spring is here post your flowering Bonsai

[treekutter]

Purple leaf plum

 

[rockm]

Spring is most definitely NOT here, at least for those of us where it snows. Thinking it has arrived can mean the demise of your trees here.

I am VERY concerned this year about the early bud break on most of my trees. We have a significant amount of time before the danger of hard, killing freezes and snow goes away. Given the warm winter, trees are moving at least two weeks early here in Va. That means a seasonal dip into the low twenties or lower can mean death for those trees if they're not sheltered.

Once leaves are visible on buds, even trees with extreme cold-hardiness have lost most of their capacity to survive freezing.

That means, if you live in the Middle Atlantic states or North, if your trees are leafed out they are extremely vulnerable to freezing. You will have to find alternative quarters for them until probably until the middle of April when the last frost occurs.

Spring is always a dangerous time of the year for bonsai. This year it is even more so....

 

[Harunobu]

For me the first sign of spring coming is the hydrangea buds swelling. They did so just a few days after the -10 C frost period ended.

I heard that before the most intense frost of the last 15 years hit, some people reported buds swelling on hazel trees. There were even hayfeaver reports.
Most plants kept quiet though and dodged the frost. Weather is warming up now so I think most plants will start to start growing right now. Only a few more weeks for signs of growth on azaleas, is my guess.

 

[tmmason10]

FYI since I went and googled it, spring isn't officially here until march 20th. God damn do I wish I lived in socal at times like this.

 

[edprocoat]

Spring is always here in Florida!

ed

 

[Dan W.]

Spring...? This was taken from my deck this-morning...


And this was about two weeks ago up around where I collect...We have gotten several good snows since this pic...


Seriously though, thanks for sharing the pic. I love when the trees start flowering. And yours gets me excited about spring.... even if it is still a ways off in WY It helps warm the winter up a bit to see others beginning to spring to life.

But...I'm also worried about this winter weather. The last two winters have been off and on like crazy! Trees.. (not bonsai, mine are protected).. began budding a month ago and then everything froze and knocked tender twigs off everywhere. We lost several mature trees around town last spring and I have a feeling there will be many more this spring.

 

[tmmason10]

Ok I always admit when I'm wrong, and it certainly feels, smells, and sounds like spring here in boston.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Steve, that's a beautiful plum!

But yeah, I'm a little worried about the transition into spring. This is the first winter where I somewhat knew what I was doing, so this has been a bit of an odd learning experience. I'll most likely be moving my trees in and out every day to avoid any damage from frosts. I wish I had a lot of spare wagons...lol

 

[rockm]

We're forecast for a high of 70 tomorrow, then a slide to the mid-to-high twenties by Sunday night -- a recipe for disaster for some of my Amur maples who are happily leafing out. I expect this kind of rollercoaster to continue into April. That means a looong stint of the "bonsai two step" moving the trees back and forth between adequate shelter and outside.

I HATE having to lug dozens of heavy trees in and out of the basement in Springtime. Not only does it stress my back, it stresses the trees by forcing weak leggy growth, not to mention snapped branches and ramification from trees too wide to fit through the back door...

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Jesus, from 70s to 20s?? That's insane. I'm glad it's been relatively smooth in Michigan so far -- at least in Grand Rapids. Yeah, it's horrible taking trees in and out, especially when it means a trip downstairs. I'm lucky to have an unused garage that I can store my stuff in. Do you use one of those back brace things? Like the belts that go around your hip/lower-back area? Apparently they work wonders. Otherwise, have you considered building a cold house?

One question I have with the drastic weather (or, perhaps soon-to-be drastic weather), I have a tree I plan on collecting this spring. When it breaks from dormancy, should I cover it with plastic at night to avoid frosts? Are there any other precautions I should take?

 

[rockm]

No back brace. I've thrown my back out a couple of times over the years moving 100 lb trees...Don't have room for a cold house or even a shed in the backyard, which means it's the basement or nothing.

If you're collecting and have a space that remains frost free--the unused garage would probably be fine, put the collected stuff there. I wouldn't cover anything with plastic in frosty conditions. That can lead to bad things. FWIW, you might even bring the collected deciduous stuff inside the house. Bottom heat after collection can speed new roots...

 

[jk_lewis]

Flowering quince:

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

That's rough. Yeah, I'm glad everything I have is relatively easy to move. It's also unfortunate you don't have space for any additions...but we do what we must, I suppose.

Thank you for the advice! I'll be watching closely for new buds so I'll be prepared to collect it ASAP and get it in a comfortable and safe spot. It's a juniper, so I'll have to lump it up with the stuff I'm bringing in and out of the garage. I didn't know plastic would have a negative impact. Maybe that's why my satsuki died last year...but anyway. What kind of bad things? I'm just curious. But yeah, good idea about bottom heat! I hadn't thought about that.

 

[treekutter]

Nice! The magnolia is great

Flowering quince:

 

[JoeR]

My only two that are flowering this year:

1) Cherry
2) Crabapple

I cannot believe how many flowers are on these things! Second picture in each set shows the amount of flowers.

 

[lieuz]

Spring is most definitely NOT here, at least for those of us where it snows. Thinking it has arrived can mean the demise of your trees here.

I am VERY concerned this year about the early bud break on most of my trees. We have a significant amount of time before the danger of hard, killing freezes and snow goes away. Given the warm winter, trees are moving at least two weeks early here in Va. That means a seasonal dip into the low twenties or lower can mean death for those trees if they're not sheltered.

Once leaves are visible on buds, even trees with extreme cold-hardiness have lost most of their capacity to survive freezing.

That means, if you live in the Middle Atlantic states or North, if your trees are leafed out they are extremely vulnerable to freezing. You will have to find alternative quarters for them until probably until the middle of April when the last frost occurs.

Spring is always a dangerous time of the year for bonsai. This year it is even more so....

I am glad I have someone in the neighborhood to confirm! Thank you for this. I haven't had any bud break yet; but, they are-a-swellin' every day!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Spring is most definitely NOT here, at least for those of us where it snows.

Spring came and went about 6 weeks ago for us. My peaches started blooming second week of February. All my quince, spring azaleas, figs, almond, have already bloomed and are now all greened up. My pines are all pushing candles now.

 

[fredtruck]

Here are a couple of my quinces. First, a chojubai red. This is about its 3rd flush of flowers.



And here's my Utamaro Japanese Flowering Quince:

 

[lieuz]

Here are a couple of my quinces. First, a chojubai red. This is about its 3rd flush of flowers.

Beautiful trees sir.

 

[M. Frary]

Spring? Where?