Bonsai Watering System

Ok... I am brand new to this board and very much a beginner with the Bonsai.. so I have a question about watering the bansai.

I have a juniper bonsai, and I am worried that I am going to kill the plant very quickly by either overwatering or underwatering the plant. *I also go on vacation quite often and do not want to neglect the bansai. *With that being said, I am very fluent with electronics... so I came up with an idea.

Generally... this is what my system does. *It monitors the moisture level of the soil and depending on this level, will add water to the plant using an auxilliary water basin. *This unit is also able to mist the plant.

Now for the programming of this unit... and my question.

I have four possible ways of watering the plant... but I don't know which way is best.

1. *I can constantly monitor the moisture level of the soil and add water whenever it dips. *This will only add enough water to get the level back to acceptable levels. *This will assure a constant moisture level of the plant.

2. *I can contantly monitor the moisture level of the soil and add a predetermined amount of water (ie. 16 oz.). *This will allow the soil to dry out more than the above system, but will never allow it to drop below a predetermined level.

3. *Monitor the moisture level once per day (or two days) and add water to meet acceptable levels, but never over a certain moisture level. *If the water levelis acceptable, no water would be added.

4. *Monitor the moisture level once per day, and if needed water using a predetermined amount of water. *If the water level for that day is acceptable, no water will be added until the next day. *I feel this system is most like how I water the plant now.

Any input on this system would be greatly appreciated. *Once I work out the system and get it perfect.. I will probably add a system that will allow it to be added to a outdoor spigot so you would never run out of water.

My next stage is to monitor acid and base levels of the soil and give a warning when levels are unacceptable.

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My other question... would anyone be interested in purchasing such unit? *Can I sell these things or would this be just for my own meandering.

Thanks in advanced!!!

Russ

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TreeBay

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

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Thanks for the info... I can work out a system that can do that!

As for watering... I should only water the plant about once a week depending on soil moisture levels?

Thanks!!!!!

TreeBay

Hi Russ,

That was just intended as an example. Watering frequency depends on transpiration mainly, which is influenced by environment, (temperature and humidity, rainfall, barometric pressure, I suppose, and drying forces like sunlight and wind) but also by factors like the size of the container and plant, species, the type of soil used, and for many plants also depends on the seasons when they are most active.

In winter I will be watering as rarely as once every couple of weeks when there is periodic rainfall, to perhaps every day and rarely more than once a day in the heat of summer. That second watering is mainly to cool the plants more so than to provide moisture.

If you are monitoring soil moisture, you will have the most critical factor available, and it probably wouldn't be important *how* the soil got dry that day. It might also be valuable to have a single temperature sensor which could be used to actuate a mist system periodically in the event temperatures become excessive, but then that almost begs for a photosensor so that you would not be misting at night...

I am certainly interested in your system and would be willing to "test and tune." I'm sure that reliability would be a major issue and that might drive some need for redundancy.

I've experimented in the past with various drip loops and soaker hoses as well as "shrubbler" type emitters. I never really trusted anything enough to leave town. But now with the internet and a webcam, who knows

Regards,

Matt

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Moni

Russ, my father was also an electrical engineer/inventor. Your invention reminds me of the time my father put together his own home security system. Whenever we talk about it after many, many years, we end up rolling on the floor we are laughing so hard.
Seriously though, what you are devising will be of great interest to many of us. If it works. Good luck!
Moni

Bonsainut

Russ,
Could you now make me something that will sense and pull weeds for me? Oh Oh, hows about an autofertilizerer-dingy ?
Let me know.Thanks alot!

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Keep growing,---'Nut



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