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Old 11-Mar-2006   #6
Repotter
Hec DeBrabant
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Join Date: Nov-2004
Location: Southern Michigan
Country: USA
Posts: 992
top watering vs soaking

Personally I prefer top watering and that is only after being in bonsai for almost twenty years. However, I am a firm believer that until you learn the fine art of top watering a bonsai, soaking may be the safest way.

I say this because it is so important to get the root mass totally wet. And soaking may be the only sure way for a beginner to accomplish this.

I once read in a bonsai book that the Japanese have a saying that is "water three times, once for the pot, once for the soil, and once for the tree.
Bonsai apprentices in Japan, I am told spend as much as 2 years learning to water trees.

It is the single most important thing to keeping a tree alive.

So play it safe if you have doubts.
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