Bonsai watering

You might hear or read somewhere: “Watering helps the plant grow, so if you water the bonsai rarely, it won’t grow large, and we’ll achieve the desired result more easily.” This is absolutely a wrong idea. If you don’t water the bonsai properly, the plant will be weak and unattractive, and due to the lack of water, it may even dry out completely. Bonsai requires regular and diligent watering. To achieve its miniature size, other methods are necessary. Plant growth and development are constantly dependent on water. Water is absorbed from the soil through the roots. Then, the water is supplied to the plant’s body, branches, and evaporates into the atmosphere through the leaves. This process allows the plant to distribute the necessary nutrients absorbed from the soil in all directions. The plant cannot absorb nutrients from the soil in a dry state. Therefore, when there is no moisture near the roots, the movement of water in the tree and the supply of nutrients stop.

In nature, the plant's roots grow deep into the soil. If, for some period, rain doesn't fall, the plant can still get the water and nutrients it needs with the help of its deeply embedded roots. In container conditions, bonsai has no way to regulate the growth of its roots in the needed direction. The soil in the container is very limited, which makes the bonsai even more dependent on watering compared to a tree growing in nature.

Bonsai watering is not as easy as it might initially seem to a person. It may happen that even a few trees get ruined before you realize that improper watering was the cause of their drying out. In Japan, it is even said that a beginner enthusiast needs at least 3 years to figure out how to water a bonsai properly. It is also worth noting that on hot summer days, the movement of water and its evaporation through the leaves regulates the plant's temperature and protects it from overheating. As long as the soil is moist, the plant can continue to develop normally even under very high temperatures. In the case of water shortage, "burn" spots appear on the leaves and branches, which ultimately become the cause of the plant drying out.

Watering quantity and frequency

Bonsai watering frequency depends on environmental conditions, the soil in the container, and the plant species itself. Bonsai needs watering not at strictly defined intervals, but based on its requirements. For example, late spring and summer watering may not be sufficient once a day. There is also a misconception that watering when the plant is exposed to direct sunlight is harmful. In summer, during sunny days, watering bonsai may sometimes even be necessary. Therefore, avoid creating a schedule like this: "Bonsai must be watered once a day in the evening."

Some plant species require the soil to remain constantly moist, while others need less moisture. However, complete drying of the soil is often the cause of the plant's drying out. Be sure to check the condition of the soil every day and water when necessary. There are several simple signs to detect soil dryness: when the soil starts to dry, its surface changes color; the dry soil surface feels harder; if the bonsai has been planted in the container for a few months, you can also determine the need for watering by picking it up. There is a noticeable difference in weight as well, dry soil is significantly lighter. Some experts recommend using a moisture meter, but in my opinion, it's not necessary.

The first sign of delayed watering in deciduous trees is the dropping of leaves and newly sprouted shoots. Improper watering is more difficult to notice in coniferous trees. While a few hours' delay in watering deciduous trees can cause leaf drop, it may take up to a week before you realize that you have been insufficiently watering the tree regularly in coniferous trees.

For watering bonsai, a special, small watering can is used, from which the water flows slowly. If a large amount of water is poured all at once, the surface of the soil will be washed away, creating irregular depressions, and fine roots will appear on the surface, which will eventually dry out. This significantly detracts from the overall appearance of the plant, not to mention the damage that drying out of the fine roots may cause to the plant.

The best option for watering is to use rain, spring, or lake water. However, if you have a quite large collection of plants, it can be difficult to stock up. Therefore, use regular tap water. The negative aspect of tap water is its chlorine content and high levels of salts. After regular watering with such water, the surface roots and the edges of the container become covered with a white crust. Therefore, you will need to periodically remove this crust.

   მიაქციეთ ყურადღება,თუ  წყლის დიდი რაოდენობა ზედაპირიდან კონტეინერის გარეთ იღვრება, ასეთ შემთხვევაში დაასხით წყალი ნელ-ნელა, იმ რაოდენობით რომ ზედაპირიდან არ გადმოვიდეს, დაელოდეთ სანამ მიწაში გაიჟონება და ისევ დაამატეთ, მორწყვის შემდეგ წყალი უნდა გამოვიდეს სადრენაჟე ხვრელებიდან, რადგან შეიძლება, რომ მხოლოდ ზედაპირი დასველდეს, სიღრმეში კი მიწა მშრალი დარჩეს. ანუ დარწმუნდებით, რომ მიწა კონტეინერში მთლიანად დასველდა.  კარგად დასველებული მიწის ნიშანი კი სწორედ წყლის გამოდინებაა სადრენაჟე ხვრელიდან.

    Let's assume that the soil in the container has completely dried out. If you observe closely in such a case, you will notice that an open space forms between the container and the soil. If we water the bonsai in this condition, a large amount of water will flow directly through the gap and out of the drainage holes.

In such cases, it is better to use the same method we use for the first watering after repotting the bonsai. Place the plant in a large container, pour water up to the edge of the container, and when the soil surface becomes moist, remove it. The excess water will drain out from the drainage holes. However, do not use this method regularly.

In spring and summer, plants require more water than in late autumn or winter. In winter, you can water the plant only once a month during the whole season (do not water the bonsai during freezing periods). It is also important to know at what time of day to water the bonsai. In late spring and summer, when the temperature is high, it is desirable to water in such a way that the soil in the container stays moist overnight. Water in the evening. If you water only in the morning or at noon, the soil will dry out quickly, and in fact, the plant will be in dry soil throughout the night. In autumn, when the sun is no longer as hot, you can water the bonsai at any time of the day.

As for overwatering, when the soil is constantly wet around the roots, the amount of oxygen in the soil decreases. This leads to the deterioration of fine roots. The damaged roots begin to rot, and if this process is not stopped, a large part of the root system will gradually rot. As a result, the tree weakens, and if the situation is not corrected, it will die. Therefore, when watering your bonsai well, allow the soil to dry out slowly, and only then water it again.

Excessive wetting of the soil in the container can also be caused by continuous rainfall. Even a week of uninterrupted rain will not be harmful to the plant. The danger arises when the soil in the container is constantly saturated with water throughout the entire season. There is another mistake that beginner enthusiasts often make. In summer, after a short rain, only the surface of the soil in the container gets wet, while the depth remains dry. If you are not sure that the soil is thoroughly moist, water the bonsai as usual. In this case, excessive watering will not be harmful.