Unbelievably stupid move!

Anybody know how long roots can 'hold their breath'?
I would bet it is days, not minutes, especially in a bucket of 'fresh' (oxygenated) tap water.

Inside the tree, oxygen gets around by diffusion through the water in tissues. Oxygen gets into roots by diffusion through the film of water on the root surfaces. However, I don't have any idea what minimum required oxygenation level on the root surfaces to avoid anoxia. Anybody?
 
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just.wing.it said:
Has anyone ever done something as dumb as I just did???
I have been using the immersion watering technique lately....
Decided that the crape myrtle was in need of a good soaking....
.......
But it got more than a good soaking.....
I accidentally left it in the water overnight ! :eek::mad::( (my attention was diverted with a crying baby, then I simply forgot till morning....)
I think it'll be alright....I hope it be alright...
Can't be worse than a few days of steady rain, right?
I about slapped myself this morning when I realized.
Click to expand...


Quick answer, yes stupid is my M. O. Yes your Crepe will be fine. I have seen them growing just fine along the canal in San Antonio so I think they are good with that from time to time at least.
 
0soyoung said:
Anybody know how long roots can 'hold their breath'?
I would bet it is days, not minutes, especially in a bucket of 'fresh' (oxygenated) tap water.

Inside the tree, oxygen gets around by diffusion through the water in tissues. Oxygen gets into roots by diffusion through the film of water on the root surfaces. However, I don't have any idea what minimum required oxygenation level on the root surfaces to avoid anoxia. Anybody?
Click to expand...

Sounds like something you would look into... ;-)
 
I once had a really ugly 3-foot deep pond in my bonsai compound. I had a few trees around its edge and somehow a white cedar mysteriously ended up falling in the pond, sunk to the bottom and sat there upright fully submerged and undiscovered for a couple days--maybe even 3 days. I pulled it out and it looked fresh as a daisy--but then immediately died.
 
crust said:
I once had a really ugly 3-foot deep pond in my bonsai compound. I had a few trees around its edge and somehow a white cedar mysteriously ended up falling in the pond, sunk to the bottom and sat there upright fully submerged and undiscovered for a couple days--maybe even 3 days. I pulled it out and it looked fresh as a daisy--but then immediately died.
Click to expand...
Boy, way to kick the OP right in the Smoke Sack. ;)
 
Tree should be fine but Immersion watering is not ideal for many reasons... Spreads diseases, doesn't flush the stagnant air out of the soil as efficiently as a good full watering does, more time consuming to prep and do, wastes water.... I would just recommend that you stop doing it all together.
 
Vin said:
Boy, way to kick the OP right in the Smoke Sack. ;)
Click to expand...
Well, it was fully submerged, not just up to the pot, or lower trunk, but completely sunk over its top.
 
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crust said:
Well, it was fully submerged, not just up to the pot, or lower trunk, but completely sunk over its top.
Click to expand...
I have seen trees in nature submerged in flood waters and lose all their foliage as if they died. Sometimes they do come back. Of course, I realize you checked yours before calling it but I thought it was worth mentioning for others.
 
I put them in my aerated live wells of my boat.
 
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