From the subject line, I though you had mistakenly posted on the wrong forum :-) What the heck are "water bulbs"?? If they are anything similar to the water retention polymer crystals. I wouldn't use them with a JM. In fact, I don't recommend them with any type of container planting other than hanging baskets. They just hold too much water in the soil and promote rots. Baskets, since they are so exposed to heat and wind, dry out so fast and the crystals seem to help to reduce watering to only a daily chore rather than 3-4 times a day.

watering bulbs are those stakes that you put in your potted plants with the bulbs on the ends that are filled with water... the plant drinks when it needs it.

I wouldn't waste my money. May be somewhat appropriate for smaller houseplants, but not anything I'd advocate for outdoor containerized plantings and certainly not something that needs the carefully watering attention of a containerized Japanese maple. It is far better to water less frequently but very thoroughly (so that water saturates the container medium and flows freely from the drainage holes) than to provide small amounts more frequently, or in the case of the water bulbs, ominpresently (or until they run out and you don't notice).

ominpresently...Oh ya I do like that one GG... I will have to practice spelling it a bit to use it though ;>) OOOPS just checked it with aol spell check should be omnipresently actually they divide it into two words but I think it is correct as one ... I can tell ya spelling is not easy for a dyslexic ( had to look that one up too ;>) ) who never could spell and an old dislexic YIKES David

Sorry about the typo :-) Yes, it is omnipresent or omnipresently. I do try to proof and edit before posting but I often miss something. Poor spelling and grammar is a bit of a pet peeve of mine so I try to be careful. Spellcheck won't work for me when signed on to GW.

Yes it is one problem with most forums and feed back sites they should all have spell check ...if I am not sure I pull up my aol mail and type the word in the fake email and check it that way... of course if one word has two differnt meanings and spelled differntly then I am in a pickle the only time when it is supposdly acceptable is IM'ing...which is understandable since it is fast ...David