Just curious...

[Cadillactaste]

My tropical don't go below 65F...intentionally. I recall Jerry Meislik mentioning his don't. So I decided to see how it worked for me. Though his don't go outside...mine do.

I actually had to cut back my tropical recently when spring arrived they had another growth spurt and outgrew grow areas. Shoot the powderpuff was constantly cut back all winter. Current image of the tigerbark ficus...

You can see growing so well. (I did lower my lights back down.) I'm far up north...I'm just wondering...do you guys who set your trees out when you do earlier. Are they actively growing like mine are inside yet? And does the cooler nights seem to make them slow down growing? or do they not skip a beat...and keep growing?

I ask...because mine grow so I keep them inside until night temps hit 65F. Then they go out and never stall. Bringing them in when night temps again hit 65F and level out there...I bring them in...in fall when I bring them in they grow like crazy again, never stalling...no dropping of leaves. I feel this method allows me a longer growing period for being a northerner.

Prime example of owning this too-little one year time difference in photos below. I remember thinning it out it had grown so thick and well.

I'm all about doing what works for you. But I thought to share...I believe I see a longer growing season with the route I take. Mine are also in deep trays raised up. They get watered well just as when they are outside. I water thoroughly...all year long.

 

[Carol 83]

Your system works for you and that's great. If I only had a few tropicals, I might consider it. But here they have to go inside early-mid October and can't go back outside until sometime in May. I like to have then outside as much as possible. This past fall they saw some 40's with no problem, but they are close to the house. Plus, 2 of my plant stands are in front of the patio doors to take advantage of the southern exposure. If I blocked them off when we could still sit outside and watch TV, it would cause a lot of wrath from my husband. I got new lights this year and have had bougies, Barbados Cherries and My Singapore Holly bloom inside, so I'm OK with that.

 

[penumbra]

My go out when it reaches mid 40s overnight. Yes they do grow all winter, some more than others. Powder puff grows like a weed as does portulacaria. The inside temps in my house are almost never over 65 and my basement where most of my plants are is below 60 most of the winter.
I actually think most plants like a rest, even tropicals.

 

[Cadillactaste]

My go out when it reaches mid 40s overnight. Yes they do grow all winter, some more than others. Powder puff grows like a weed as does portulacaria. The inside temps in my house are almost never over 65 and my basement where most of my plants are is below 60 most of the winter.
I actually think most plants like a rest, even tropicals.

They don't go semi dormant. Interesting...I've heard ones allowing them to.

So they grow well then when they go outside? Maybe we all then see the same grow season. I just have had ones from the south comment on my development and short time frames. I thought my care had caused a bit longer growing season. Possibly not. That was what I was trying to figure out.

 

[Carol 83]

My go out when it reaches mid 40s overnight. Yes they do grow all winter, some more than others. Powder puff grows like a weed as does portulacaria. The inside temps in my house are almost never over 65 and my basement where most of my plants are is below 60 most of the winter.

I would be cold in your house, lol. Our thermostat is set to go to 70 at 4:30 when I get home from work. Down to 68 at 10pm and 65 while we're at work. The only thing that stalls in the winter inside is the Willow leaf ficus, but it is already showing growth when last year it didn't until June.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Your system works for you and that's great. If I only had a few tropicals, I might consider it. But here they have to go inside early-mid October and can't go back outside until sometime in May. I like to have then outside as much as possible. This past fall they saw some 40's with no problem, but they are close to the house. Plus, 2 of my plant stands are in front of the patio doors to take advantage of the southern exposure. If I blocked them off when we could still sit outside and watch TV, it would cause a lot of wrath from my husband. I got new lights this year and have had bougies, Barbados Cherries and My Singapore Holly bloom inside, so I'm OK with that.

Yay for flowers!!! You are far more dedicated to tropical than myself. I can't imagine anything more than I've taken on. And it's quite a small collection.

Gosh, can't get the husband's dander up. He's been sort of handling your hobby quite well.

 

[Carol 83]

He's been sort of handling your hobby quite well.

Lol, he's getting better. I think he sees it's not a passing fancy, but something I'm truly committed to doing.

 

[penumbra]

I would be cold in your house, lol. Our thermostat is set to go to 70 at 4:30 when I get home from work. Down to 68 at 10pm and 65 while we're at work. The only thing that stalls in the winter inside is the Willow leaf ficus, but it is already showing growth when last year it didn't until June.

My wife wear a sweatshirt or sweater most of the time. My personal thermostat is high and I am fine with short sleeves. We heat with wood only so I usually have the side door open so I don't get to warm in the living room. Bedrooms are kept cool with windows ajar most of the winter. Basement is unheated.
As to willow ficus, for most of them that is the nature of the beast.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Your system works for you and that's great. If I only had a few tropicals, I might consider it. But here they have to go inside early-mid October and can't go back outside until sometime in May. I like to have then outside as much as possible. This past fall they saw some 40's with no problem, but they are close to the house. Plus, 2 of my plant stands are in front of the patio doors to take advantage of the southern exposure. If I blocked them off when we could still sit outside and watch TV, it would cause a lot of wrath from my husband. I got new lights this year and have had bougies, Barbados Cherries and My Singapore Holly bloom inside, so I'm OK with that.

I hear that most about willow leaf. Yet they seem to be a fan favorite. Helping a friend add a character ficus to her home. She called today...had bought a wisteria from a nursery. I talked her out of that by her not wanting to mulch it into the ground.. or stick it in the garage and possibly have to offer secondary heat if we get an arctic polar vortex front that moves through. Also remembering to water one pot in a garage out of site. She will plant it in the ground. So I've got Jason Schley looking into something for her...a bit gnarly. She likes my style...nothing tame and normal. I said...maybe not a willow leaf...because of they seem to sulk in winter for many.

I don't like to be cold... 68F and I'm complaining. 72F is my comfort temp. Year round I could manage that. Summer my husband wants the air cooler and he and I always fight over the thermostat. Fight as...he turns it down...I turn it back up. We say nothing verbally. Just sneak and tweak the thermostat. Lol

 

[Paradox]

.do you guys who set your trees out when you do earlier. Are they actively growing like mine are inside yet? And does the cooler nights seem to make them slow down growing? or do they not skip a beat...and keep growing?

I dont put mine out until I am sure the night temperatures will be above 55 degrees. I hate dancing them all back into the garage so I avoid that if possible.
Like yours, my trees are all growing inside in April and May. The person I bought one of my BRT from, said he protects his if its going to drop below 50 and he is in Florida.

 

[penumbra]

I dont put mine out until I am sure the night temperatures will be above 55 degrees. I hate dancing them all back into the garage so I avoid that if possible.
Like yours, my trees are all growing inside in April and May. The person I bought one of my BRT from, said he protects his if its going to drop below 50 and he is in Florida.

That makes perfect sense for Florida. I guess the rest of us do what works for us. I have too many plants inside and it is paralyzing when I try to work on another project like pottery or woodworking. My new tropical cutting and seedlings stay in. My succulents and cactus and some of my orchids go out when its above 40. Some cactus stay out to 30. My larger ficus about 45 but I don't stress if it drops to 40 for a couple hours. That is about how long the minimum cold lasts here.

 

[Lutonian]

All my tropical trees go outside when night temps are above 7c and I keep them all in front of a south facing window/french doors for winter. My willow leaf fig threw a fit dropped all its leaves and grew them back in about 4 weeks all the rest just slow down a bit but keep there leaves. I do have LED grow light but haven't used that in winter as the only place I can set them up is the spare room and my hamster lives in that room and the purple light might upset her or hurt her eyes so I wont risk it.

 

[LanceMac10]

55 degrees? That would give me about one month of outdoor growing.

Cold hardiness tips from Florida?

 

[Cadillactaste]

55 degrees? That would give me about one month of outdoor growing.

Cold hardiness tips from Florida?

Jerry Meislik's don't even go outside... lol

Oh...first time ever...a friend just made a purchase of a neagari willow leaf with my helping her reach out to Jason Schley. A friend who was serious on wanting to get into bonsai. Woo~Hoo!!! Cool tree too.

 

[BrianBay9]

My night time temps almost never climb above 50. Daytime temps usually 60 - 70 F. My tropicals are outside as long as night temps are above mid-thirties F. My ficus do fine, but I suspect they'd be alot more vigorous with more heat.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Cold hardiness tips from Florida?

Jerry Meislik mentioned once...about the difference of cold. Florida they see cold temps for a brief time. Where as northerners see extended cold. So when you think of how long southern trees actually spend in the cold temps...example. Springtime here...I may not hit high of 40F until around 4 pm. So unlike you...my temps hold out long cold durations. I think it honestly applies to climate/location as we all know it boils down to. Florida's cold hardy tips...don't apply for some locations. That was my assumption from Jerry's comment a few years back.

Which is why @Paradox and I choose night temps that are warmer. Understanding ones climate...allows one to have success.

As long as we can do it successfully...that's all that matters. I just keep having ones say I get a lot of growing time on my ficus for a northerner. And they do grow well for me. Trying to see what if anything causes that.

I think up north...it factors into our having them inside longer. Just the way our temps are. Nothing more. Maybe it's my watering/fertilizing. Maybe I just whisper encouraging words and praise and it likes that.

 

[Cadillactaste]

A snippet from Jerry...now, my living in a microclimate. If my night temps level to 65F. By that time in spring I'm having longer sun time than chill time. I live in what now my local nursery considers a zone 4 with microclimate effecting my location.

 

[just.wing.it]

My trips all saw 34f last night....
Seems like everything was ok.
But I also keep them at 55-60f all winter.

 

[SWfloirda]

I think the zones in Florida range from 8a to 11. I’m in zone 10a. I have been working pre bonsai for only 2.5 years but I have some observations.
We dont get freezing temperatures but we still get shorter days, much less humidity and occasionally the temperatures will dip in the low 40°s at night. Most of my trees don’t seem to slow much until mid December and they stay slowed down through January but spring back to life in early February. I’ve never brought any trees inside, if the weather ever calls for 35° or less I may put a few in the garage or at least up against a sunny side of the house. I’ve seen Wigerts has protected theirs a few times since I’ve been in the hobby but they’re a little more north and inland which makes a 3-5° difference. Plus they’ve got specimens, I don’t think they do much with their pre bonsai material.

 

[Paradox]

That makes perfect sense for Florida. I guess the rest of us do what works for us. I have too many plants inside and it is paralyzing when I try to work on another project like pottery or woodworking. My new tropical cutting and seedlings stay in. My succulents and cactus and some of my orchids go out when its above 40. Some cactus stay out to 30. My larger ficus about 45 but I don't stress if it drops to 40 for a couple hours. That is about how long the minimum cold lasts here.

I am not in Florida. I am in New York where winter gets a bit colder. The advice I got was from the person that grew my tree for 18 years.
I see no reason to go against the advice of the person that grows these things for a living.
If he says its a good idea to bring in a Brazilian rain tree when the temperatures are going to be below 50 in Florida, why would I think leaving it out in New York when the temperature is going to be below 50 would be a good thing? Its a Brazilian rain tree, ie a tropical native to Brazil. It wont adapt to being an outdoor tree in New York when temperatures are below normal tolerance for the species.

Ficus can handle temperatures a bit cooler and could stay out a bit longer but I treat them the same as the BRT because its just easier for me to bring them all in at once.

And yes that is what works for me. Around here, the temperatures can fluctuate quite a bit during those periods where the seasons are changing.
Waiting until it drops to around 40 or putting them out when it reaches 40 in the spring is risking a potential early or late frost which would probably kill a Brazilian Rain tree.

If you have too many plants inside to bring in all your tropicals, thats another issue altogether and has nothing to do with the cold tolerance of a tropical species.
I have only so much space inside for my tropicals so I dont go over the amount of trees that I have space for.