Summer heat preparation...I mulched my potted trees!

[Poink88]

I am new and have been reading about heat related damage to plants, not to mention super fast drying of the soil/substrate.

I thought of mulching my pre-bonsai plants since most are in dish pans right now and watched it for 2 weeks. WOW, what a difference! I used to water daily (late afternoon) and some are already showing signs of wilting before I can get to them. Now, I can water every other day and the soil are still moist. I used pine bark that I have lying around and it seems to work really well. If anything, I might have to reduce some of the mulch to avoid too slow drying or water some of them once every 3 days! Of course the soil feel much cooler now too.

 

[bougie nights]

We had a mini-drought in what is usually an overly wet region during the spring. I heeled some pots into my garden because I couldn't keep up.

 

[milehigh_7]

One big thing that is easy to forget is reflected heat from walls and sidewalks. It is a killer.

 

[Poink88]

Clyde,

Good to know. Thanks! Luckily, I have none of that. My backyard is north facing so my walls actually provide shade. My neighbor's wall to the north is at least 30 feet away from my closest trees and no sidewalks near either.

 

[davetree]

We have some very hot days here in MN, believe it or not. Mulch is good, but it stays in the pot and changes your soil. OK for prebonsai, but for your more finished trees not so good. Damp towels on top of the soil can cool them down. I have found that placing a small board in front of the pot will keep the ceramic much cooler. ( I have lots of broken 1x12 pine boards from Tae Kwon Do class.) I think the problem of the pot heating up is just as important as the soil.

 

[rockm]

"We have some very hot days here in MN, believe it or not."

Nah, you don't "Texas hot" and "Southern Hot" are two temperature levels in hell...just above "boil," "fry," and "complete damnation."

What you have in Minnesota is two or three hot days above 90 in a row. Not 30 or 40 0r, God Forbid, 60....

 

[Poink88]

"We have some very hot days here in MN, believe it or not."

Nah, you don't "Texas hot" and "Southern Hot" are two temperature levels in hell...just above "boil," "fry," and "complete damnation."

What you have in Minnesota is two or three hot days above 90 in a row. Not 30 or 40 0r, God Forbid, 60....

LOL and crying because it is the truth. Last year we had straight 100+ degrees for weeks...almost 2 months all in all with a few high 90's break.

 

[milehigh_7]

Don't even get me started, it was 90+ at 2AM this morning...

 

[rockm]

Yeah, but it's a DRY heat...

At least you don't have to put up much with tornadoes and hail. That's what we're getting here today. Both can really screw up bonsai or send them to Oz.

 

[Bill S]

Saw some news on that rockm, keep the head down.

I would undo some of them to put them all on a similar schedule, so you don't inadvertantly miss one or two. Did you cover the soil or just around the pots?