The Rosner Rule for watering

clrosner

The Rosner Rule for watering

For the last several days, I have been observing my Bonsai as I water, and have come up with the fact that it takes between 4 and 5 seconds for water to drain through my Bonsai soil and pour out the bottom.

This means that in three separate waterings with 10 to 15 minute interval, I am spending approximately 12 to 15 seconds watering each tree.

So for those people out in Bonsai land who wonder how long they should spray water on the soil of their trees, I have just answered that question. Of course if your soil is not as loose as mine, you will take longer, and if a tree is root bound and the water takes longer to pour out the bottom, especially on the second or third watering, you should consider (if the time is right) to repot your tree.

For those Bonsaist who find that this rule does not apply to them, I would love to hear their experiences, since this is a personal observation. Of course, those with automatic watering systems need not apply their experiences to this rule unless they feel they can add to this post on watering

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Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
arteacher3725@yahoo.com

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bonsaikc

I water all my trees twice a day in this season. It's been in the nineties for a couple of weeks, and my soil drains as freely as any, but I water each tree until it "bleeds" and then move on. Of course it takes longer on the boxes using two cubic feet of soil, but I don't usually water a second or third time...I am usually borrowing time I should be at work to water anyway. I have heard a lot of arguments for watering three times in 10 minute intervals, but they sound to me like the argument for perched water tables. For those of us still in the work force full time, there just isn't time enough, or perhaps I should say any benefit is outweighed by more pressing demands on my time. The trees have not suffered yet because of it.

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Chris Johnston
"She was a critic, and lots fo critics who aren't called to do what they write about grow jealous and mean and small in their disappointment." - Stephen King, Duma Key
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com