Humidty of bonsai plant

[Manco]

I've read on a pamphlet to place the plant on moistened pebbles, but should those pebbles go IN the pot beneath the soil, or underneath the pot or what?

[Tom Randy]

UNDER the whole pot and the water level in the tray should be BELOW the top of the pebbles. The pebbles go in a shallow tray and then is filled to just below pebble level with water. The evaporating water helps raise the humidity level around the plant.

[Doug Kanter]

In addition to what Tom said, it's not a bad idea to put a layer of pebbles or broken clay pot fragments into the pot before adding soil. It's supposed to aid in drainage. It's got nothing to do with humidity. The fragments keep the drainage holes from clogging with soil. Actually, I've never seen that happen, but I put fragments in my pots anyway.

[Pam - gardengal]

Use a piece of screen or fine wire mesh rather than rocks, pebbles or broken shards in the bottom of the pot. These additions do not improve drainage - in fact they can impede good drainage by changing the textural levels the water must go through. In the same manner that it is not recommended to amend planting holes because of introducing different types of soil structures that water will not move through smoothly and without slowing, the same principles apply to plants in a container. In fact, unimpeded drainage for container grown plants is even more critical.

pam - gardengal