Watering when overwintering in a shed or garage

[leatherback]

This is preventable and should be for aesthetic purposes.

ehm.. At the moment it is not preventable. Everything here is slowly being covered by moss. The rooftiles. The lawn. The pathway to the house. Moss is just something that takes over during the wet dark time of the year. Local conditions vary a lot sorce. As said. I move trees that are cleaned up to a dry sheltered spot to keep them that way. May taxus was without moss a month ago.

 

[W3rk]

Chalk one more up in the column for garage caused problems.

I was just googling for Japanese Bonsai in Garages. Seems to be none.

I'm just saying....

When we started doing this we thought bonsai were kept indoors.

How is, still keeping trees in a garage, Any less ridiculous?

It's been proven uneccesary, so why do we waste so much energies on it?

To have a foreign species that, due to the very fact it must be kept in the garage, will always be a level of subpar?

Compare that to what one could do with that energy spent on local species.

It boils down to 2 better trees to replace 1.
Maybe even more.

How much time do you waste on garage keeping?
An honest answer provides the answer to how many better local trees you can have.

This is Super Selfishness.
Be it.

Don't be just plain old selfish.

Sorce

Well for one, our Winters here in MD suck, in that it's often not really Winter (not cold enough). If it were reliably freezing and we got snow I could leave more stuff outside. I currently have @ 1/3 of my trees in the garage, with more to follow. For example, here's our upcoming forecast, this is a formula for stuff in pots to drown and rot. So my garage is an important option for safe Winter storage. Some of my trees outside are set up in a partial shelter where I can roll out a tarp over the top to keep them out of the constant rain.

 

[Dav4]

Well for one, our Winters here in MD suck, in that it's often not really Winter (not cold enough). If it were reliably freezing and we got snow I could leave more stuff outside. I currently have @ 1/3 of my trees in the garage, with more to follow. For example, here's our upcoming forecast, this is a formula for stuff in pots to drown and rot. So my garage is an important option for safe Winter storage. Some of my trees outside are set up in a partial shelter where I can roll out a tarp over the top to keep them out of the constant rain.
View attachment 277269

Fwiw, that's the typical winter high/low and precip for me here in N GA- we had 2 inches yesterday and another inch and counting today and tonight, flurries tomorrow night, then more rain to come on and off next week. All my trees stay outside all winter except the olives. Good soil and potting technique.prevents root problems regardless of time of year or temperature. Personally, I believe garaging trees IS more work and complicates overwintering significantly... but it's a great thing to have for those living in colder climates. I used mine for over a decade in MA and would do it again.

 

[JudyB]

I say do what works for you and the trees you wish to keep in the climate you live in. I wish to not jeopardize my collection with whatever the elements can throw at it. @sorce you say you've had issues trying to protect things. I have had nothing but great results with my setup and highly recommend it to others as long as all the boxes are checked, like humidity and cooling ventilation, and supplemental lighting for the spring season, or the energy to do the two step should they awake early. I don't think it's something that you should disparage for those who want to put the resources into correct construction of an overwintering setup. If you have trees you don't want to risk then it's a viable plan. Stop being verbally abusive to those of us who want to do protection the right way.

 

[Japonicus]

If a heavy duty Nor Easter blows in with temps around 0ºF. +/- a few degrees
(like year before last we had -18º for a low) I will move susceptible trees
i.e. one that was potted late in the year, one that is struggling, one that is known
to desiccate in winds such as hinoki, though they are a zone 5 tree and I'm zone 6,
for the duration, I will dislodge these from the mulch in the cave and move them into
my moldy crawl space with no air movement for the duration, then back out they go as were.
I think they still sell freeze dried coffee, and like any others who do not receive consistent snow pack
like W3rk in MD freeze drying is what I am protecting against when I mulch my trees under my sunroom.
They get decent air movement there on the N side of the house, and no direct light at least 2.5 months

Good soil and potting technique.prevents root problems regardless of time of year or temperature.

If you're doling out classes, I'm all ears My soil and technique may be just fine, but maybe I could learn a better way?

BTW I just moved a Seka Hinoki that was potted way too late elsewhere, and suffered frost damage
to inside my sunroom ahead of a windy forecast for tomorrow. I think I will heal it into the ground for Feb-Mar
just to keep more light on it and more constant moisture to the roots. It is remaining in the shuffle for now
due to the mild January we have here so far.

 

[sorce]

@sorce you say you've had issues trying to protect things.

I don't think I have.

Stop being verbally abusive to those of us who want to do protection the right way.

Really? Verbally abusive?

Besides....

I have always said your way IS the right way.

Why is everyone taking this so roughly?

Sorce

 

[InstilledChaos]

I agree that an garage or shed is a necessary option for some. Bill V does indeed overwinter a lot of his trees in his garage, and no one can argue with his results.

To get back to the OP’s question: I overwinter the vast majority of my trees in my garage, and I tend to bring them inside to water in the sink. Being a relative newbie I only have a few dozen trees at the moment, so it is more manageable than with a bigger collection. I find that with different pot sizes, substrates, etc trees water needs are well staggered so I only have to water every few days or so, and only a few trees at any one time.

 

[M. Frary]

My trees are still on the benches.
Even when I owned a garage trees stayed outside.
V.C. not withstanding if you have trees that need extra protection from the cold in your area you probably shouldn't have them.

 

[JudyB]

if you have trees that need extra protection from the cold in your area you probably shouldn't have them.

I would just add- shouldn't have them unless you are willing to do what needs to be done to keep them thriving. I enjoy the challenge, and love having a large variety of species. Of course that's just my opinion.

 

[Japonicus]

I would just add- shouldn't have them unless you are willing to do what needs to be done to keep them thriving. I enjoy the challenge, and love having a large variety of species. Of course that's just my opinion.

This
is equalled in most aquarium keeping. I still have a couple heaters...think...why are there aquarium heaters.

Thanks. So you are just lightly watering really just to wet the soil...

I just make a mess.

@Lars Grimm so whatchya gonna do?

 

[sorce]

why are there aquarium heaters.

To be fair to the fish....

There are still species we will never be equipped to properly care for in the home, or garage as the case may be.

So then aquarium heaters become the same as say, a clip on grow ought for a collected thousand years old Bristlecone Pine.

Now, that's merely a proper analogy, my argument in this analogy is to take proper care of the trees.

When folks can't provide adequate essentials for the health of a tree, maybe they should invest in a proper shelter.

Then when I see them breaking their back for essentially nothing, well there's that too.

Peace and cheers!

Sorce

 

[Cadillactaste]

I would just add- shouldn't have them unless you are willing to do what needs to be done to keep them thriving. I enjoy the challenge, and love having a large variety of species. Of course that's just my opinion.

Honestly... when it's set up. It's no trouble. You know what trouble is? Unexpected arctic winters. That steal even zone friendly trees in the ground.


Spring of 2014...my first spring after wintering my small collection in a controlled cold Greenhouse. Lost two in the landscape to that winter. (Both I collected and allowed to strengthen and turned into bonsai.)
When given lemons...make lemonade. Weeping Ryusen Maple. A sentimental tree planted in the yard for my husband's Grandma. A tree he and his siblings played under as children. Well the species anyways.

 

[Japonicus]

To be fair to the fish....
So then aquarium heaters become the same as say, a clip on grow ought for a collected thousand years old Bristlecone Pine.

Absolutely not, you do not pose a proper analogy.
Heater, if my tank temp fluctuates = consequences, even death if say it croaked and the electric was out over night
in some cases. I had tons of money and much more time involved in keeping animals outside of their natural habitat.
I'm having cold issues now, with a zone 5 tree in zone 6. I am tending to it.
Why on Gods green Earth (besides a show) would someone use a clip on grow light
on any bristlecone pine let alone your analogy.
I wanted to turn the thread back around to the owner.
Lars Grimm seems to have already decided on shelter method, I'm curious if any watering method
has been decided or if he's just gonna do like Silent Running and make a mess, lol.
Boot trays sound great but my pocket book is not up to the task.

@Cadillactaste that's the Weeping Ryusen Maple that Bill V requested to purchase
Always love seeing that when we get the privilege.

 

[Eckhoffw]

I

Chalk one more up in the column for garage caused problems.

I was just googling for Japanese Bonsai in Garages. Seems to be none.

I'm just saying....

When we started doing this we thought bonsai were kept indoors.

How is, still keeping trees in a garage, Any less ridiculous?

It's been proven uneccesary, so why do we waste so much energies on it?

To have a foreign species that, due to the very fact it must be kept in the garage, will always be a level of subpar?

Compare that to what one could do with that energy spent on local species.

It boils down to 2 better trees to replace 1.
Maybe even more.

How much time do you waste on garage keeping?
An honest answer provides the answer to how many better local trees you can have.

This is Super Selfishness.
Be it.

Don't be just plain old selfish.

Sorce

I’m wintering some fall digs in the garage to pamper them. I’m not sure this helps with survival, but doing it.

 

[Johnathan]

I just pull them out of the garage, water them and then put them back into the garage once I'm satisfied the water has drained out adequately. no big deal.

Although I haven't moved anything to the garage just yet this year. The weather has been mild for this time of year. I try to protect them from prolonged freezing temperatures.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Absolutely not, you do not pose a proper analogy.
Heater, if my tank temp fluctuates = consequences, even death if say it croaked and the electric was out over night
in some cases. I had tons of money and much more time involved in keeping animals outside of their natural habitat.
I'm having cold issues now, with a zone 5 tree in zone 6. I am tending to it.
Why on Gods green Earth (besides a show) would someone use a clip on grow light
on any bristlecone pine let alone your analogy.
I wanted to turn the thread back around to the owner.
Lars Grimm seems to have already decided on shelter method, I'm curious if any watering method
has been decided or if he's just gonna do like Silent Running and make a mess, lol.
Boot trays sound great but my pocket book is not up to the task.

@Cadillactaste that's the Weeping Ryusen Maple that Bill V requested to purchase
Always love seeing that when we get the privilege.

Thank you. Yes...his inquiry BLEW MY MIND! I finally took it seriously. I'm in search for a Cascade pot for it. A proper one.

 

[shinmai]

I have mostly azaleas, in a 6 foot square greenhouse with space heaters, because my neighborhood is so old that no one has a garage. The floor is one foot square patio pavers, so any run-off just seeps into the ground. My best trees are on a slotted plastic shelving unit from Target. On average, I am watering very sparingly once a week. If they do need water, the run-through from the top shelf waters the shelf below, etc. I’m amazed at how little water they consume during winter.
As to containing the mess...for my tropicals in the basement, I use the rimmed plastic snow boot mats from IKEA. For the two or three odd ones that don’t fit, I put the pots in those square disposable aluminum foil baking dishes, and come back a half hour later and dump off the excess.

 

[sorce]

Absolutely not,

Yes.

A heater will not help us keep the pressures necessary to keep a deep sea fish.

In that scenario, with fish species we can't yet keep at home, a heater becomes like a clip on grow light on a Bristlecone Pine.

Useless.

This, watering in the garage, is perhaps a problem best solved by not causing it in the first place.

Why is this not worth considering?

Perhaps the only tree that needs water only needs water because it's in the garage and will be safe outside.

Most importantly,

There is a level of inexperience displayed by the question that says it might actually be better for the OPs trees if we discuss why we got here in the first place.

Of course ...

I only thought this forum was to help people take best care of their trees.

Everyone kinda just assumes the garage is better cause "Bill v keeps his trees" blah blah blah.

Think.

Just think .

Sorce

 

[sorce]

not personal!

Internet misunderstanding.

Sorce

 

[Japonicus]

not personal!

Internet misunderstanding.

Sorce

I'm just happy to see Cadillacs cascading maple again
When I used to heal them into the ground, I have gone entire Winters without watering more than once
maybe not at all till a prolonged warm spell with no rain, but too many and less room now to do that.
Talk about a back breaker. Lugging 4 doz potted plants into a shed would be easier than healing in 1 doz properly.