sticking my finger in it.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Dalmat
Shohin
And about chopstick, if you have a tree repotted with some original soil from nursery left there, it is a difference when you put the chopstick near the base of tree or more toward the edge of the pot. It will not show the same, so you can not water "like crazy" because you use inorganic supstrate.
When you repeatedly poke a stick into soil which occupies space such as a bonsai pot you disturb that area and make that soil volume useless so that no roots will ever grow there and you can even do damage to roots this way. There are less destructive methods out there to understand how to water any plant when you know what it prefers in that location. The chopstick is not a valid method by the fact that wood degrades in the presence of moisture(what you're testing for) so as time passes the chopstick will naturally hold more water and continue to rot and change color. You can circumvent this slightly if you decided to buy chopsticks more frequently and poke your tree's soil more often. If you have lots of trees you're going to need lots of chopsticks. I think it is better to touch the soil if you're not sure, and pay attention to weather and time of year. There are more factors such as how the sun is hitting the soil and pot. Factors like size and depth of pot as well as color will influence how often you need to water.
jeremy_norbury
Omono
I have completely inorganic soil so I can water them all everyday. So I do.
Akadama and kitty litter both change colour noticeably when they are dry...so I keep an eye on that too.
Akadama and kitty litter both change colour noticeably when they are dry...so I keep an eye on that too.
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
I use a lot of organics in my mix's. a finger test is usually sufficient.
Exactly. With the litter, they change colours with the granules and easy to use a finger too.
I think I just started using sticks cos it was a more beginner method and I didn't want to feel like I was jumping the gun on learning.
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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That's how I roll, too. Fwiw, with the summer heat here plus high humidity, several of my trees will enter a semi-dormancy and not need to be watered every day. Seems counter intuitive to need less water in August then you would in April, but it's true...
jeremy_norbury
Omono
I read that a good few times too, I've not reached quite that stage yet
That's what I thought.
That's a massive load of trees.. amazing view. Really, amazing little video. Just the sheer collection, different colours, sizes, shapes, pots.. really great collection. I'm in utter awe of that. That pink maple stands out big time, very gorgeous. I'd love to see more of that, if you've a thread or collection of pics?
And yes it's certainly a good thing you don't need chopsticks! Lol
Link in my signature...below....
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
After my experience last year with using a spinkler, I'm leaning with not using chop sticks now. I adjust the watering schedule with the season.
Spring and fall, water every other day with spinkler.
Summer, water every day with spinkler.
Winter trees in garage, water by hand when needed. Trees in coldframe, water with hose when needed or open coldframe when it rains or snows.
Spring and fall, water every other day with spinkler.
Summer, water every day with spinkler.
Winter trees in garage, water by hand when needed. Trees in coldframe, water with hose when needed or open coldframe when it rains or snows.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
No chop stick.
Chop Trunk.
Ramrod!
Seriously....
Bossnut got it right.
Soil is usually one of the first things we figure for ourselves, hence, all the soil threads....
I think by year 3, you have figured out your "soil", but that soil reacts differently when the trees are actually growing rather than dying from hackfest, and that takes another 2 or three years...
But yes....within that time you you pretty much figure out how to water the rest of the trees you acquire in different soil types just with a soul feeling.
There are times when you will sit at work hearing the wind blow, and(maybe not in the UK) feel the sun's heat, and you will know, shit, my "x" is going to need watering when I get home.
Haha haha.....
With your shit weather a chopstick won't dry out if you wave it around in the air for 2 days straight!
Your weather is so shitty, I couldn't keep a chopstick around or I'd want to poke myself in the eye!
Your weather is so shitty just DON'T water....Ever!
Your weather is so shitty trees don't grow leaves they grow sponges.
Your weather is so shitty, Darlene started a thread about how you'se repot before bud break, cuz it doesn't matter since the sun never comes out anyway!
Your weather so shitty, you should make a star shape out of chopsticks and hang it in the yard, light it on fire and pretend!
Your weather is so shitty, Vin was black before his vacation there.
Love ya Dashman!
I look forward to your growing season!
I can Not wait for you to be able to relax and get some enjoyment out of this thing!
Sorce
Chop Trunk.
Ramrod!
Seriously....
Bossnut got it right.
Soil is usually one of the first things we figure for ourselves, hence, all the soil threads....
I think by year 3, you have figured out your "soil", but that soil reacts differently when the trees are actually growing rather than dying from hackfest, and that takes another 2 or three years...
But yes....within that time you you pretty much figure out how to water the rest of the trees you acquire in different soil types just with a soul feeling.
There are times when you will sit at work hearing the wind blow, and(maybe not in the UK) feel the sun's heat, and you will know, shit, my "x" is going to need watering when I get home.
Haha haha.....
With your shit weather a chopstick won't dry out if you wave it around in the air for 2 days straight!
Your weather is so shitty, I couldn't keep a chopstick around or I'd want to poke myself in the eye!
Your weather is so shitty just DON'T water....Ever!
Your weather is so shitty trees don't grow leaves they grow sponges.
Your weather is so shitty, Darlene started a thread about how you'se repot before bud break, cuz it doesn't matter since the sun never comes out anyway!
Your weather so shitty, you should make a star shape out of chopsticks and hang it in the yard, light it on fire and pretend!
Your weather is so shitty, Vin was black before his vacation there.
Love ya Dashman!
I look forward to your growing season!
I can Not wait for you to be able to relax and get some enjoyment out of this thing!
Sorce
Victorim
Omono
Hay!! Last July we had three straight days without wellies and raincoats..
BunjaeKorea
Omono
Walter is right water away
Plus Korean chopsticks are metal so that wouldnt work herelol
Plus Korean chopsticks are metal so that wouldnt work herelol
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
Our soil is as you know, is 1/3 [ volume ] or less organic to 2/3 or so inorganic [ and at times part of the inorganic is able to absorb water.]
Never used chopsticks.
Just know your trees.
Additionally, if you use oil seed meal fertiliser, you are not completely inorganic, you will make compost and then later
humus as the natural glues take over, and soil inhabitants build up.
So you are just fooling yourself ----------- ha ha ha.
Conor with daily observance of your trees, will come experience. [ 3 to 5 years to master the Horticulture if done on a daily basis ]
Now let's have a rousing discussion of why one should bare root established plants as your akadama goes to very pottery
usable clay.
I dislike extra work for no reason.
Good Day
Anthony
Never used chopsticks.
Just know your trees.
Additionally, if you use oil seed meal fertiliser, you are not completely inorganic, you will make compost and then later
humus as the natural glues take over, and soil inhabitants build up.
So you are just fooling yourself ----------- ha ha ha.
Conor with daily observance of your trees, will come experience. [ 3 to 5 years to master the Horticulture if done on a daily basis ]
Now let's have a rousing discussion of why one should bare root established plants as your akadama goes to very pottery
usable clay.
I dislike extra work for no reason.
Good Day
Anthony
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