Watering schedule
How often to water Mountain Rimu (Dacrydium bidwillii) — the schedule
Also called Bog Pine, Mountain Pine, New Zealand Mountain Rimu.
More about mountain rimu
About Mountain Rimu
Dacrydium bidwillii · also called Bog Pine, Mountain Pine · flowering
Mountain Rimu is a compact, slow-growing podocarp conifer native to the montane and subalpine zones of New Zealand's North and South Islands. It forms a low, spreading shrub with fine, scale-like leaves. Hardy and moisture-tolerant, it suits cool temperate gardens and rock gardens. It is not on the ASPCA toxic plants list.
Ideal humidity: Ambient to high (50-80%)
Watch for — Foliage browning: Caused by dry soil or desiccating winds. Keep soil moist and provide wind shelter.
The watering schedule, season by season
Mountain Rimu is a bog plant adapted to nutrient-poor wet ground — it must sit in a tray of pure water and must never get tap water or fertiliser. The base rhythm for mountain rimu is every 7-14 days; keep soil consistently moist, especially in summer, but the real interval moves with the season, the light and the pot — so treat the figures below as a starting point and always confirm with the plant itself.
- Spring & summer (active growth): Spring and summer: keep the pot standing in 1-2 cm of distilled or rainwater at all times; top the tray up as it is taken up.
- Autumn (slowing down): Autumn: lower the tray water level as growth slows and (for temperate species) dormancy approaches.
- Winter (rest / dormancy): Winter: keep just damp, not flooded — many temperate carnivores need a cool dormancy with far less water.
Naturally occurs in boggy and wet montane soils; appreciates consistent moisture without becoming waterlogged. Mulch heavily to retain soil moisture and keep roots cool.
Want this turned into a live reminder that adjusts to your home and the weather? The Growli watering calculator takes your pot size, light and season and returns a starting interval for mountain rimu in seconds.
How to tell mountain rimu needs water
A calendar is the worst way to water mountain rimu. Check the plant and the soil instead — for this species, look for these signals in order:
- The tray has run dry (during active growth it should rarely be empty).
- The peat-based medium feels dry rather than wet.
- Traps or pitchers shrivel or fail to form.
The most reliable single check is the first one on that list. When two signals agree, water; when they disagree, wait a day and look again — under-watering mountain rimu for a day is almost always safer than over-watering it.
Overwatering vs underwatering mountain rimu
The two failure modes can look alike at a glance, so check the soil weight and wetness before you decide. For mountain rimu specifically:
Signs you are overwatering
- Blackening traps or pitchers from stagnant, warm, mineral-laden water.
- Rotting crown if kept warm and flooded through winter dormancy.
Signs you are underwatering
- Traps go limp and brown; pitchers dry up.
- The medium dries out and the plant collapses quickly.
Tap or bottled mineral water kills mountain rimu. Its roots cannot handle dissolved minerals — only rain, distilled, or reverse-osmosis water will do.
Water quality notes
Only rainwater, distilled or reverse-osmosis water — never tap, mineral or softened water. This is the single most important rule for mountain rimu.
Seasonal and environmental adjusters
Every figure above shifts with the conditions in your home. For mountain rimu, the levers that matter most are:
- Bright light plus the water tray is the whole game — no fertiliser ever goes in the soil.
- In hot weather the tray empties fast; check it daily.
- Temperate species need a cooler, drier winter dormancy, not constant flooding.
Pot choice is part of this too — work out the right size with the pot size calculator, since a pot that is too big stays wet long enough to rot the roots of mountain rimu.
Mountain Rimu watering — frequently asked questions
How often should I water mountain rimu?
Water mountain rimu every 7-14 days; keep soil consistently moist, especially in summer. Spring and summer: keep the pot standing in 1-2 cm of distilled or rainwater at all times; top the tray up as it is taken up. Winter: keep just damp, not flooded — many temperate carnivores need a cool dormancy with far less water.
How do I know when mountain rimu needs water?
The tray has run dry (during active growth it should rarely be empty). The peat-based medium feels dry rather than wet. Traps or pitchers shrivel or fail to form. The single most reliable test for mountain rimu is the first signal on that list — checking the soil or the plant directly always beats watering by the calendar.
What does an overwatered mountain rimu look like?
Blackening traps or pitchers from stagnant, warm, mineral-laden water. Rotting crown if kept warm and flooded through winter dormancy. Tap or bottled mineral water kills mountain rimu. Its roots cannot handle dissolved minerals — only rain, distilled, or reverse-osmosis water will do.
What are the signs of an underwatered mountain rimu?
Traps go limp and brown; pitchers dry up. The medium dries out and the plant collapses quickly.
Can I use tap water on mountain rimu?
Only rainwater, distilled or reverse-osmosis water — never tap, mineral or softened water. This is the single most important rule for mountain rimu.
Keep reading
- Watering mountain rimu in the UK — hard vs soft tap water
- Mountain Rimu care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Watering calculator — get a starting interval for your exact pot and light
- Pot size calculator — the right pot keeps watering forgiving
- Overwatered plant — signs and how to recover it
- Underwatered plant — signs and how to rehydrate it
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- How often to water bird's-nest orchid
- How often to water hemlock water dropwort
- How often to water bee orchid
- All 11687 watering schedules in the Growli library