First Season, Bonsai Bench Placement Advice

[MiniSempervirens]

Thanks for all the tips! Posting an update here for documentation's sake. I decided to move the bench, taking it from 2 hours of direct sunlight to closer to 3-5 (need to time it more precisely to know for sure). It's only been a little over a week and the plants are already responding amazingly. I may even gradually move it further left which should add a bit more sunlight. I got a temporary shade cloth to try and avoid them getting scorched from the sudden change, but we had a bout of overcast weather which seems to have helped ease them into it. Also, if the boxwood and sequoias don't take well to all the extra sun, I can rig up a vertical shade cloth in the center of the bench to filter out some of the late afternoon sun for them.

I've also just ordered a new watering can with a bit of a softer spout and a higher capacity so I can do it in one trip. @Bonsai Forest , your picture makes me want to urge my wife to start doing rain collecting. She got into composting this year and was going to set up a water system, hoping all her hobbies are synergistic with mine haha.

 

[BrightsideB]

Thanks for all the tips! Posting an update here for documentation's sake. I decided to move the bench, taking it from 2 hours of direct sunlight to closer to 3-5 (need to time it more precisely to know for sure). It's only been a little over a week and the plants are already responding amazingly. I may even gradually move it further left which should add a bit more sunlight. I got a temporary shade cloth to try and avoid them getting scorched from the sudden change, but we had a bout of overcast weather which seems to have helped ease them into it. Also, if the boxwood and sequoias don't take well to all the extra sun, I can rig up a vertical shade cloth in the center of the bench to filter out some of the late afternoon sun for them.

I've also just ordered a new watering can with a bit of a softer spout and a higher capacity so I can do it in one trip. @Bonsai Forest , your picture makes me want to urge my wife to start doing rain collecting. She got into composting this year and was going to set up a water system, hoping all her hobbies are synergistic with mine haha.

View attachment 546153

Good start. If the tree’s decline due to lack of direct sun it will be slower so you can make the right accommodations. It’s really a learning experience. I have my conifers in a sunnier location than I do most my deciduous. The ones in the shallower bonsai pot will probably need more water than the larger ones. Something to pay attention to.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

Thanks for all the tips! Posting an update here for documentation's sake. I decided to move the bench, taking it from 2 hours of direct sunlight to closer to 3-5 (need to time it more precisely to know for sure). It's only been a little over a week and the plants are already responding amazingly. I may even gradually move it further left which should add a bit more sunlight. I got a temporary shade cloth to try and avoid them getting scorched from the sudden change, but we had a bout of overcast weather which seems to have helped ease them into it. Also, if the boxwood and sequoias don't take well to all the extra sun, I can rig up a vertical shade cloth in the center of the bench to filter out some of the late afternoon sun for them.

I've also just ordered a new watering can with a bit of a softer spout and a higher capacity so I can do it in one trip. @Bonsai Forest , your picture makes me want to urge my wife to start doing rain collecting. She got into composting this year and was going to set up a water system, hoping all her hobbies are synergistic with mine haha.

View attachment 546153

Now just get your wife into ceramics and you will be cooking with gas.

 

[Wood]

2 hours of direct sunlight to closer to 3-5 (need to time it more precisely to know for sure)

I found the Sun Seeker app to be invaluable for this: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sun-seeker-tracker-surveyor/id330247123

It gives uses your camera to demonstrate the path of the sun wherever you're standing at different points of the year. You can simultaneously find out your exposure of summer and winter solstice. I don't know if there's an Android version of it, but there's probably something similar

 

[Paradox]

I found the Sun Seeker app to be invaluable for this: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sun-seeker-tracker-surveyor/id330247123

It gives uses your camera to demonstrate the path of the sun wherever you're standing at different points of the year. You can simultaneously find out your exposure of summer and winter solstice. I don't know if there's an Android version of it, but there's probably something similar

There is an android app on the Google play store

 

[MiniSempervirens]

I found the Sun Seeker app to be invaluable for this: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sun-seeker-tracker-surveyor/id330247123

It gives uses your camera to demonstrate the path of the sun wherever you're standing at different points of the year. You can simultaneously find out your exposure of summer and winter solstice. I don't know if there's an Android version of it, but there's probably something similar

There is an android one it seems. Tho $10... I think I found a free one, but this could be really great for experimenting with when and for how long the sun will be hitting my bench during different times of year. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Paradox]

There is an android one it seems. Tho $10... I think I found a free one, but this could be really great for experimenting with when and for how long the sun will be hitting my bench during different times of year. Thanks for the suggestion!

Yea 3 day free trial then they want to charge you $12 a month. F That...Uninstall

Ill do it the old fashioned way: map of the back yard on paper, number the benches, check hourly and recored the sun/shade position on the benches like I've done in the past when I needed to figure it out