Best Mulch options

Let us know how it goes, fingers crossed and Good Luck!

 

P.S. If you want to try some slow-watering ever, to see if you get water out of the bottom or not, or for some other experiment, you can put a handful or two of ice on the pot - that will water "slowly" (well, probably a bit faster in Turkey than here!!)

Bit extravagant for normal watering! though

 

I will test these methods and let you know how I get on

 

Ideally the potting medium should have well rotted organic stuff added to it - even better would be water gel crystals too (which retain moisture).

Have you tried topping the pots with about 30mm or so of the lightest coloured gravel that you can lay your hands on? This would help to control surface evaporation.........

 

What I meant by not in between waterings: was let it dry out completely before watering again!

 

+1

I thought stone mulch not only helps retain moisture, but also helps keep the soil underneath cooler.

 

That's why the lightest available colour would be best (I think?).

 

Many thanks for the tip, I really appreciate them.

 

Acers will take sun as long as the soil is moist. It is wind that they cannot tolerate. In DC we use coconut coir as a mulch for Acers. It works a treat. It gets warm and humid there for most of the year and cold in winter.