Do you water foliage? Or does it slow down the growth rate??

[matcha_bonsai]

In this video, Ryan says watering the foliage actually slows down the growing. Is that true?

5:45 mark... He says "foyer mass" but not sure if he means the leaves by that. What is the foyer mass?

I've been told to water the foliage to knock off insects and it can also help buds open... so kinda confused...

 

[0soyoung]

What you hear as 'foyer' must actually be foliar, meaning the leaves. The 'foliar mass' of a tree is all of its leaves.

A valid point I see is that most sprayed fungicides leave a residue that is activated to kill fungal spores when it rains. Sprinkling the foliage would do the same, but just like the rain, it also washes away the fungicide. So, if you just applied fungicide to a tree, you might want to avoid sprinkling the foliar mass.

I am skeptical about it adversely affecting growth, but I would agree that one should focus on putting the water in the substrate/pot instead of sprinkling the foliage - that is where the water is needed by the tree.

 

[TN_Jim]

In this video, Ryan says watering the foliage actually slows down the growing. Is that true?

5:45 mark... He says "foyer mass" but not sure if he means the leaves by that. What is the foyer mass?

I've been told to water the foliage to knock off insects and it can also help buds open... so kinda confused...

I saw that too and thought the same question.
He is saying foliar to describe leaves. In my region it is humid enough that if I watered my trees top to bottom, they would all succumb to some fungi pathogen.

Evergreens, Gymnosperm or dicot evergreen do not seem to care with wet leaves. Does it slow these down, haven’t noticed; however, Juniperus are the only leaves I soak or broadcast spray water onto. Otherwise, as a general rule I’ve been taught it best to never get any leaf wet unless it rains, yet I’ve seen people “cooling” a tree in summer.

It is very humid here and the roses spot easily.

 

[Mikecheck123]

I started doing it because of this Walter Pall quote. I think they do better when the entire tree is watered every day, but I don't have a scientific explanation.

I do not water individual trees, but areas, just like you might water your garden with a sprinkler system. When you water this way, water aggressively. This means everything becomes very wet, the whole tree from top to bottom. The water must run out of the draining holes. It is very good for the trees if the crown gets wet every day.

 

[matcha_bonsai]

Two reasons why I want to spray my leaves:

1.) I saw this Japanese video of a bonsai master spraying the leaves (lightly) in winter to help the buds come out.

2.) Spraying leaves to wash off insects.

But, I am curious WHY Ryan said that because he is very knowledgeable and I'm sure he has explained it in detail somewhere...?

 

[matcha_bonsai]

Oh, I watched the video again and at the end they say he only sprays the leaves of Satsuki azaleas. Maybe not other trees??

 

[Big Country Bonsai]

I think his reasoning is that the leaves can’t transpire as well if they “always” have no humidity differential from inside to outside the leaves. So the need to have water evaporate through their foliage in order to draw water through their vascular system and move nutrients - growth, etc. I’m my area I could water foliage every day and be fine. So I think it’s environment dependent.

 

[TN_Jim]

I understand the terminology of “spraying” to be different from watering..

Here’s an example of no foliage water or spray with chemicals on hornbeam today....assuming non-insect etc. pathogen..

My experience would be that wet leaves would cause this to be much more evident. Is this not fungal?...and probably should have been addressed before leaves emerged?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Keep in mind that this is a beginner series.
It's aimed at preventing beginners from ruining trees by watering the foliage too much.

Photosynthetic ability is lost when a lot of dry dust accumulates on the foliage. So hosing it down once in a while isn't bad. Doing it every day, or more than twice a day can leave the bark too wet, possibly introducing fungal issues, algal growth and washing out antibiotics or pesticides.
Apart from knocking off branches, causing salt buildup from evaporated water, and all those other things that could go wrong.

If you have to lay down absolute rules for beginners, I think it's better to play it too safe as opposed to leaving the beginner to fill in the gaps with their own sometimes twisted logic.

It's true that wet foliage evaporates less and (cold) water can close the stomata, causing reduced respiration. If there is a lot of wind and dry heat, the plant can cook itself when that happens. But it's a rare occurrence, usually the water on the foliage acts as a cooling agent itself. But if it does happen, and Ryan advised it, then he'll lose credibility as a teacher.
If his teaching is his main source of income, then I can imagine he's advising to not take any risks and go with the safest route.

 

[It's Kev]

I think it’s because some people will think that you water a tree only by misting the leaves.
I mist/spray/hose down mine once a week to clean the dust off if it doesn’t rain

 

[Arlithrien]

Diluted liquid kelp is an excellent fertilizer to spray your plants with. It promotes growth of foliage and is more easily absorbed through the leaves than the roots.it's called foliar feeding and best done at sunrise or sunset because wet leaves + sunlight means leaf scorch.

 

[Bayard]

Diluted liquid kelp is an excellent fertilizer to spray your plants with. It promotes growth of foliage and is more easily absorbed through the leaves than the roots.it's called foliar feeding and best done at sunrise or sunset because wet leaves + sunlight means leaf scorch.

I´m 100% sure that wet leaves on leafes don´t meen scorch though. The water will evaporate before the effect of a lens takes place and can do any harm.

 

[M. Frary]

Ryan says watering the foliage actually slows down the growing. Is that true

Hooey.

 

[rockm]

Diluted liquid kelp is an excellent fertilizer to spray your plants with. It promotes growth of foliage and is more easily absorbed through the leaves than the roots.it's called foliar feeding and best done at sunrise or sunset because wet leaves + sunlight means leaf scorch.

Wet leaves causing sun scorch is a myth, same as the myth that water droplets on leaves act as lenses that "burn" leaf tissue. If any of that were true, hardwood forests would have burst into flame worldwide long ago...

I have a big issues with watering leaves. If I did that around here, I'd get fungal problems on my trees in the summer humidity.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Wet leaves causing sun scorch is a myth, same as the myth that water droplets on leaves act as lenses that "burn" leaf tissue. If any of that were true, hardwood forests would have burst into flame worldwide long ago...

I have a big issues with watering leaves. If I did that around here, I'd get fungal problems on my trees in the summer humidity.

So it doesn’t rain where you live?

 

[Tieball]

I mist-clean, I would call it light water application, about twice a week. My trees do very well with regular showers. If I don’t have any rains for a period of time. I create simulated light rain. I've always believed that the regular misting to wet drip-off removes pollen and other pollutants that can accumulate and block health. Overall, the trees I have are much better, a healthier green, with the shower activities. I will notice a dull green color, a weak green, if there has not been rain or misting.

I don’t pay attention to everything promoted by others in vastly different climates...like Ryan....who makes broad sweeping comments based on his climate. Where he is situated it may be a humid area and added wetting could be a problem. I don’t have a high humidity climate...rather dry actually....normal middle ground climate....some humid days and some dry days. I read and listen, but act based on my experience. Like reading internet articles and posts...I translate to my climate and experience....and follow my experience. I like reading other opinions though...it challenges my experience. His objective is to create a following and culture of his preferences. I do what’s best for my growth.

 

[Anthony]

Down to a breezy, 45 % humidity at 90/3 deg.F
A light shower around 4.30 p.m in the evening, rejuvinates
and leaves the soil lightly moist/ receptive to watering in the
morning.
Just finished the weekly fertiliser 6 to 9 N ..............
No shower in the evening.
Good Day
Anthpny

 

[Joe Dupre']

I thouroughly wet down every tree every day of the growing season. I flood the pot until water runs out of the drain holes. I go back in a few minutes and the leaves have soaked up almost all of the water on them. Did Ryan ever hear of a "rainy season"? Happens in many places in the world. Trees have adapted to prolonged periods of rain. I go by results. I have several trees I collected 2 1/2 months ago that, at first glance, already have the "bonsai vibe". Not anywhere finished, mind you, but enough foyer mass to fool you for just a minute.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Ryan is a pretty savvy guy, I'm sure he has a good reason for his statement, and is not just spreading old recycled myths. There must have been some explanation or caveats to his statement. Personally I think it's a myth that foliar watering causes fungal growth. It's more humidity, season, and location dependent.

Personally, I give the foliage a good watering also when I water my plants. You can also argue for foliar feeding.

 

[matcha_bonsai]

Ryan is a pretty savvy guy, I'm sure he has a good reason for his statement, and is not just spreading old recycled myths. There must have been some explanation or caveats to his statement. Personally I think it's a myth that foliar watering causes fungal growth. It's more humidity, season, and location dependent.

I agree. I don't think Ryan said it just to get noobs like myself to focus more on watering the soil and not just the foliage.

Here in Japan, there is a big rainy season and it does get pretty humid in the summer. But, my bonsai are on the balcony and it's covered from the rain.