Winter plans

[Cable]

It's time for me to start deciding what to do with my collection this winter. Last winter I lost 7 trees: one crepe myrtle and two distylium (none of which were hardy to my zone anyway), two jap maples, a bald cypress, and an amelanchier.



This year, I've already brought inside the only tree not hardy to my zone (brazilian rain tree). The rest of my collection consists of (left to right) an azalea Karen, Ohio buckeye, Canadian hemlock, Chinese elm, japanese maple, chionanthus, dwarf burning bush, Shawnee Brave bald cypress, Holger juniper, juniper pro nana, dwarf mugo pine, three more pro nanas, a trident maple, and a peve minaret bald cypress. I also have another jap maple that isn't in this shot.

Last year, I overwintered in the north-south breezeway between my house and the garage.



I set most of the pots on the ground up against the house and covered them with leaves. I put the holger juniper closer to the garage and half buried it in the ground. My logic was they'd get a little heat from the house and be protected from most wind.

I could also put them between the front garage and back garage (which is where they are now).



I thought about putting them under the existing benches, though that is on the south side. I could also put them against the back garage which is north facing. One issue there is I often get winds whipping through that east-west corridor. Of course, I could also construct a cold-frame of sorts by draping plastic over the benches.

I also had thoughts of putting the deciduous down in my root cellar, which is under the back garage. I checked it last winter and it hovers right around freezing. My only worry is the humidity is quite high down there and I'm concerned about mold.

On that note, I was also going to treat everything with neem oil before they're put away for the winter.

Thoughts?

 

[TN_Jim]

It's time for me to start deciding what to do with my collection this winter. Last winter I lost 7 trees: one crepe myrtle and two distylium (none of which were hardy to my zone anyway), two jap maples, a bald cypress, and an amelanchier.

View attachment 214298View attachment 214299

This year, I've already brought inside the only tree not hardy to my zone (brazilian rain tree). The rest of my collection consists of (left to right) an azalea Karen, Ohio buckeye, Canadian hemlock, Chinese elm, japanese maple, chionanthus, dwarf burning bush, Shawnee Brave bald cypress, Holger juniper, juniper pro nana, dwarf mugo pine, three more pro nanas, a trident maple, and a peve minaret bald cypress. I also have another jap maple that isn't in this shot.

Last year, I overwintered in the north-south breezeway between my house and the garage.

View attachment 214300

I set most of the pots on the ground up against the house and covered them with leaves. I put the holger juniper closer to the garage and half buried it in the ground. My logic was they'd get a little heat from the house and be protected from most wind.

I could also put them between the front garage and back garage (which is where they are now).

View attachment 214301

I thought about putting them under the existing benches, though that is on the south side. I could also put them against the back garage which is north facing. One issue there is I often get winds whipping through that east-west corridor. Of course, I could also construct a cold-frame of sorts by draping plastic over the benches.

I also had thoughts of putting the deciduous down in my root cellar, which is under the back garage. I checked it last winter and it hovers right around freezing. My only worry is the humidity is quite high down there and I'm concerned about mold.

On that note, I was also going to treat everything with neem oil before they're put away for the winter.

Thoughts?

I feel where you’re coming from.

Options indeed....my thoughts are all outside, I don’t want to fight the spring..the light coming through garage either..

Could you use the boards from your bences...on north side stacked 2-3 high sideways, walling them in up next to house..? Bags of mulch around, deciduous closer to the wall, separating by possible water needs, then straw (straw?), then leaves leaves and more leaves atop? sardines in a makeshift box..

something like this is what I’m thinking to attempt..

 

[Cable]

Yes, I could. But it sounds.... excessive. I have neither straw nor mulch but was thinking of checking the box stores for leftover on clearance.

 

[rockm]

It's time for me to start deciding what to do with my collection this winter. Last winter I lost 7 trees: one crepe myrtle and two distylium (none of which were hardy to my zone anyway), two jap maples, a bald cypress, and an amelanchier.

View attachment 214298View attachment 214299

This year, I've already brought inside the only tree not hardy to my zone (brazilian rain tree). The rest of my collection consists of (left to right) an azalea Karen, Ohio buckeye, Canadian hemlock, Chinese elm, japanese maple, chionanthus, dwarf burning bush, Shawnee Brave bald cypress, Holger juniper, juniper pro nana, dwarf mugo pine, three more pro nanas, a trident maple, and a peve minaret bald cypress. I also have another jap maple that isn't in this shot.

Last year, I overwintered in the north-south breezeway between my house and the garage.

View attachment 214300

I set most of the pots on the ground up against the house and covered them with leaves. I put the holger juniper closer to the garage and half buried it in the ground. My logic was they'd get a little heat from the house and be protected from most wind.

I could also put them between the front garage and back garage (which is where they are now).

View attachment 214301

I thought about putting them under the existing benches, though that is on the south side. I could also put them against the back garage which is north facing. One issue there is I often get winds whipping through that east-west corridor. Of course, I could also construct a cold-frame of sorts by draping plastic over the benches.

I also had thoughts of putting the deciduous down in my root cellar, which is under the back garage. I checked it last winter and it hovers right around freezing. My only worry is the humidity is quite high down there and I'm concerned about mold.

On that note, I was also going to treat everything with neem oil before they're put away for the winter.

Thoughts?

FWIW, leaves are not substantial enough to "lag" cold winter temperature. THat takes heavier stuff--Hardwood mulch

The root cellar would be fine as long as it stays around 30-37 all winter. If you store the trees there you will have to watch they don't go dry and especially for rodents...Mold ain't gonna hurt the trees. They are quite used to it.

 

[Dav4]

My recommendation would be to pick the spot that gets cold and stays cold as far into the winter and spring as possible. Temperate, cold hardy trees kept out of the wind and sun with their pots covered with hardwood mulch can handle lots of cold. You need them to stay dormant when we get those ever more frequent weeks of 50's and 60's during February and early March that can push trees out of dormancy if they get too warm.

 

[JudyB]

Do you know why you lost those trees last year? That might be helpful to sort out first. The crape myrtle would be expected, but some of the others, should be fairly good in your area for overwintering. I like your root cellar if you can keep the rodents out. As far as mold, I believe putting a fan in should help with that. I think @Leo in N E Illinois has a similar situation that he uses fans in.

 

[rockm]

Yes, I could. But it sounds.... excessive. I have neither straw nor mulch but was thinking of checking the box stores for leftover on clearance.

You need to get some mulch. Leaves and straw ain't gonna cut it. If you can't afford four $3 bags of shredded hardwood mulch, then you need to get into another hobby--If you're lucky, that $12 worth of mulch can be used for a couple of years...
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-cu-ft-Hardwood-Mulch-673467/307437518

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I use a well house, which is very similar to a root cellar. The one thing that proved to be necessary was the addition of an inexpensive fan, A $12 fan 9 inches diameter. I set it on the floor of the well house, pointed up at the low ceiling. This keeps air moving without ''over doing it'' by pointing at a specific trees. The well house leaks water from outside so humidity is always near saturation. The simple addition of the fan, left on 24 / 7, made all the difference, no problems at all with mold, or fungus. Your root cellar is probably your best bet for anything that is iffy in zone 6a. Even your evergreen conifers. If the root cellar stays below 40F, it will keep the conifers dormant enough that light won't be needed. I winter my JBP in the well house. It works fine.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Your Canadian hemlock, and all your junipers should be fine, if you set them on the ground in a spot out of the wind and sun. They really do not need protection from temperatures, just protection from winter wind and winter sun. Especially windy, sunny, sub-zero days.

 

[Cable]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I think I am going to use the root cellar for the deciduous. I was going to put a table down there to set the plants on and I'll put glue traps on the table for rodents. A small fan is a good idea. The evergreen stuff will get mulched in outside.

Do you know why you lost those trees last year? That might be helpful to sort out first. The crape myrtle would be expected, but some of the others, should be fairly good in your area for overwintering.

Not really. Especially the bald cypress. I had two and they were right next to each other. One lived, the other leafed out and then up and died. The maples could have dried out. Or it could have just gotten too cold for them.

 

[rockm]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I think I am going to use the root cellar for the deciduous. I was going to put a table down there to set the plants on and I'll put glue traps on the table for rodents. A small fan is a good idea. The evergreen stuff will get mulched in outside.



Not really. Especially the bald cypress. I had two and they were right next to each other. One lived, the other leafed out and then up and died. The maples could have dried out. Or it could have just gotten too cold for them.

The "leafed up then died" BC is probably due to late freeze. Tree began pushing growth, roots were frozen after that. Doesn't take much. I had that happen to a very nice BC stock this past spring. It pushed new buds in Feb. didn't leaf out, though. We had a deep cold spell in March. All those swelling buds didn't open... Tree died back to the root crown. Disappointing to say the least. I should have brought the tree indoors in Feb. but had no way to judge the depth of the coming cold wave. Tree was mulched under eight inches of shredded hardwood, which typically works very well.

 

[M. Frary]

FWIW, leaves are not substantial enough to "lag" cold winter temperature. THat takes heavier stuff--Hardwood mulch

The root cellar would be fine as long as it stays around 30-37 all winter. If you store the trees there you will have to watch they don't go dry and especially for rodents...Mold ain't gonna hurt the trees. They are quite used to it.

Straw works excellent too.

 

[rockm]

Straw works excellent too.

Not really all that reliable for me, but your mileage may vary. Frankly mulch is cheaper, more reliable and reusable....

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Straw around here is not being shed of its seeds. Which means that even my oyster mushroom cultures, all in straw, have sprouted both rodents as well as fresh grass. I wouldn't want that stuff in my pots, because of it's aggressive rooting habits.

I was going to use dried lawn clippings (different type of grass) this year, since it takes so long to break down. But it seems that both the migrating birds as well as nesting mice have a thing for the stuff. There's no stress free way of keeping it piled for over 3 hours. Huddled up and close to the house will be my only option.

 

[M. Frary]

Not really all that reliable for me, but your mileage may vary. Frankly mulch is cheaper, more reliable and reusable....

Maybe I'll try some wood chips this year but I havent had a problem with straw not insulating well enough.

 

[It's Kev]

Meanwhile, people in zone 10 be like

 

[rockm]

Straw around here is not being shed of its seeds. Which means that even my oyster mushroom cultures, all in straw, have sprouted both rodents as well as fresh grass. I wouldn't want that stuff in my pots, because of it's aggressive rooting habits.

I was going to use dried lawn clippings (different type of grass) this year, since it takes so long to break down. But it seems that both the migrating birds as well as nesting mice have a thing for the stuff. There's no stress free way of keeping it piled for over 3 hours. Huddled up and close to the house will be my only option.

The rodent thing is another reason to steer clear of straw and clippings. Mice and voles love both. Wood chips aren't as accommodating for them. They're harder to compact into a nest and/or move around.

 

[Vance Wood]

You don't need to worry about mulch, straw or wood chips; you just need to store your trees in an area where once they become frozen they stay that way. Then you can cover with straw to keep the sun off of them and block the wind. If you try to keep your trees warm you will lose more than you protect. Keeping them frozen is the best thing. Wait till the trees freeze then you can put them under straw and not worry much about critters which have already found places to hide for the winter.

 

[Cadillactaste]

The "leafed up then died" BC is probably due to late freeze. Tree began pushing growth, roots were frozen after that. Doesn't take much. I had that happen to a very nice BC stock this past spring. It pushed new buds in Feb. didn't leaf out, though. We had a deep cold spell in March. All those swelling buds didn't open... Tree died back to the root crown. Disappointing to say the least. I should have brought the tree indoors in Feb. but had no way to judge the depth of the coming cold wave. Tree was mulched under eight inches of shredded hardwood, which typically works very well.

I lost a lavender twist redbud I believe to our winter warming then freezing hard again (in ground landscape tree.) I had the landscape nursery also claim ip they has seen loss in landscape trees from our crazy winter/spring. Lost several of their own material.

 

[Cable]

You don't need to worry about mulch, straw or wood chips; you just need to store your trees in an area where once they become frozen they stay that way. Then you can cover with straw to keep the sun off of them and block the wind. If you try to keep your trees warm you will lose more than you protect. Keeping them frozen is the best thing. Wait till the trees freeze then you can put them under straw and not worry much about critters which have already found places to hide for the winter.

It isn't as much about keeping them warm as it is trying to keep them from getting too cold. I think the point of the mulch is to simulate protection / cold buffer for the roots that would normally be provided by the ground.

I know at the nursery where I work we're taking extra precautions this year after noting increased loss the past few years. Most of our shrubs and young trees are wintered in hoop houses, often lying down and covered with a thin foam blanket. This year we're adding hundreds of heaters to the hoop houses to add minimal heat and buffer the extreme cold in an attempt to decrease the loss.