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The typical manual watering method is actually none of these, but rather to monitor the soil moisture level at least daily, and when it dips below a certain point, add [b:73e87a3ed4]as much water as the soil will possibly hold[/b:73e87a3ed4], in fact so that it drains freely from the container.

To get to that level you sometimes need to water a few times in succession over a period of 15-20 minutes. *

So, if you were to plot the moisture level in the soil against time, it would look like a sawtooth. *In a sample let's say it's fall and the watering works out to about once a week:

* * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * *100%saturated
* * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * **
* * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * **
* ** * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * **
* * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *25% (trigger point)

^ * * * *^ * * * * ^ * * * * * ^
00000000011111111112222222
12345678901234567890123456
TIME (days)

^ = water points

I don't know what the actual trigger %moisture would be, but I suspect the optimal value would vary with the species.

There would probably be a lot of interest in a system like this!

Regards,

Matt

2-Mar-2002	#2
TreeBay Tips:5¢ Advice:Free *MODERATOR GROUP* Join Date: Aug-2001 Location: Silicon Valley Country: USA USDA Zone: 9 AHS Heat Zone: 4 Posts: 9,745	Re: Bonsai Watering System The typical manual watering method is actually none of these, but rather to monitor the soil moisture level at least daily, and when it dips below a certain point, add [b:73e87a3ed4]as much water as the soil will possibly hold[/b:73e87a3ed4], in fact so that it drains freely from the container. To get to that level you sometimes need to water a few times in succession over a period of 15-20 minutes. * So, if you were to plot the moisture level in the soil against time, it would look like a sawtooth. In a sample let's say it's fall and the watering works out to about once a week: * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * 100%saturated * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * ** * ** * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * ** * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 25% (trigger point) ^ * * ^ * * * ^ * * * * * ^ 00000000011111111112222222 12345678901234567890123456 TIME (days) ^ = water points I don't know what the actual trigger %moisture would be, but I suspect the optimal value would vary with the species. There would probably be a lot of interest in a system like this! Regards, Matt __________________ Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today! bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!