Overwintering Japanese black pine and Satsuki azaleas

[bonsaibandit]

I have some Japanese black pine pre bonsai growing in pond pots that are a few years old and one shohin in a bonsai pot and soil that I am working on refining and some Satsuki azalea pre bonsai in terra cotta pots. I generally keep them in my unheated attic over the winter but air is pretty stale up there and I was debating trying them outside this year. I live in Providence RI zone 6a-7a depending on the resource you look at (it will get down to 0-5 degrees F in the winter. I’m just curious if people in this area have experience with overwintering black pines and Satsuki azaleas outdoors mulched in and if they have been successful with it. Thank you

 

[Dav4]

I have some Japanese black pine pre bonsai growing in pond pots that are a few years old and one shohin in a bonsai pot and soil that I am working on refining and some Satsuki azalea pre bonsai in terra cotta pots. I generally keep them in my unheated attic over the winter but air is pretty stale up there and I was debating trying them outside this year. I live in Providence RI zone 6a-7a depending on the resource you look at (it will get down to 0-5 degrees F in the winter. I’m just curious if people in this area have experience with overwintering black pines and Satsuki azaleas outdoors mulched in and if they have been successful with it. Thank you

I overwinter JBP outside in 6A MI and wouldn't blink at doing that in RI. With satsukis, their cold hardiness varies on the cultivar... some would be fine outside in coastal RI while others won't. I grew up in SE MA (learned how to skate on a frozen pond across the street from my house) and know the climate has changed a lot over the last few decades... even though it can still fall to 0 F in Providence, I bet it doesn't stay that cold for long. If the azaleas are not that expensive, I might try to overwinter them outside in a very protected spot if possible.

 

[rockm]

I overwinter my satsukis outside under mulch. I'm in zone 7 (temps down to single digits in Jan occasionally. It works fine for mine which are Hino Maru and Shiro Ebisu. Winter hardiness for satsukis does vary by cultivar. I have heard that a general rule of thumb is the larger the leaf the less winter hardy the variety. Don't know if that holds true for all, but mine have smaller leaves.

I had overwintered them in a cold greenhouse for a few winters, until that got cost prohibitive. After that I just crossed my fingers and put them out in the backyard. That was six years ago. Things seem to work fine. When it gets extremely cold, the leaves droop severely. Once it warms up leaves perk back up. Keep them in a place out of the prevailing wind, particularly North winds.

 

[bonsaibandit]

I overwinter JBP outside in 6A MI and wouldn't blink at doing that in RI. With satsukis, their cold hardiness varies on the cultivar... some would be fine outside in coastal RI while others won't. I grew up in SE MA (learned how to skate on a frozen pond across the street from my house) and know the climate has changed a lot over the last few decades... even though it can still fall to 0 F in Providence, I bet it doesn't stay that cold for long. If the azaleas are not that expensive, I might try to overwinter them outside in a very protected spot if possible.

Thanks @Dav4, I appreciate it! I will leave JBP outside this winter with confidence now. I grew up in Mattapoisett MA, playing pond hockey in my youth as well. You’re right the winters are much milder now compared to when I was a kid, my brother and I were just talking about how there is sadly never snow on Christmas around here anymore. One quick follow up question, do you still leave them outside if you just wired them this fall? I just did refinement wiring on my shohin.

 

[bonsaibandit]

Thanks @rockm maybe I’ll try some of my smaller leaf ones in a wind protected area this winter and see how it goes. Appreciate the advice

 

[Dav4]

Thanks @Dav4, I appreciate it! I will leave JBP outside this winter with confidence now. I grew up in Mattapoisett MA, playing pond hockey in my youth as well. You’re right the winters are much milder now compared to when I was a kid, my brother and I were just talking about how there is sadly never snow on Christmas around here anymore. One quick follow up question, do you still leave them outside if you just wired them this fall? I just did refinement wiring on my shohin.

Great question. If it was a recent and significant styling with lots of pruning and bending, you may opt to baby it through the winter. If it wasn't drastic, and if it was done over 4-6 weeks ago, you're probably good to leave outside.

Back in the late 70's- early 80's, I'd skate/play hockey on that pond every day after school starting in mId to late December right through most of March... I don't miss shoveling 4+ feet of snow every winter like I did back then, but I do miss the other things that came with a persistently cold winter.

 

[lowstock]

I have some Japanese black pine pre bonsai growing in pond pots that are a few years old and one shohin in a bonsai pot and soil that I am working on refining and some Satsuki azalea pre bonsai in terra cotta pots. I generally keep them in my unheated attic over the winter but air is pretty stale up there and I was debating trying them outside this year. I live in Providence RI zone 6a-7a depending on the resource you look at (it will get down to 0-5 degrees F in the winter. I’m just curious if people in this area have experience with overwintering black pines and Satsuki azaleas outdoors mulched in and if they have been successful with it. Thank you

I live in New Hampshire, zone five, and my black pine do find staying in the ground or above ground insulated by the snow in the winter.