Watering bonsai in Singapore

Singapore gives you heat, humidity and sudden downpours in the same afternoon. None of that removes the need to water properly — it just makes judging it harder.

Water when the tree needs it, not on a schedule

Check the surface and the weight of the pot. A pot that feels light is dry regardless of what the calendar says. In practice most trees on an exposed bench here want water once or twice a day; the same tree under shelter may want it every other day.

Water properly when you do

Water until it runs freely from the drainage holes, then wait a moment and do it again. A quick splash wets the top centimetre and leaves the root mass dry — this is the most common way a tree dies while being watered daily.

The three mistakes

• Assuming rain watered the tree. A dense canopy sheds most of it. Check underneath.
• Watering on a timer during monsoon. Waterlogged roots rot fast in this heat.
• Using a hard jet. It excavates the surface and compacts what is left. Use a fine rose.

Drainage matters more than frequency

An open, free-draining mix forgives over-watering. A water-retentive mix in this climate is a slow root-rot machine. If you find yourself worrying constantly about over-watering, fix the soil rather than the schedule.