Weather here is sort of unpredictable. We will have a month of rain every day and then two months or more of drought. When that happens, all the other sources of water dry up and the birds look for water anywhere. I have trays under some bonsais and I have seen birds trying to drink from them.

August can be highs 105(40 C), lows 90( 35 C), no rain, and I water them twice a day or even three times as the soil is bone dry all the way through.

The last time I tried layering the tree was in the woods by the house. It didn't occur to me that I could just go add water. Doh.