Warm winter wreaking havoc...Chinese Quince

JudyB · Dec 22, 2015

My Chinese quince is in the same boat as yours, starting to leaf out. Been putting ice blocks on the soil, hoping to stop it enough. If not then I'll be cleaning out my second fridge of wine, and see if I can fit it.

Lazylightningny · Dec 22, 2015

I can't even see my plants. It's dark when I go to work, and dark when I get home.

quietobserver · Dec 22, 2015

Lazylightningny said:
I can't even see my plants. It's dark when I go to work, and dark when I get home.

One of the guys i work with worked 107 hours last week, Monday-Sunday. It's a hedge fund so life sucks and it's expected but sometimes... He's exempt/salaried....thought that might help the Holiday cheer. Think work sucks, could always be worse.....i can personally attest to nearly 70 of the poor guy's 107 & the other 37 are on good authority.

whfarro · Dec 22, 2015

Lazylightningny said:
I can't even see my plants. It's dark when I go to work, and dark when I get home.

Ah, but starting today you get an extra minute of daylight every day...well at least till the start of summer.

lieuz · Dec 23, 2015

Just a question, it seems here and there in the forum, there are some sort of post about the unseasonably warm temps that's gripping most of the states. Let's say I too have a chinese quince that budded, I don't have a cold frame, and I can't control the weather. How does one protect this tree (or any tree for that matter) for the winter that I know will hit hard this coming year that's budded in the wrong season due to warm weather? My hostas along with dandelions broke the soil surface all over my garden bed these past few days...

LanceMac10 · Dec 23, 2015

I do recall reading in Bill Valavanis' latest book regarding Chinese Quince setting buds in LATE fall, almost winter. And I do recall BVF alluding to it's long growing season.
Around here it's still pretty cold at night, but I do have one showing green. Noticed this last year as well. And it was ALOT colder at this time, then.
I keep reading all these accounts of temps in the 60's and 70's......crazy!!! What are nighttime temps like?

JudyB · Dec 23, 2015

lieuz, I'm not sure what the answer is. For now, I'm making ice blocks every day and keeping them on the top of the soil, replacing them as they melt. I hope to keep the buds in check this way. My buds are showing green, but are for the most part not completely leafed out. This warm spell will last for us into next week, so it'll be a daily chore, worth it if it works. Our temps have been in the 60's range and 50's at night. Far too warm. We are breaking record after record. Most of the trees are not moving yet, but if this keeps up who knows. I don't have a big enough fridge to put all but the smaller trees in, but if they start moving, I'd put them in there for a little bit, making sure to mist them occasionally to keep them from drying out. I'd pull them out once the weather gets cold again.
I guess if you have a plant that is completely leafed out, you'll have to keep it above freezing and give it plenty of light to keep the tree from being weak.

lieuz · Dec 23, 2015

@JudyB hell, I'm inclined to throw them into the fridge! I fortunately don't have any greening buds; but getting a little worried, it's going to supposed to hit upper 70s.

Dav4 · Dec 23, 2015

lieuz said:
Just a question, it seems here and there in the forum, there are some sort of post about the unseasonably warm temps that's gripping most of the states. Let's say I too have a chinese quince that budded, I don't have a cold frame, and I can't control the weather. How does one protect this tree (or any tree for that matter) for the winter that I know will hit hard this coming year that's budded in the wrong season due to warm weather? My hostas along with dandelions broke the soil surface all over my garden bed these past few days...

Keep it as cold as possible. This means in total shade, preferably on the north side of a structure. If you're lucky enough to get a hard freeze in the next few weeks and the buds haven't progressed, mulch the tree with the root ball frozen, then cross your fingers. If you can't do that, then the bonsai shuffle will start early this year...outside during the day and inside in a cold, but above freezing temp location like a shed, if the temps will fall below freezing for more then a few hours.

thumblessprimate1 · Dec 23, 2015

Here's a cutting a nice person gave me. Started leafing out in November. Took the shot this morn'.

I guess I'll take it inside if it gets too cold. Probably not going to worry too much being Texas.

lieuz · Dec 23, 2015

@Dav4 ugh...well I prayed for some relief from lack of bonsai boredom....now i'm having second thoughts....that is very tedious.

drew33998 · Dec 23, 2015

Warmest December to date this year in jax fl. Average daytime temp is 80 deg. My maples buds are showing red, one shishi threw a couple leaves out too. Might be a bad time for me come spring if we do this have some really cold weather soon and plenty of it.

JudyB · Dec 23, 2015

lieuz said:
@JudyB hell, I'm inclined to throw them into the fridge! I fortunately don't have any greening buds; but getting a little worried, it's going to supposed to hit upper 70s.

I wouldn't put anything into the fridge that wasn't moving buds. Keep that as a last resort.

wireme · Dec 23, 2015

Sounds like stressful times, I hope everyone's trees pull through alright.
I wonder if digging a hole with an insulated lid could be a strategy for some? Ground temps cooler than air temps there? Just a thought, this is not a problem I've had to deal with.
Someone mentioned larch, here's a chart showing that larch can still be cold hardy down to -20c when buds are just beginning to break, assuming I guess that they achieved full hardiness before hand. What this means for a bonsai that's moving early is hard to say, hopefully you get some cold and they stop there!

LanceMac10 · Dec 23, 2015

Today.
I went back and looked thru the photos in Bill V's book and he had pictures from Jan. of several trees with bigger buds than this! Now, I believe he has a temp. controlled storage area....your shelter may vary!! These are pretty tough trees, though.
Last year it worried me because it was cold last winter and boom, green starts showing. Seeing the pictures as he grows in a climate similar to mine offered me a little assurance! Did I mention Bill Valavanis?

Dav4 offers about the best advice above, I suppose....really at the mercy of mother nature....

LanceMac10 · Dec 23, 2015

JudyB said:
and 50's at night. Far too warm.

All I can say is, wow.....
Do people look at you a little strange when they catch you saying, "Why can't it be a little colder?"

Can only hope you don't have to resort to the "second wine fridge"

It's the holidays, should be empty soon, just in case!

Good luck.....

whfarro · Dec 23, 2015

Ok, the day before Christmas in the Hudson River Valley here in NY and I have flowers blooming in my yard.

JoeR · Dec 23, 2015

Its 73° today with 95% humidity (been raining non stop past 30 hrs and I am DYING.

73° today (low of 66°), 76° (66° low) Christmas eve, and 77° (63° low) Christmas day!!

I hate the heat.

Cypress187 · Dec 23, 2015

My birch also is popping a bud.

erb.75 · Dec 23, 2015

my quince has all green leaves again and buds all over...it is in the 60's in ohio

Warm winter wreaking havoc...Chinese Quince

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