Maple bud break disaster

[Velodog2]

Oh well it probably doesn't matter if they understand how it works as long as it works. And I suppose the ice even if dry would act as a slight insulation/barrier to a short drop in air temp. Nothing is ever simple.

Looking at the weather it's not actually supposed to get below freezing for the next week at least. So maybe my attitude is wrong and I should be embracing this. If the winter is going to be warm then spring will start in February. Someone posted elsewhere that buds are swelling at the national arboretum collection in D.C. which is warmer than where I am, but not much. Maybe I'll be able to keep it outside in full sun more than I anticipated.

But the primary bugaboo with climate change isn't necessarily just higher temps but also unpredictability as the climate becomes unstable.

 

[Dav4]

Japanese maples and their cultivars are fully hardy as landscape trees in Maryland, so they don't need exceptional protection from the winter cold. Protecting the root zone with a solid application of bark mulch and placing them out of the wind and sun is all that's necessary. In my experience, overprotection during the winter is more likely to cause problems then the other way around. This is my last post here as I'm basically repeating myself at this point.

 

[Velodog2]

Japanese maples and their cultivars are fully hardy as landscape trees in Maryland, so they don't need exceptional protection from the winter cold. Protecting the root zone with a solid application of bark mulch and placing them out of the wind and sun is all that's necessary. In my experience, overprotection during the winter is more likely to cause problems then the other way around. This is my last post here as I'm basically repeating myself at this point.

Sorry Dav4 I haven't been ignoring your posts I am just unsure, based partly on experience, than my maples in pots can reliably survive the occasional below zero (F) temps we sometimes get here, even if mulched. Some of these trees I value highly and have low tolerance for risk. Then there are the occasional marauding rodents as well ...

 

[Starfox]

http://www.brindabella-gardens.com.au/Maples.html

Well certain cultivars at least have been thriving in Brisbane for years it seems and they have a lowest average low temp of 10 deg C and I would think a frost is as rare there or rarer than it is here. There are other postings around of JM's doing well in Oz at least so I'm not certain temps have to be as low as it is the light received.
Of course this may only be for certain cultivars, I don't know but surely if you can get dormancy started then once dormant the temps don't matter as much unless they are too high.
Either way I'm trying them out here, I think it will be touch and go but I have 3 and one is waking up now but frost is likely not a concern.

 

[AlainK]

certain cultivars at least have been thriving in Brisbane for years

Which ones? Any photos or recorded progression?

 

[Starfox]

In the link I gave above has at least got some photos, not conclusive at all I will admit but encouraging.
Also Ausbonsai has any number of posts and threads on them and many of those locations are lucky to get a frost, but individual circumstance and climate needs to be accounted for, enough to encourage me to try them out. There is so much conflicting info on them in hotter zones I figured I wont know until I try them out, I'll report n them as they go but I am aware it will be pushing the limits.

 

[Velodog2]

Repotting accomplished without incident. Out in sun now and bud growth accelerating. Was able to prune the roots right back up under the trunk. Had been a couple years. No frost at all in the forecast stretching out over a week. I'm sure it's not the only one I'll be repotting in February this year.

So disturbing that this is apparently spring. I'm guessing the landscape trees will begin waking up early too. And if it goes similar to last year a late hard frost will kill many things back. A lot of sycamores never really recovered from that and might be weak this spring.

 

[Shima]

In the link I gave above has at least got some photos, not conclusive at all I will admit but encouraging.
Also Ausbonsai has any number of posts and threads on them and many of those locations are lucky to get a frost, but individual circumstance and climate needs to be accounted for, enough to encourage me to try them out. There is so much conflicting info on them in hotter zones I figured I wont know until I try them out, I'll report n them as they go but I am aware it will be pushing the limits.

There is a A.palmatum that grows in Hilo (tropical) named "Jogi" carried by a local garden shop. Small thick dark red leaves. I keep meaning to pick one up. I'll be doing a post moaning about growing maples in Hawaii. I have mostly tridents and some of them are swelling and the worst winter weather is still to come. Cold in Dec. then warmer in Jan.-Feb. then dark and rainy with high humidity 'till June. And it never freezes here at 4K feet. Only a few days below 40F.

 

[Shima]

Found it! http://koolaufarmers.com/products/dwarf-japanese-maple-joji-tree/

 

[benw3790]

I am in NC and we have the craziest temps, EVER! Atleast it seems that way! I posted a thread about this too. I just went ahead and repotted the deciduous trees that started swelling and breaking early, during the warm couple of weekends that we've had. Nothing has skipped a beat. Just repot when buds swell or start to break and then protect from frosts. Really keep an eye on the weather and the temps! If you don't need to repot then just keep the buds from frost and you should be fine. You can also repot maples in leaf. Walter pall commented on my thread, including pictures of him, repotting maples in leaf. So don't worry, just protect the tree/s! I have a feeling that the bonsai shuffle is going to be very serious this year. Haha

 

[miker]

Oh well it probably doesn't matter if they understand how it works as long as it works. And I suppose the ice even if dry would act as a slight insulation/barrier to a short drop in air temp. Nothing is ever simple.


Looking at the weather it's not actually supposed to get below freezing for the next week at least. So maybe my attitude is wrong and I should be embracing this. If the winter is going to be warm then spring will start in February. Someone posted elsewhere that buds are swelling at the national arboretum collection in D.C. which is warmer than where I am, but not much. Maybe I'll be able to keep it outside in full sun more than I anticipated.

But the primary bugaboo with climate change isn't necessarily just higher temps but also unpredictability as the climate becomes unstable.

My climate is not that much colder than that of the National Arboretum (Berks County, PA), but not a single potted tree or bonsai I have shows the slightest sign of waking up at all. But then, we've had way more chill hours and consistently colder days than Downtown DC, so maybe the two climates are more different than I thought.

I took out my prized trident today because it is one shohin sized tree and I will simply take it in when it gets below freezing from here on out. That, and I want to see something start growing.

72F here for the middle of this coming week.