Frequently Asked Questions About – Watering Bonsai

Watering is a really important part of bonsai and while I have covered a lot of information on this already, I still get asked a lot of questions around this topic.

You should read – How To Water A Bonsai – which will cover the basics and should really help you get started with things.

The questions below should clear up any grey areas, and if you still have any questions, just let me know and I will add them.

Can You Water A Bonsai With Ice Cubes?     

This is straight up strange. I don’t know why you wouldn’t to do this. If you placed some ice cubes on the surface of your tree, they will melt and water the tree. I don’t think the cold is going to cause any damage. They would be touching the soil, not the roots and while the water will be cold, it should be fine.

I would just find it a strange technique, as you would not really be sure about how much water the tree is getting.

Surely it would make more sense to place the ice cubes in your watering can and then let them melt …and then water the tree. This way you can see exactly how much water the tree is getting and also be satisfied that the whole root ball has been thoroughly watered completely, rather than some ice melting in one area and maybe leaving other parts dry.

Can You Water A Bonsai From A Stream, River Or Other Natural Water Source?  

You can use water from anywhere. So long as it is clean and not polluted it will be fine.

Most streams, rivers or just natural water sources are going to be fine for your tree. If you can drink from them, they are going to be fine for the tree …and if you can’t drink from them, then ask yourself why you can’t and then ask if that same reason applies to your tree.

Most water like this is going to contain life, so if it can sustain that, it is probably not polluted and your tree will be fine. Of course there may be bacteria and stuff that may make you sick, but this will not harm the tree.

The only water you should avoid is polluted water, stagnate water and salt water.

(You can read more about – What Kind Of Water Should You Use For Your Bonsai?)

Can You Water A Bonsai With Tea Or Coffee?        

I don’t think tea or coffee is going to be ideal for your bonsai, so I would just pour this out somewhere else.

The first concern is the temperature, hot liquids could damage the roots, but I guess most people are throwing away the drinks once they are cold, but it’s still not ideal.

Most people also add milk and sugar to their tea and coffee and this is not really something you want passing through your soil. You have no idea what effect it may have on the soil and tree, so I would just avoid this.

You could argue that the tea or coffee could change the acidity of the soil, but I don’t think it would.  I also do not think it would be adding anything nutritional to the soil, so really it has no benefit.

I would just stick to water. The tree needs water, so don’t mess around with any other sort of drink. You might get away with it once, but I would strongly believe that this would affect your tree negatively after a while, and at the very least it is just going to stain things …so stick with the water.

Should You Mist Your Bonsai After Watering?       

If you have watered your bonsai, then that is more than enough. You do not need to then mist your bonsai after. The water you had added to the pot will give the tree everything it needs, the extra water from misting does not add any extra value.

The only time I would imagine this may make sense is if you want to encourage aerial roots, but I still wouldn’t do this. All misting is going to do is temporally dampen the trunk. You need the humidity in the air around the tree to high at all times. I would keep the tree somewhere with high humidity and just water as normal, while also splashing some on the trunk at the same time …there is no need for an extra misting. 

(You can read more about – What Watering Tools Can You Use For Your Bonsai?)

Can You Use A Water-Soluble Fertilizer When Watering Bonsai?        

Water soluble fertiliser is totally fine. This is what I actually use and you will see from my Youtube videos that I get great results.

It is common for bonsai growers to use solid fertiliser that they place on the soil surface, or in little baskets …but the liquid stuff works just as well. At the end of the day it’s all the same kind of thing, it’s just the method of delivery.

Try both and then just go for the one you like using best, or that you can find more easily. So long as you tree is getting something, it should be pretty happy. 

I actually asked my Youtube subscribers what they like to use and here are the results:

As you can see, nearly half the people asked used both, so like I said it doesn’t matter, just use whatever you prefer

How Do You Adjust Watering Frequency If You Move Your Bonsai Indoors Or Outdoors?        

If you know how to water a bonsai properly, then you do not need to adjust anything. You just do what you do and it will adjust automatically.

All you need to do is check every day and see what the tree is telling you. You may find that the amount or frequency of water you give the tree changes when you go from indoors or outdoors …but so long as you are checking every day, then it doesn’t matter.

You just automatically adapt to whatever frequency the tree is telling you, you don’t need to think about it.

Just think about the here and now and everything else will fall into place.

(You can read more about – Is Watering Indoor Bonsai The Same As Watering Outdoors)

Is It Necessary To Water A Bonsai Every Day During The Summer?  

As I just mentioned in the above question, frequency does not matter if you can water properly.

In the summer, you probably will end up watering more …but that that doesn’t matter.

You just need to check your tree every day and if it needs water, give it. You will of course find that this is happening most days during the summer, but that shouldn’t matter to you, all you need to do is make sure you are checking.

So does that mean it is necessary …maybe not, you have to check and see.

Should You Stop Watering A Bonsai Before Winter Dormancy?          

Carrying on from above, this question is like the reverse.

As your tree approaches winter dormancy there are going to be a lot of changes in both the weather and the tree itself. So the reality is that it will slow down in how much water it needs …but you shouldn’t worry about that.

Just check the tree everyday and see if it needs water or not. If it needs it, give it some.

Of course in the winter you have the added bonus of the rain, so you might look and see if it needs it, but you know it is going to rain in a few hours …so just let nature do it for you. However, the point is that you still checked.

You may end up getting to the point where you understand your trees and can leave them. You know how long it takes your soil to dry out and you know the low temperatures and rain means it will be damp constantly. Personally I do stop watering my trees in winter …but I still check.

Okay, may I don’t really check now, but that is because I know how they will cope alone, but for the first few years I was checking and I was able to learn that they will be able to remain damp from all the rain, but the import thing is I still checked.

When Should You Stop Watering A Bonsai During The Fall?     

Everything I can say about the fall can be answered by the above two questions … just check if it needs water every day. If it does, water …if it doesn’t, don’t water.

Can You Water A Bonsai With The Same Frequency During The Winter As You Do During The Summer?

The reality is that you will probably end up watering your trees at different frequencies throughout the year.

In the summer it is going to be warmer, the tree will be actively growing and needing water and there will be less rain …which all means that the pot is going to dry out quicker, so you will probably need to water more.

In the winter the tree is not growing, its cold and rainy, so your pots will probably be damp for a long time and they may never actually dry out.

However, this shouldn’t matter to you. You just need to check the tree daily and see what it needs. If it needs water, give it water, if not then you can check again tomorrow. You will naturally adjust your frequency as the year goes by if you are able to read the tree and understand what it wants.  

Is It Okay To Water A Bonsai At Night?

You can water your tree at any time of the day or night.

There are plenty of arguments that certain times are better and usually you will hear it’s the morning as the leaves have their stoma open, so can take in more… well yes this is true, but it also doesn’t really matter.

That only matters if you are trying to feed the tree and want the leaves to absorb some of the fertiliser. If you are just adding water to the soil, it doesn’t matter what time of day it is.

Just find a time that works for you and stick to that. I check my trees just before lunch, that works for me. Maybe in the summer I will have a quick look before bed and see if they are going to be okay until the next morning or not. 

You don’t really need to think to much about this, so long as you are checking daily, at around the same time, it is fine.   

What Is The Best Way To Water A Large Bonsai Tree?   

The best way to water any bonsai is from above. It doesn’t matter what size it is, just water it from above as this will allow the water to flow through the pot and it will suck air down and through the soil as the water passes through and out the bottom.

Of course if it is a large pot, it is going to be hard to move, so just using a hose or watering can from above is going to make your life easy …as well as being the best way to do things.

Does The Size Of The Bonsai Pot Affect The Frequency Of Watering?           

The size of the pot will affect things, but as I have covered in other questions above … it doesn’t matter.             

If you are checking your pots daily, then that is all that matters. You may find that the smaller ones need watered more often than the larger ones, but shouldn’t worry you. Just check what each pot needs and either give it water or not based on all the factors you are assessing there and then. 

Is It Necessary To Use A Moisture Meter To Determine When To Water A Bonsai?          

Moisture meters can be useful, but personally I think they are a waste of time. There is plenty of other information right in front of you that you can use that is going to be far easier and more reliable than a meter.

Just use your hands and eyes to evaluate your tree, as well as using your mind. Think when the last time you watered, think about what has happened since then …has it been hot, rainy, windy. What time of year is it?

Then use your eyes, look at the soil, is it dry or not, look at the tree, does it look like it is drying out?

Now lift the pot up, does it feel heavy and full of water, or light and dry?  

Now put all this information together and ask yourself … does the tree need water or not. It’s either yes or not based on all the information you have gathered from the questions you have asked. You don’t need a meter to tell this to you.   

What Is The Best Way To Check The Moisture Level Of The Soil For Bonsai?

I have just quickly described this above and if you have not read my guide to watering that I have linked at the very top of this articles …then read that.

Once you learn how to water properly, you will understand how to read what you tree is telling you and you will know exactly how much moisture is in the pot or not.

What Should You Do If Your Bonsai’s Soil Becomes Too Dry?  

If your soil is dry, this is bad. You need to water it, immediately.

You want your soil to be constantly damp …not too wet and not too dry, just damp.

Some species may like things to get a little dry and they might be able to tolerate this, but I would say for the vast majority of species, you need to keep things damp and the second it looks like it is starting to get dry, you need to water it.

If you leave a tree dry for too long it will die, so the second you notice its dry, add water.

You also need to make sure it’s not just the top layer of soil that is dry, this is why I always suggest that you lift the pot up, you will quickly be able to feel it is full of water or not.

(You can read more about – What Should You Do If You Accidentally Underwater A Bonsai?)

Is It Necessary To Use A Tray Under The Bonsai When Watering?     

It is only going to be necessary to use a drip tray if you are growing your trees inside, as this will make sure your house is not damaged by the water that comes out of the bottom the pot.

You can read about this in more detail here – Do You Need A Drip Tray For Your Bonsai?

Can You Use A Saucer Under Your Bonsai To Collect Water?    

You can use pretty much anything under your tree, so long as it can hold the water. It’s pretty pointless if it just dissolves or spills everywhere.

You can read about this in more detail here – How To Pick A Drip Tray For Your Bonsai

Conclusion

Hopefully that clears up any questions around watering, but if you have any others, or something isn’t clear, just ask.

And of course, if you haven’t read my guide to watering, that I linked at the start of the article, make sure you read that.

Getting your watering skills right is very important and is a skill that is worth mastering as it really is going to be one of the best ways to keep your tree happy and healthy.