Watering a Bonsai and Bonsai Tree Watering.
Bonsai plants, just like any other plant requires water and basic necessities to survive and grow into a beautiful plant. The growth of the Bonsai plant would be stunted if not watered properly.
The right method of watering a Bonsai plant is to permit the inherent compost to dehydrate a little between two watering sessions. This is because the Bonsai roots need to be saturated with the right amount of moisture. The roots of the Bonsai plant need to get wet in order to receive water completely. For this reason the caretaker must offer the right amount of water to the Bonsai roots and the nourishment area of the soil. The Japanese use a ‘two times’ watering system, one in order to pour water over dry soil areas and wet the soil. The second shower of water is a 15 minutes approx one. This is done as a back up to the first attempt and to moisten the soil around the root hair and the compost areas. As the Bonsai is kept in a container a drainage one can stop watering when one feels that the soil is wet enough and when the drainage hole begins to drain out water from the pot. Watering cans or small and concerted streams of water like a hose pipe can be best suited for watering a bonsai. One must also ensure that the watering system is gentle enough in order to prevent the soil from being eroded.
Rain water must be used occasionally as it helps to get rid of excessive salts that get deposited in the vicinity of the Bonsai plants. Thus it Is recommended to shift from the normal tap water to rain water once in a blue moon. While we discussed the technique of watering a bonsai, there are several things that you need to keep in mind while watering.
One must be careful of over-watering and under-watering. Bonsai plants need the right amount of water in order to grow sturdy and aesthetic. Remember under-watering can cause a Bonsai plant to fade away slowly while over-watering can kill the Bonsai tree as the roots would be submerged in water and oxygen supply necessary for breathing would be blocked. A technique followed by many people, called watering by immersing the Bonsai plant in water, is strictly not recommended. This can seriously restrict the growth of the Bonsai plant. The soil around the Bonsai plant becomes poor.
Watering must not be a routinely affair. You need to study the soil condition in order to grasp this answer. However, for first timers a retailer of an experienced person can be a good reference. The soil needs to dry up once in a while otherwise you can consider that you have over-watered the Bonsai. Summer months may require two waterings daily, so a routine is not an answer. A fact for you, a Japanese Bonsai owner masters the art of watering a bonsai in an approx 3 year period.