I have read and seen different oppinions on overwintering satsuki azaleas so many different opinions I have my two currently on a coverd porch it has been cold here for a few nights so I put both of them closer to the house where the north wind cant get to them I have also placed two glass screens in front of them is it o.k. to leave them where they are at over the winter or should I take them both inside my unheated garage over the winter? I have heard they have to always have some air no matter how cold it gets. I need help in figuring out what I should do I am trying to keep them as healthy as I know how so that someday when my daughters are bigger I can give the trees to them as a gift from me.
overwintering satsuki
- Thread starter jimj.
- Start date
Martin Sweeney
Chumono
Jimj.,
I would be willing to take a shot at offering some advice concerning your overwintering question, but need some details, like where you live, how long the trees have been in their pots, what kind of soil they are in, how big are the pots etc. Heck, why not throw up a picture or two showing the trees themselves, their wintering quarters or both?
Regards,
Martin
I would be willing to take a shot at offering some advice concerning your overwintering question, but need some details, like where you live, how long the trees have been in their pots, what kind of soil they are in, how big are the pots etc. Heck, why not throw up a picture or two showing the trees themselves, their wintering quarters or both?
Regards,
Martin
Martin Sweeney
Chumono
Jimj.,
You live much further north than I. I live in USDA zone 7b (maybe 8a now). We usually get no more than a couple of nights in a row in the teens for low temps for the winter, usually we are in the mid to high 20's.
You need to protect the roots of your azalea from the extreme cold. My guess is that your low temps will outright kill the roots of a satsuki that are not protected in some way.
Do you have other trees that you have overwintered successfully? If so, how did you do it?
Regards,
Martin
You live much further north than I. I live in USDA zone 7b (maybe 8a now). We usually get no more than a couple of nights in a row in the teens for low temps for the winter, usually we are in the mid to high 20's.
You need to protect the roots of your azalea from the extreme cold. My guess is that your low temps will outright kill the roots of a satsuki that are not protected in some way.
Do you have other trees that you have overwintered successfully? If so, how did you do it?
Regards,
Martin
The only other plants I have are tropicals and they spend the winter inside I always have to check the water needs every day in the winter I wish winter would not last so long I dread it more every year although I know people futher north thinks I should not complain . Anyway I thank you for trying to help me.
Dale Cochoy
Shohin
Jim,
S. central KY is a fairly moderate climate with not very often having deep cold swings. It looks like zones 6a,b for you, maybe a bit higher? . I'd think you would have no trouble keeping your azaleas in either spot you mention, or, maybe moving them from the protected porch into the garage if a serious cold snap happens to come your way. I'm not a fan of keeping trees in a garage except as last resort. Have you thought of building a small poly house in a protected area ( or, on your porch)?
I live in zone 5 NE Ohio and for many years now I've overwintered my satsuki in my UNHEATED greenhouse by using styrofoam boxes. I punch some holes in bottom. Put in some mulch. put in potted tree. Back fill over the pot with mulch. They get watered a few times during winter and more often as spring warms before I get them out. I have not lost a satsuki in many years and we often go to zero or below . Just the other night it was a RECORD of 14 degrees here! Amazing a week before Thanksgiving!
You can get the boxes at aquarium shops ( my favorites, fish are shipped in them)) , fruit mailing companies , hospitals or even cheap coolers.
Here are some pictures.
The last picture is a cold frame box. It is fairly easy to build. It is treated wood, sets below ground about 6" and has gravel base. Top folds up and is plexiglass. It's lined inside with styrofoam. I keep my mame/shohin touchy things in there and rarely ever lose anything.
I hope I've helped you a bit.
D.
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I have just one Satsuki Azalea that I keep mulched in a cold frame. Also in zone 5. Haven't had any problems with the Azalea's roots during overwintering but have had some die back of branches (usually the top ones)during the winters. Is there anything that can be done to protect the upper part of the tree from the cold. It's in a cold frame (greenhouse) thats protected and only gets a couple hours of early sunrise sun, no wind just some ventilation flaps. Would covering the tree with straw or a insulating cover like they do for roses help, or would that block too much light from the leaves?
Thanks, Robert
Thanks, Robert
I have another question I have been thinking about what time of the year would be best to prune the roots of azaleas ? I wonder if the middle of march would be o.k. it just seems to me it might be less stressful on the tree to do the pruning before it is peak growth cycle
Martin Sweeney
Chumono
Jimj.,
I have always had good success repotting satsuki after blooming here in the Charlotte, NC area. I would think that would be best for you as well. You can repot before blooming, but you would need to be careful about how many blooms you allow the plant to produce. Seems a waste to limit blooming when it only happens once a year anyway...
Regards,
Martin
I have always had good success repotting satsuki after blooming here in the Charlotte, NC area. I would think that would be best for you as well. You can repot before blooming, but you would need to be careful about how many blooms you allow the plant to produce. Seems a waste to limit blooming when it only happens once a year anyway...
Regards,
Martin
I will wait until after bloom time to repot I think I will still limit the blooms I want the trees to have the least amount of stress I want to use a different kind of soil I found on a site that I have had luck with before . Thanks for all of the advice bonsai nut people are the best happy holidays to all.
