How do you protect your trees from rain?

[SubJeezy]

Its been a very unusually wet and cloudy spring here in Colorado 5a. I want to get my trees outside more, even on cloudy, rainy days. Unfortunately my south-facing window real-estate is very limited, Room enough for 2 of my trees but the rest arnt getting as much light ad I'd like. On top of constantly taking them inside then outside between rain bursts. If it was every other day it would be fine, but its daily, intermittent showers, and Im away from home most of the day light hours . How do you guys keep your soil from getting soaked on outside trees? I was thinking about building a little A-frame roof from clear material over my humidity tray, but am open to ideas.

2 Fukien, a Schefflera and a Mimosa.

The Mimosa is looking particularly sad with such little light exposure.

 

[bonsaichile]

Why do you want to keep trees out of the rain?

 

[SubJeezy]

Why do you want to keep trees out of the rain?

I'm less worried about the Mimosa and Schefflera, but my Fukiens tend to throw fits when their watering cycle changes even a bit. Anything more than once every 2 days and they start dropping leaves. Like I said, if it wasn't all day every day I wouldn't worry about it, but its been consistently raining every day for almost a month.

 

[Lorax7]

If you’re using potting soil, you’ll have problems with it staying too wet if it’s outside and it rains daily. In a coarse, free draining bonsai substrate such as Boon’s mix (akadama, pumice, lava), daily rain showers are generally not a problem. The caveat is that, in this type of substrate, the tree must be watered more frequently than it would need to be if it was in ordinary potting soil.

 

[SubJeezy]

If you’re using potting soil, you’ll have problems with it staying too wet if it’s outside and it rains daily. In a coarse, free draining bonsai substrate such as Boon’s mix (akadama, pumice, lava), daily rain showers are generally not a problem. The caveat is that, in this type of substrate, the tree must be watered more frequently than it would need to be if it was in ordinary potting soil.

Only one of my Fukiens is in a coarse mix. The other is in potting soil. The Mimosa, Fukien and Schefflera are fresh from the plant store, and still in potting soil, hence wanting to try keeping them out of the rain, but outside.

 

[Lorax7]

I’m not sure how warm it is where you are now, but mid-summer when it’s hot outside is a good time to repot tropical trees.

 

[bonsaichile]

Keep the fukien inside, by the window. But everything else should be outside. Even if it is in nursery soil. I got this cotoneaster still as it came from thr nursery and I would not dream to bring it inside because it is raining. I am in Denver too.

 

[SubJeezy]

I’m not sure how warm it is where you are now, but mid-summer when it’s hot outside is a good time to repot tropical trees.

Yea, it will probably be a few weeks yet. I'm planning on repoting them as soon as it starts consistently getting warm at night. The days are warm but still dipping below 50 at night. I appreciate your insight!

 

[SubJeezy]

Keep the fukien inside, by the window. But everything else should be outside. Even if it is in nursery soil. I got this cotoneaster still as it came from thr nursery and I would not dream to bring it inside because it is raining. I am in Denver too.
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Gotcha. You don't think the nights are too chilly for tropicals. It's hovering right at 50 every night. I'm on the edge of the plains, not actually in the city. I'll put the others outside tomorrow and see how things go. I appreciate the input!

 

[tsamajama]

I'm in Boulder and noticed the leaves on my maples are yellowing. Will move them under the eaves so they aren't soaked all the time! A ginko, two white pines, four oaks, and two junipers are all fine, it's only the maples that appear to be struggling.

 

[bonsaichile]

Gotcha. You don't think the nights are too chilly for tropicals. It's hovering right at 50 every night. I'm on the edge of the plains, not actually in the city. I'll put the others outside tomorrow and see how things go. I appreciate the input!

Tropicals are fine until it hors 40 or lower

 

[Lorax7]

Tropicals are fine until it hors 40 or lower

Some tropicals are ok down to 40 degrees. Some are not. Albizia saman, for example, will be damaged by temperatures that low.

 

[ShadyStump]

Tropicals are fine until it hors 40 or lower

I'll adjust this by saying that most tropicals - like @Lorax7 just said - will survive 40sF, but they become much less active at those temps. 50s and higher is where they grow, and that's what you're looking for for working them. My tropicals went outside as soon as it looked like temps were staying 40s+.

I'm down in Cañon City 6a, so we've been there a little while, but still crazy wet this year. Wouldn't think twice about working a ficus after a couple weeks of 50+ but I have no experience with Fukien tea or mimosa, scheflera only as a big houseplant, so I can't really tell you there.

I CAN tell you that a constant in-and-out slows them down more. Many species are quite capable of adjusting their habits so long as they're left alone to do so. Sunny 70s+F days with 50s+F nights is plenty enough to get most common tropicals to move, albeit slower than 80s+/60s+.

I'd go with @bonsaichile's advice, but maybe keep them under a covered porch or whatnot if you're worried about it.

 

[SubJeezy]

I'll adjust this by saying that most tropicals - like @Lorax7 just said - will survive 40sF, but they become much less active at those temps. 50s and higher is where they grow, and that's what you're looking for for working them. My tropicals went outside as soon as it looked like temps were staying 40s+.

I'm down in Cañon City 6a, so we've been there a little while, but still crazy wet this year. Wouldn't think twice about working a ficus after a couple weeks of 50+ but I have no experience with Fukien tea or mimosa, scheflera only as a big houseplant, so I can't really tell you there.

I CAN tell you that a constant in-and-out slows them down more. Many species are quite capable of adjusting their habits so long as they're left alone to do so. Sunny 70s+F days with 50s+F nights is plenty enough to get most common tropicals to move, albeit slower than 80s+/60s+.

I'd go with @bonsaichile's advice, but maybe keep them under a covered porch or whatnot if you're worried about it.

Awesome, I appreciate the input. I put them outside this morning. Unfortunately I don't have any coverd space, hense wanting to build a little awning over my humidity tray.

 

[Colorado]

Its been a very unusually wet and cloudy spring here in Colorado 5a. I want to get my trees outside more, even on cloudy, rainy days. Unfortunately my south-facing window real-estate is very limited, Room enough for 2 of my trees but the rest arnt getting as much light ad I'd like. On top of constantly taking them inside then outside between rain bursts. If it was every other day it would be fine, but its daily, intermittent showers, and Im away from home most of the day light hours . How do you guys keep your soil from getting soaked on outside trees? I was thinking about building a little A-frame roof from clear material over my humidity tray, but am open to ideas.

2 Fukien, a Schefflera and a Mimosa.

The Mimosa is looking particularly sad with such little light exposure.

Hi @SubJeezy , personally I wouldn’t worry about the rain. My trees have been responding very favorably to the additional moisture. I think that if your containers are staying too wet from rain, need to repot into a better mix with more drainage.

I’ve got my tropicals outside. Typically 50F is my threshold for brining them in. I would never consider leaving tropicals outside in 40F but if it dips to 49 or 48 for a couple hours overnight I don’t worry about it.

Just my 2 cents.

I am in the Denver metro area too - would love to meet up sometime!

 

[Tieball]

I’m mostly grimacing at the rain problem. I haven’t had any rain at all in over 4 weeks now and there’s no rain for me in the extended forecast. Hot and dry. Cool at night. Nice cooler mornings in the lower 50s to upper 60s. Very pleasant mornings. None of my trees are tropical though so I don’t think in terms of tree damage. Most trees are good with periodic dips in temperatures. It’s all in the lifecycle of a tree. When it does rain I welcome the rain as a tree cleansing tool, especially at this early growth-cycle time of the year, because of all the pollen dust that benches, branches, soil and leaves collect.

 

[SubJeezy]

Hi @SubJeezy , personally I wouldn’t worry about the rain. My trees have been responding very favorably to the additional moisture. I think that if your containers are staying too wet from rain, need to repot into a better mix with more drainage.

I’ve got my tropicals outside. Typically 50F is my threshold for brining them in. I would never consider leaving tropicals outside in 40F but if it dips to 49 or 48 for a couple hours overnight I don’t worry about it.

Just my 2 cents.

I am in the Denver metro area too - would love to meet up sometime!

After everyone's input I'm only worried about 1 tree. A gnarly looking fukien I just picked up. It has a little bit of a fungus and bug problem. It's in quick draining potting soil currently and I don't wanna repot it until I get all of that taken care of. I appreciate the input on the tropical tho. I'll leave the others outside and just keep an eye on them to see how they respond.

Definitely. I spend most of my free time fly fishing, but I'd like to get more active I'm the bonsai community here.

 

[Tieball]

After everyone's input I'm only worried about 1 tree. A gnarly looking fukien I just picked up. It has a little bit of a fungus and bug problem. It's in quick draining potting soil currently and I don't wanna repot it until I get all of that taken care of. I appreciate the input on the tropical tho. I'll leave the others outside and just keep an eye on them to see how they respond.

Definitely. I spend most of my free time fly fishing, but I'd like to get more active I'm the bonsai community here.

Fly fishing…..very cool. I’ve wanted to learn it. Life keeps getting in the way though. And I probably need to have a pole and fly line at a minimum….even if I’m just backyard practicing.

 

[SubJeezy]

Fly fishing…..very cool. I’ve wanted to learn it. Life keeps getting in the way though. And I probably need to have a pole and fly line at a minimum….even if I’m just backyard practicing.

Yea, haha. It takes about as much dedication and patience as Bonsai. If you ever wanna get into it, I recommend getting a cheap outfit, and going to local ponds with blue gill if possible. Sun fish in a pond are much easier to catch than trout in a river.

 

[SubJeezy]

I’m mostly grimacing at the rain problem. I haven’t had any rain at all in over 4 weeks now and there’s no rain for me in the extended forecast. Hot and dry. Cool at night. Nice cooler mornings in the lower 50s to upper 60s. Very pleasant mornings. None of my trees are tropical though so I don’t think in terms of tree damage. Most trees are good with periodic dips in temperatures. It’s all in the lifecycle of a tree. When it does rain I welcome the rain as a tree cleansing tool, especially at this early growth-cycle time of the year, because of all the pollen dust that benches, branches, soil and leaves collect.

I'm going to try and just set them all outside. Worst comes to worst I lose some foliage. Seems like everyone else in Denver is keeping their tropicals out, so im guessing mine will be alright, haha.