On Vacation, How Long Can Overwatering Be Done?

[AboveBeyond]

I"m going to be gone for 7 days and wanted to know if over-watering for that duration will be a problem. Thanks.

 

[jkd2572]

I have watered twice a day with a mist system for that long on vacation many of times. Usually during the summer. I have well draining soil. And it's very hot here. 90 plus. Usually I come back and the growth is unbelievable. My problem is if the auto system failed for mor than a day I would come home to a lot of dead trees. The only problem I have ever had was... I bunch all the trees together when I'm gone and the last time I came back home they all had aphids real bad. I had to chemically bomb them for weeks..... I will treat the hole family with chemicals before I leave next time.

 

[linlaoboo]

What's your plan? 7 days isn't that long. last time I took a vacation for that long, I put all mine in saucers with water that comes up 2 or 3 inches which buys me 3 to 4 days I figure since it was Spring time so it wasn't that hot. I also have buckets of water with strips of cotton cloth going from the bucket to each pot so the soils never dried up. It's risky but they all lived fine. If I'm going away for longer think about doing an auto sprinker system.

 

[edprocoat]

This is timely, my uncle just passed away and I am going to his funeral this weekend. I plan on leaving my Bonsai in the tub with about 2 inches of water in it for 4 days until I get back. I hope that it will not be too much, I know my 5 tropicals will be as happy as a pig in mud, but I am worried about my junipers, my catlin elm forest and my Hokkaido elm. I am thinking that the water would be better than leaving them dry for 4 days.

ed

 

[tmmason10]

I would think you'll be ok as long as some thunderstorms come through the area. I feel like my trees have been watered nearly every night. You can always drop the important ones off at NE Bonsai as well.

 

[Dav4]

For short periods away, say 5 days or less, I've taken all my trees and placed them in shade, mulched them heavily and watered them in...worked great in SE MA. I've used timers hooked up to sprinklers as wel. Recently, I've paid for someone to water them by hand daily. lI'd be careful leaving trees in tubs of water for extended periods of time.

 

[AboveBeyond]

What's your plan? 7 days isn't that long. last time I took a vacation for that long, I put all mine in saucers with water that comes up 2 or 3 inches which buys me 3 to 4 days I figure since it was Spring time so it wasn't that hot. I also have buckets of water with strips of cotton cloth going from the bucket to each pot so the soils never dried up. It's risky but they all lived fine. If I'm going away for longer think about doing an auto sprinker system.

I'm going to have someone water daily and every other day for some trees (eg pines).

On a side note, I'm going to have a 6 hour layover in LA and plan on visiting House of Bonsai. Hopefully they can ship back to Boston for the trees I buy.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

While on vacation for 10 days.... we used timers to water the heck out of the trees (2 sprinklers for 1hr each..... twice a day) .... we had a bonsai friend who lives near by come water the shohin each day and check to make sure the sprinklers were working .....

the main reason we were not concerned about over watering was simply the soil we use .... it only hold "so much" moisture .... good bonsai soil should help with reducing the impact of watering (this was also in June ... so heavy growth time)

 

[HotAction]

Everyone should stop reading this immediately, and go buy a micro irrigation system. For around $100 you can sleep safe and sound. I am super lazy, and this was super easy. Go to lowes dot com, search your local stores for Mr. Landscaper products. For $30 you will have a start from which you won't look back. If you want more advice, pm me and I will try to help.

Dave

 

[Bill S]

Even Home Depot has the stuff, last weekend it was on an end aisle.

I have had my wife and neighbor water for me,waht I did was to have them intentionally overwater.

One reason I don't do the auto thing is I like the 30 to 40 minutes I spend with them in the mornings. A cup of fresh brewed Starbucks in one hand, the hose nozzle in the other.

One day of underwater and some dry out and don't take on water well after that, so overwatering is safer. A week wouldn't be a big deal, we have had rain here where I haven't watered bonsai for upwards of 2-3 weeks, sometimes during that they will be wet the whole time.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

One reason I don't do the auto thing is I like the 30 to 40 minutes I spend with them in the mornings. A cup of fresh brewed Starbucks in one hand, the hose nozzle in the other.

Priceless...about my favorite time of the day too, except unfortunately, it's like 10 minutes!

 

[jkd2572]

Go to dripworks.com. I have a vacation setup I created for less than 100. I use sprayer heads that I stick in the pots. Works great. I would use it all the time but it's a bit unsightly for me. If you really want to be lazy just put all your trees together on the ground and set up a normal lawn sprinkler on a timer.

 

[edprocoat]

I was going to buy a sprinkler hose and attach it around my bench with the sprinkler holes pointing up and hook it up to an electric timer. I could have got the whole setup for $50.00 at Home Depot and the timer could be programmed to water up to hourly for 1 to 60 minutes duration. I was thinking of setting it to water at 8:00 am for 20 minutes and again at 4:00 pm for 20 minutes. But as bill said I enjoy watering my plants, almost as much as working on them. I was only going to use it for times like this weekend when I would be gone for a few days, then I got busy and forgot about it. I will most likely get it when I return just for emergencies.

ed

 

[tmmason10]

Priceless...about my favorite time of the day too, except unfortunately, it's like 10 minutes!

Ya I was about to say the same. I have to use a watering can because the apartment doesn't have a spigot. Helps me keep my collection small!

 

[jkd2572]

I always test my system a full weak before I leave town in case it does not cover. I also set it for twice a day incase the wind is blowing my misters of target.

 

[edprocoat]

I always test my system a full weak before I leave town in case it does not cover. I also set it for twice a day incase the wind is blowing my misters of target.

You know I never thought of that ! Makes sense with a good wind the water could be blown away from some or all the plants and here in Ohio we get wind almost as bad as Texas.

ed

 

[Bill S]

Good point Jeremy, kind of like waiting for a power outage to test the generator.

 

[jkd2572]

Yes I have one go off at 5:00pm when it's the hottest and 5am when there is the least wind. One other thing. I have used the cheap timer and sprinkler method before. Glad I tested it. Some days the city water pressure is stronger than others. If you set it up on the strong pressure day. It might not cover on week days. Happened to me. I fixed that problem by buying a pressure regulator/inline filter from drip works. Cost $10. That allowed me to have my faucet on full blast, but what goes into the sprinkler or misters is always the same.

 

[cmeg1]

In deborah Koreschoff's book,I read that plant roots can take about 9 days' of saturated condotions(100%) moisture before feeder roots start to collapse.Chan reccomends to always keep soil of Elms moist rather than letting the surface dry slightly.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

A cup of fresh brewed Starbucks in one hand, the hose nozzle in the other.

We gotta do something about the coffee you drink tho.... *ick*