WNC Bonsai
Masterpiece
I gather them all in an area with large conifers serving as a windbreak. Then I sprinkle on vole chaser and cover the pots with leaves. Once a month I add some water unless it has been a wet month.
How do you winterize your trees?
- Thread starter mattspinniken
- Start date
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Seems like you're in a mood today! That "wild" tree in the landscape has an enormous root system that is protected by soil (and residual ground heat) and snow cover. Take that same tree, put it into a tiny pot and leave it exposed on a bench all winter? No thanks, not worth the risk to me! Others may do as they wish.
Even the hardiest conifers I have (ponderosa pine, spruce, cedar), I wouldn't risk leaving out on a bench all winter. If I could safeguard against vermin with 100% certainty, I might leave them outside under mulch or heeled into the soil but I have a system that has worked well for about 8 years now, through both extremely warm and extremely cold winters - so I'll stick with that
This is my winter tree shelter (on the north side of the house). The wind barrier is burlap stapled to some hardwood stakes. This is my first year using the burlap windbreak. I used a wall of straw bales as the windbreak in previous years, which worked well for that purpose but left me with a bunch of straw bales that I have no other use for and that start to decompose after a while. I’m hoping that the burlap and stakes solution will be reusable. Everything is tucked in a bed of cypress mulch.
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
After forgetting my trees outside with -15°C and no loss (even with recently collected material), I figured to stop worrying.
I'm not buying or collecting material that wouldn't survive our winters to begin with. So whatever dies, was meant to die.
I'm not buying or collecting material that wouldn't survive our winters to begin with. So whatever dies, was meant to die.
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
chinese elms can withstand low temps of -6 celsius if it drops lower they need protection. most of our native deciduous trees can withstand much lower temps than that and conifers even more.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Because I have a good place to overwinter my trees, I do not only have a place to work them in the winter, but they won't suffer damage because I work on them in the winter.
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
cmeg1
Imperial Masterpiece
Yea,fine twigs do not do well exposed below freezing in wind
I do like a lite freeze in a cold frame like 29f
31f. No watering!
if I had walk in options I would definately keep only slightly above freeze.That way I could enjoy observing and watering with no freeze refreeze cycles.Someday I will have this when funds allow.
It would definately be my Winter hangout
I do like a lite freeze in a cold frame like 29f
31f. No watering!
if I had walk in options I would definately keep only slightly above freeze.That way I could enjoy observing and watering with no freeze refreeze cycles.Someday I will have this when funds allow.
It would definately be my Winter hangout
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
It's too cold in winter here to leave trees on benches.another wintering bonsai thread
i saw this on Jennifer price's FB page, she is in chicago, hardy trees remain on benches
View attachment 270340
makes me wonder why everyone on Bnut locks everything away, smiled when i saw this.
I tried it with a couple of Siberian elms once just to see.
Good thing they were disposable trees.
davetree
Omono
In my garage I get to see my trees every day, look at them up close and plan for next year. Outside you just forget them.
Orion_metalhead
Masterpiece
I think that for beginners, the prospect of the harshness of winter is the most terrifying part of bonsai, hence so many threads and questions and attempts to protect trees.
For me, I was looking up the best wintering methods for this year before last year's winter was even over, then all through summer, and now into fall. The lack of any visible signs of life for trees weve spent so much time taking care of is extremely uncomfortable. Idk if other novices feel the same way as me but i was never actually afraid of things like overwatering, wrong soil, wiring, cutting off too much roots, etc. Winter though... a seasin of pure unyielding terror.
For me, I was looking up the best wintering methods for this year before last year's winter was even over, then all through summer, and now into fall. The lack of any visible signs of life for trees weve spent so much time taking care of is extremely uncomfortable. Idk if other novices feel the same way as me but i was never actually afraid of things like overwatering, wrong soil, wiring, cutting off too much roots, etc. Winter though... a seasin of pure unyielding terror.
canoeguide
Chumono
Overwintering seems to be a bit like soil, in that these things are vitally important to bonsai, but also include a lot of variables. That combination is bound to spawn discussion. At least with soil, beginners can just buy some pre-made mix and not go too far wrong.
You're right that overwintering is scary because the things that will kill or harm trees can't really be seen: cold, wind, vermin, etc. AND overwintering is incredibly location- and species-dependent.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
And also age and vigor dependent. You can't treat a very old tree like a young one with the same results.
River's Edge
Imperial Masterpiece
Important point, as well as the container size. Some of our oldest trees with the most development are in the smallest pots, least amount of protection. Smaller container change temperature rapidly in weather changes, also not a great feature.
Cable
Omono
First of all, a good rule of thumb is that you lose a zone when you put a tree into a pot. So that native tree hardy to your zone 6 is now only hardy to zone 7. And it gets worse if you have a small pot or a lot of refinement. Certain species are more susceptible, too. American beeches tend to lose their hardiness when put into a pot.
My first year in bonsai I thought I'd just stick my trees on the ground out of the wiind with some leaves to help insulate and all would be well. I lost 8. The next year I put the less hardy ones into my root cellar and mulched in the rest. I lost zero.
You can also let your toddler roam the neighborhood and let nature take it's course, or you can be a little more protective and improve the odds of survival a bit.
My first year in bonsai I thought I'd just stick my trees on the ground out of the wiind with some leaves to help insulate and all would be well. I lost 8. The next year I put the less hardy ones into my root cellar and mulched in the rest. I lost zero.
You can also let your toddler roam the neighborhood and let nature take it's course, or you can be a little more protective and improve the odds of survival a bit.
Atom#28
Chumono
Dude. For real.
(also, great title for your next death metal track)
My wife thinks its "so cute" how much I have been worrying about my trees. My first winter and I don't want to lose any of my lil buddies!
Orion_metalhead
Masterpiece
I checked metal archives to see if anyone had used this as a song... nope!
Japonicus
Imperial Masterpiece
Winter storage and Reusing last years mulch...
For a procrastinator this has been a great Winters start around here in the Ohio River valley area. My snow tires are on but waiting at least another week to put my wife's snow tires on. Plenty of frost, lots of rain though, I can't remember the last time I had to water except for a few that's...
Yup, you be smart. Same for me, the vole would decimate everything eventually, that and that odd years where it approaches 50 below--in the years before my storage crypt of doom some precious irreplaceable trees perished from deep cold and I will not forgive myself.
SouthernMaple
Chumono
I had that problem when I moved up here to where i live now from Atlanta, I started putting rocks in my pots and squirrels left my trees aloneyeh the only threats i get from animals here is pesky squirrels trying to hide acorns in my pots
