Especially during the hot summer season, watering bonsai correctly is crucial.
First and foremost, when watering a bonsai, we think about supplying water for nutrient transport. Nutrients dissolved in water are transported within the bonsai's vascular system and can be used where needed.
Additionally, the bonsai also needs water to regulate its temperature. Water evaporates from the needles or leaves of the bonsai, thereby extracting energy and heat from it. This process cools down the bonsai.
However, proper bonsai watering also entails ensuring that air reaches the bonsai's roots. This is achieved by watering the bonsai only when the surface is no longer moist. You can easily check this by touching the surface with your hand or fingers. However, the bonsai should never be completely dried out.
In this context, a distinction is often made between "wet" and "moist." The bonsai should still be "moist" but no longer "wet." If you've used a substrate with good drainage properties (such as incorporating pumice, lava granules, or akadama), you have good protection against excess water, also known as waterlogging.
Another crucial aspect of watering bonsai is regulating the salt content in the substrate. You should always water the bonsai until water flows out from the drainage holes at the bottom of the bonsai pot. This process flushes out salts from the substrate through the flowing water. Typically, watering contains dissolved salts that can accumulate in the substrate over time if not flushed out through proper watering. If the salt content in the substrate becomes too high, the water uptake (osmosis) at the roots no longer functions properly. The bonsai may dry out even when it's in wet substrate.
We've summarized these points in the short informational video clip and hope you enjoy it!
Many thanks to:
https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/bonsai
https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/watering-can
