Breaking dormancy

[benw3790]

So, here in western NC. We had 7-9 inches of snow last fri, sat and sunday. The rest of last week, the temps were in the 60s and 70s. Night temps didn't go below an average of about 46 degrees or so. All the temps this week are still warm enough to break dormancy in deciduous.. all my trees have been perfectly dormant all winter but there are 2 japanese maples that look like they may be starting to swell. My mistake was not noticing if the buds looked like that all winter or if I've just now started paying attention. Whoops! Anyways, I know that If they come out of dormancy early, I'll have to protect them. I also know HOW to protect them! My concern and question is, if they break dormancy early and need repotting, do I go ahead and repot/protect or do I just protect them and try to wait to repot as long as possible, even though they'll be in leaf when repotting season comes around? Any experience, tips or suggestions will help. I've been doing bonsai for 5 years and have never had to worry about trees waking up too early. I do not like to repot while trees are in leaf!

 

[Nybonsai12]

If it were me and they were truly starting to break dormancy, I'd repot when the buds are ready to burst or even just starting to unfurl and protect it when necessary thereafter.

 

[discusmike]

I live in Maryland and have satzukis on a rock that look to have those tiny green buds pushing around flower buds,crazy weather!

 

[benw3790]

If it were me and they were truly starting to break dormancy, I'd repot when the buds are ready to burst or even just starting to unfurl and protect it when necessary thereafter.

So repot when buds are swelling like normal and protect when nessecary?

 

[benw3790]

I live in Maryland and have satzukis on a rock that look to have those tiny green buds pushing around flower buds,crazy weather!

Man we have the craziest weather ever!! Even though, I haven't ever had trouble with trees coming out of dormancy too early, it's a big surprise considering the ridiculous weather patterns we have here!

 

[Nybonsai12]

So repot when buds are swelling like normal and protect when nessecary?

If it were me that's what I would do. If it breaks dormancy you are going to have to protect it well anyway. Might as well get the planned repot taken care of. But that's just me. hopefully some other folks come in.

 

[Eric Group]

I am in full repotting season right now. Repotted a half dozen trees today alone easy.
A week of 60-70+, with a 10 shows more of the same= time to repot. I doubt I will even have to protect most of them much... Didn't really have much of a winter this year.

 

[Paradox]

Im worried that mine are gona start popping soon too. This Yo-Yo weather is absurd.
30 degrees one day, 60 degrees 3 days later, 30 degrees two days later.....

Not good

 

[Dav4]

Folks, February can be a bitch and I won't even talk about the ides of march!


Seriously, the next 6 weeks will be interesting. Fwiw, always listen to the trees and not the calendar when it comes to timing of seasonal work.

 

[Vin]

I live in Maryland and have satzukis on a rock that look to have those tiny green buds pushing around flower buds,crazy weather!

That's normal.

 

[0soyoung]

Im worried that mine are gona start popping soon too. This Yo-Yo weather is absurd.
30 degrees one day, 60 degrees 3 days later, 30 degrees two days later.....

Not good

It doesn't matter until the required chilling hours have been accumulated.
But when it has ...

 

[Vin]

I'm in North Florida and will be waiting at least until the end of February. I'll stay turned to the long range forecasts and see how it goes.

 

[BethF]

In the midlands of SC, we didn't have snow last week, but freezing temperatures 3 or 4 days, followed by unseasonable warmth. I noticed today that a field maple pushed out a small leaf, and several of its buds are greening up. It's been crazy this year, hasn't it?

 

[JudyB]

I would wait till it is impossible to wait anymore. Japanese maples can be repotted after bud break if necessary. I would not want to chance cold roots that had been pruned as well as new leaves in cold temps. I believe that Walter Pall has stated that maples can be safely repotted after leaf break.

 

[Walter Pall]

routine in my garden

 

[namnhi]

Folks, February can be a bitch and I won't even talk about the ides of march!


Seriously, the next 6 weeks will be interesting. Fwiw, always listen to the trees and not the calendar when it comes to timing of seasonal work.

This is so true. I already have a bunch of Japanese maple seedlings starting to leave. No winter at all other than a couple night of hard freeze.

 

[Dav4]

This is so true. I already have a bunch of Japanese maple seedlings starting to leave. No winter at all other than a couple night of hard freeze.

Yup, same hear. Only 2 or 3 light frosts in December, then a hard freeze around New Years, followed by last week's 3 day dip into the mid teens. The last 3 days have been downright spring-like with highs in the mid 70's and no cold at all for at least the next 10 days. Seriously, February could really be a bitch for me and many others in the south east after this extended warm snap. There is no way for me to keep my trees cold when night time temps are only falling into the mid 40's for weeks on end, and I can pretty much guarantee the cold is coming back...ugh.

 

[M. Frary]

Yup, same hear. Only 2 or 3 light frosts in December, then a hard freeze around New Years, followed by last week's 3 day dip into the mid teens. The last 3 days have been downright spring-like with highs in the mid 70's and no cold at all for at least the next 10 days. Seriously, February could really be a bitch for me and many others in the south east after this extended warm snap. There is no way for me to keep my trees cold when night time temps are only falling into the mid 40's for weeks on end, and I can pretty much guarantee the cold is coming back...ugh.

Since you don't get snow,couldn't you when it's freezing out coat the trees in ice? I've found that being covered in ice works just as well as snow to insulate and takes much longer to thaw.
Or is it just too warm to keep ice on them too?

 

[Dav4]

Since you don't get snow,couldn't you when it's freezing out coat the trees in ice? I've found that being covered in ice works just as well as snow to insulate and takes much longer to thaw.
Or is it just too warm to keep ice on them too?

Yeah, too warm. Even during typical "cold" winter's, it will usually rise above freezing during the day...snow or ice cover is fleeting at best.

 

[M. Frary]

Yeah, too warm. Even during typical "cold" winter's, it will usually rise above freezing during the day...snow or ice cover is fleeting at best.

That sucks big time.
We're getting odd weather here too.
2 mornings ago it was 10 below. Normal for here but today it will be close to 40. Supposed to go higher later this week with temperatures above freezing at night even. The only thing saving my trees is the block of ice they are covered in. If it thaws I'm really screwed. Because the cold will come back.