Bonsai Watering

The less soil in a pot, the more frequent watering is necessary.

More than 75% of newly purchased Bonsai trees reportedly die within the first month because of watering too infrequently. In general, the less planting mix in a pot, the more vulnerable to drying out and the more often it needs watering. Since bonsai normally don't have much soil in the pot, watering needs much more attention than with most other plants and changes depending on the tree type, temperature, season, and microclimate.

Automatic watering saves trees.

We have and continue to test and experiment with many kinds of irrigation methods for bonsai. These methods vary greatly depending on the type of bonsai, the local climate, if they are indoor bonsai, outdoor ones, or ones that can be outside for long periods but need to come inside to stay warmer during the winter.

Bonsai Blumats

We have gravity and pressure auto-irrigation systems, a Bonsai Blumat designed for very small pots, and Bonsai Classics for indoor bonsai. We also have Tropf-Blumats for outdoor bonsai and for starting bonsai in larger pots, and capillary mat systems for propagating bonsai from seeds, starts, and clones. We plan to introduce a new Blumat shape and size for very shallow bonsai pots soon, as well as decorative snap-on tops for the Blumat carrots - a pagoda, a specially-shaped rock, mud men, and... your suggestions?

Bonsai Watering Systems and Components

For outdoors - Bonsai Kit Large IG18403
Bonsai Kit Compact IG18402
Blumat Bonsai Sensor IG15561

We sold locally-grown bonsai trees in our Garberville grow store (Open Circle Trading Company) in the 1970's - we say "sold" but more accurately "tried to sell" - not many people in those days grew bonsai in Humboldt county. Our interest, however, continued over the years and we imported bonsai tools at one point. We took most of these bonsai pictures below while traveling in China 15-20 years back.