Properly watering bonsai trees is essential to cultivating and sustaining these miniature trees. Bonsai trees may thrive in specific conditions with little light and fertilizer. However, the quickest way to kill your tree is to deprive it of sufficient water. So, how frequently should a bonsai tree be watered? In this guide, I will educate you on the answer to this question and every other vital aspect there is to know. Keep Reading!
How Often To Water Your Bonsai Tree During the Spring
Spring is the time of year when most bonsai trees have everything they require at an optimal level. During this time of year, the temperatures are typically ideal for the tree. The levels of sunlight begin to increase but are not so intense that they will damage your tree, and you can begin actively fertilizing it. You will also start working on your tree during the springtime. You can perform re-potting, pruning, wiring, defoliation, and general trunk development.
Most bonsai trees’ watering needs during the spring should focus on maintaining as much consistency as possible. Therefore, most bonsai species’ ideal watering frequency is between once per day and three times per week. Your goal should be to achieve this frequency. Bonsai trees, suitable for beginners like elms or ficus, can tolerate less watering while achieving effective growth.
How Often To Water Your Bonsai Tree During Summer
Most bonsai plants have a higher watering demand throughout the summer months. It is because temperatures are nearly always higher in the summer. Bonsai trees will have significantly more exposure to sunshine during the summer months compared to other times of the year.
Most owners give their Bonsai a few hours of direct sunshine during the summer and then relocate them into shady circumstances because of this phenomenon.
Providing more water to your bonsai trees throughout the summer is essential. Doing this prevents the trees from drying out or catching fire. During the summer, you should water your Bonsai at least once daily and more frequently if the dirt is dry. Make sure you check the topsoil of your Bonsai at least once daily, in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
For more hardy plant species, such as Juniper or Scots Pine, I suggest watering more frequently than once daily. More watering will be necessary for other plant species, such as willow, during the summer.
How Often To Water Your Bonsai Tree During the Fall
Bonsai trees will initiate the dormancy process in preparation for winter throughout the fall and autumn seasons. The fall season is less productive for most plants than the growing seasons in the spring and summer. As a result, you won’t have to water your Bonsai as frequently as you did during the warm summer months.
It will help if you continue giving your Bonsai the same water and attention you gave it in the spring. During the fall, most bonsai species will thrive with an ideal watering schedule every two to three days. Trees that need to be watered daily, like willows and birches, are the only exceptions to this rule. Fruiting bonsai trees, like apple bonsai, tend to mature their fruit in the fall. Willows and birches are the only trees that require daily watering.
How Often To Water Your Bonsai Tree During Winter
Winter is the season during which most bonsai trees have a lower watering requirement. Most deciduous bonsai tree species will partially shut down for the winter. As a result, their energy consumption will be lower, and they will require less water. In addition, if you water your bonsai tree too frequently in cooler temperatures, additional frost and ice may form on your tree. If you do nothing to prevent it, your tree’s roots could freeze. The result is the death of your Bonsai.
During the winter, most bonsai trees should be watered approximately once every week to once every two weeks. On top of this, the dry air will be the most significant challenge your Bonsai will encounter over the winter. Bonsai trees like warm, wet air. During the winter, dry air conditions will effectively cause your tree to lose its moisture.
If you find the cold very severe, it may be helpful for your Bonsai to use a water spritzer regularly. Use it to apply water to your Bonsai’s leaves, branches, and trunk. The only exception to this rule would be indoor bonsai trees. These trees will have skipped the outside growing season and can be cultivated until spring.
How Much To Water A Bonsai Tree
After observing that the moisture level in the soil around your Bonsai is relatively low, you decide to water it, but you are still determining how much to give it. The watering’s quantity and frequency might change depending on the tree specie. A general rule is to water your tree sufficiently so the entire root system is completely saturated.
The immersion method of watering your Bonsai is a speedy way to wet the soil around the tree’s roots thoroughly. It is an excellent approach to care for bonsai trees that are kept indoors or are overly dry. It is crucial to remember that excessive immersion can start to cause damage to the plant’s roots.
Signs of Overwatering
If the soil around your Bonsai is always moist, you may observe further changes brought on by overwatering your plant. It would help if you were on the lookout for indications. These include a shaky trunk, weak or smaller branches, a change in the color of the leaves, and the loss of leaves. If you detect changes like these on your tree, it may indicate that it has been overwatered for some time. Such occurrences put it in danger of developing root rot.
How to Fix Overwatering Problems
If you overwater your Bonsai, one or more of the following techniques may help reverse the damage:
- Leaving your Bonsai outside to dry is the simplest option, and if you live in a warm area, it is also the most effective.
- You may need to re-pot your plant if the soil in its current container is too wet. If your bonsai soil is still quite damp after doing this, you should add more inorganic material to your soil to help with the drainage.
- Please be patient and allow the soil to drain naturally for a few hours. If it has been a few hours and your Bonsai is still dry, plug in a hot air dryer and give your soil a good blast of heat.
- It would be best if you planted your Bonsai in the ground.
Signs of Underwatering and How to Fix It
Your tree may exhibit signs of under-watering if you have been negligent in its maintenance. Symptoms of this condition include the leaves turning a different color, becoming brittle, or dropping off out of season. A lack of moisture may also cause you to observe branches and twigs that have become brittle, as well as soil that has become loose and sandy.
The remedy is a refreshing downpour. When watering the already dehydrated tree, do so very carefully. Avoid using either excessively cold or warm water, and ensure that the stream’s concentration is not too high.