51cg

How do you maintain your trees while you are away?I have done various things, from watering well and putting plastic bags over the soil surface to minimize evaporation, to bringing them into the garage (no wind or sun to dry them out), bringing them in the house and watering in the bathtub, to thick layers of sphagnum moss on the soil, etc. depending on how long I’m going to be away. Any other “passive” strategies?I try not to ask others to water them for obvious reasons.For those w automatic watering systems are they reliable and what brands do you like/dislike?

There are many stories circulating out there about friends that forget to water or watering systems that malfunction during absense. I just do not leave my home in summer. In winter I can leave for a week without issues.

I have a young friend who is pretty reliable and I pay $7 per visit. That is for watering the trees, feeding the fish and bird inside, and watering the indoor plants.? Her oldest kid is 6 or 7 and looks forward to the chance to play with the bird.

Long ago I had a watering system. The outdoor faucet leaked a little and there was a constant drip. My friendly, helpful neighbor saw it, turned it off to save water, and 27 trees died.

The watering person has to be reliable. I had another kid who was reliable until three years ago. Only two trees died then and I switched to a new person. I may switch again to a family at church with three teenagers, giving me several years of waterers.

Of all the hose timers out there the Rachio timers have been the most reliable that I have used, and yes they WILL fail too. The benefit of these is that they are tied to an app that you can monitor on your phone - so if they don't water you can have a backup person visit for you. It's one way that you can have the benefit of automation with the safety of a caretaker. They also have a tie in to Tempest weather stations and will not water when rain at your house reaches a threshold that you set. Just a thought.

Short of a VERY reliable friend or paying someone (neither of which is a great replacement for you) the only other thing I can think of is to put a sprinkler on a timer. That way you'll be sure your bonsai actually gets watered every day. HOWEVER, this is also not really reliable, as maybe it just rained for 4 days, and you've been adding even more water than is needed or wanted. And, as discussed, there are obstacles with that as well.

Bottom line is that Tropfrog, Ivan Mann and Clark are right. This is 51cg. There is NO replacement for you.