Snow is your friend

[rockm]

Don’t be afraid of snow with overwintering trees. It is the perfect mulch insulating roots and providing moisture. It can also shield more vulnerable trees from the coldest temps if it’s deep enough to cover them completely. Photo show BC,elm, maples. There are also some azaleas under the snow completely. Will protect from 40 mph winds and lows inthe teens forecast

 

[penumbra]

I was going to post this but I just waited for you rockm, because I knew it was coming. We are looking for a low of 4F Thursday night here in the valley. And it looks like the whole month will finish out cold. February is only a tad better. I am thrilled to look outside and see all of my bonsai grouped together on the ground and covered with 7-8 inches of snow. This snow is a blessing, and that is not a word I use often.

 

[Cruiser]

Can I have some?

Sincerely,
Western Washington resident

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Snow? What’s that?

Foggy and 38F in the foothills east of Seattle

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[rockm]

I was going to post this but I just waited for you rockm, because I knew it was coming. We are looking for a low of 4F Thursday night here in the valley. And it looks like the whole month will finish out cold. February is only a tad better. I am thrilled to look outside and see all of my bonsai grouped together on the ground and covered with 7-8 inches of snow. This snow is a blessing, and that is not a word I use often.

4F. I’ll have 10 degrees on you here I ve been hoping we’d get enough snowfall to completely cover satsukis before the low teens arrive with winds.

 

[leatherback]

beat your punchline by a few days!

 

[rockm]

Um. For some reason having trouble watching the vid. Anyway —my question might be answered in the video, but from the image visible —why are the trees with snow still on the bench? Snow won’t help insulate trees on benches. The pots are exposed on all sides and under neath. Snow won’t help unless the pot is on the ground and covered over

 

[tanlu]

I have my plants nestled against a north facing wall covered under 6 or so inches of snow. Aside from the horticultural benefits of snow, I'm a fan of its added aesthetic value since it speaks to the natural winter conditions of most of the species I grow.

 

[Carol 83]

Can I have some?

Sincerely,
Western Washington resident

Come and get it, we have 8 inches.

 

[RaginCajun]

It is COLD here in north Louisiana.. 36 was the high today. The low will be around 25… we very rarely get snow but we do have several hard freezes. I water the trees heavily before a hard freeze but otherwise they stay in the benches.

 

[leatherback]

why are the trees with snow still on the bench? Snow won’t help insulate trees on benches. The pots are exposed on all sides and under neath. Snow won’t help unless the pot is on the ground and covered over

exactly the point made in the video..

 

[Adamski77]

Don’t be afraid of snow with overwintering trees. It is the perfect mulch insulating roots and providing moisture. It can also shield more vulnerable trees from the coldest temps if it’s deep enough to cover them completely. Photo show BC,elm, maples. There are also some azaleas under the snow completely. Will protect from 40 mph winds and lows inthe teens forecast

if it's azalea on the picture than it's extremely green comparing to mine... mine over winter are always having some yellowing leaves... with much warmer winter than what you have...

 

[rockm]

if it's azalea on the picture than it's extremely green comparing to mine... mine over winter are always having some yellowing leaves... with much warmer winter than what you have...

The azalea is not visible. It's buried under the snow. The visible tree is a boxwood.

 

[RaginCajun]

if it's azalea on the picture than it's extremely green comparing to mine... mine over winter are always having some yellowing leaves... with much warmer winter than what you have...

Rick Garcia notes in his book that not all satsuki azaleas have the same cold hardiness. There are northern varieties and southern varieties. I believe he just released a video on YouTube regarding satsuki winter care in North America and discusses this. He also displays a northern variety and a southern variety for comparisons.

 

[rockm]

Rick Garcia notes in his book that not all satsuki azaleas have the same cold hardiness. There are northern varieties and southern varieties. I believe he just released a video on YouTube regarding satsuki winter care in North America and discusses this. He also displays a northern variety and a southern variety for comparisons.

The azalea under the snow is one of Rick’s. I talked with him about hardiness when I bought it from him at the Potomac Bonsai show and sale a few years ago just before his book came out He noted the difference of northern and southern.

 

[RaginCajun]

The azalea under the snow is one of Rick’s. I talked with him about hardiness when I bought it from him at the Potomac Bonsai show and sale a few years ago just before his book came out He noted the difference of northern and southern.

I bought his book last yr and it’s a gem. I was excited when he started his YouTube channel. I only have this one azalea in my collection but hoping to add another nice tree to the collection this yr. I really need to repot it this year… I just cant seem to find the right pot for it. It’s currently displaying some winter color.

 

[Adamski77]

I bought his book last yr and it’s a gem. I was excited when he started his YouTube channel. I only have this one azalea in my collection but hoping to add another nice tree to the collection this yr. I really need to repot it this year… I just cant seem to find the right pot for it. It’s currently displaying some winter color.

thanks a lot for recommendation... both on book and YouTube channel... bought and subscribed. My wife just loves flowering bonsai so we went recently to one place around Shanghai and bought 3! ... and they are old and big. But obviously language (Chinese) becomes super technical when you go into details on varieties of trees (almost always untranslatable) so first of all will need to decide what it really is... than comes everything else.
For now they are wintering with protection... I've seen how they do it here...

 

[Glaucus]

Even here there's a little bit of snow now. Though it doesn't really want to get cold.


Probably will be all melted away by tomorrow.

Not sure if all azaleas are actually fully dormant. Maybe this will give them the cold shock they need. Saw some growing tips on some of them.
Satsuki definitely seem more eager to break dormancy. Or to not fully accept going into it. Even northern varieties, that are generally hardier.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

We’re getting friendly in Birmingham today…

 

[The Barber]

Supposed to be getting another 6 inches on top of the 10 inches of snow, 1 inch of sleet, and half inch of ice we have that hasn't melted off yet. Glad we have the snow though, supposed to be single to low double digits for a while.