Will a small greenhouse get me through winter?

IrishCrow

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Curious....what's "a bit cold" in northeast Pennsylvania? Below zero for extended days? Extreme wind chills? Lots of snow accumulation...that stays and stays....or do you get quick melt-downs with temperatures up-and-down a lot?

And.....just wondering.....what kind of trees are you storing?

I think the tricky thing with a greenhouse of any size, and even a cold box, is keeping it consistently cold during the winter until the real spring arrives.
Well the past few years it's been mild but pa has a real good potential to get brutal. I'm in the mountains so if it's a bad winter the air can get below 0 often. Again same thing with the snow. We get slammed with blizzards too but last couple winters we didn't get squat. I have a red maple, a couple small white pines, a azelea, and a couple junipers.
 

Dav4

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Well the past few years it's been mild but pa has a real good potential to get brutal. I'm in the mountains so if it's a bad winter the air can get below 0 often. Again same thing with the snow. We get slammed with blizzards too but last couple winters we didn't get squat. I have a red maple, a couple small white pines, a azelea, and a couple junipers.
Everything you have will weather your winters without issue properly sited and mulched in, even if it falls below 0F. The azalea is very prone to wind burn when it's roots are encased in frozen soil, so a wind break might be in order.
 

IrishCrow

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Hey everyone. You guys asked the same question. Sorry I forgot to add some important info to my question. Well, I live in Northeast Pennsylvania, and pa has potential to get very nasty. The past couple years have been mild considering our area. But there are times it can drop below 0 for days at a time. Snow is the same. One winter we can get slammed with blizzards. But like last year we barely got a foot all winter. If I look on the map I'm directly on the boarder of zone 5 and zone 6. So I just go with being in zone 6 to be safe. From what you all told me I think I'll go with the cold box. I have a awesome side if my house to put it in but it faces north/west. The south side of my house has no where to dig up for a box. I really appreciate everyone's input, I really do. I'm just nervous because I don't want my time and effort go down the drain, ya know? If theres anymore info you guys can give, I'm all ears. Again I appreciate your time.
 

IrishCrow

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Everything you have will weather your winters without issue properly sited and mulched in, even if it falls below 0F. The azalea is very prone to wind burn when it's roots are encased in frozen soil, so a wind break might be in order.
Ok Dave, thanks. I was going to use burlap along with the mulch. Can I use a big sheet of plastic to work at a wind break?
 

IrishCrow

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You won't need one and as @rockm pointed out it would most likely be more harmful then good. In our area(s) it is pretty easy to winter most anything that requires being outside all winter... Feel free to call me and toss around ideas for your specific plants. I am pretty certain you will find it to be stress free and a lot easier then you expect ;)

Grimmy
Hey Grimmy. Thanks for the reply. I'll definitely hit you up in the next day or so. I have to get my butt going. Next thing we know it , it will be snowing. Lol. Thanks again. Talk to you soon
 

rockm

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Ok Dave, thanks. I was going to use burlap along with the mulch. Can I use a big sheet of plastic to work at a wind break?
Plastic is not a good material to much with in the winter. If it's in contact with branches, foliage etc. (like if you throw it over plants in a cold spell) it hold moisture in and doesn't allow any air circulation. Both can mean dieback on the portion of the plant it touches. Burlap is always the go-to for throwing over trees to protect them from cold wind if you want to do that. Simply placing trees on the ground with a board fence against the prevailing wind is probably better.

Also you don't want the trees in a sunny area. Shade is better. Sun exposure can warm soil enough to push trees out of dormancy, only to have the temperature plummet, which can kill off new growth and roots.
 

Tieball

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Everything you have will weather your winters without issue properly sited and mulched in, even if it falls below 0F. The azalea is very prone to wind burn when it's roots are encased in frozen soil, so a wind break might be in order.
Outdoors...just outdoors...that's the path I'd take. The material you have, especially the pines and junipers, needs to be out in the cold and have a natural dormancy. And, I would add the burlap windshield mentioned...for the Azalea.
 

rockm

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Well the past few years it's been mild but pa has a real good potential to get brutal. I'm in the mountains so if it's a bad winter the air can get below 0 often. Again same thing with the snow. We get slammed with blizzards too but last couple winters we didn't get squat. I have a red maple, a couple small white pines, a azelea, and a couple junipers.
Yeah, snow is the best thing that can happen for overwintering. Here are some pic of the last blizzard that blew through here. I have large bonsai, most are over two feet some are three and a half. You'll have to take my word for it--they're underneath the snow--protected from the single digit wind. The cinder block in the second pic is on top of a stack of four...amur.jpg snow.jpg
 

Tieball

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Yeah, snow is the best thing that can happen for overwintering. Here are some pic of the last blizzard that blew through here. I have large bonsai, most are over two feet some are three and a half. You'll have to take my word for it--they're underneath the snow--protected from the single digit wind. The cinder block in the second pic is on top of a stack of four...View attachment 120490 View attachment 120491
Excellent. Perfect winter storage.
 
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I have a cold frame which trees should I put in it? The cold frame is plastic covered and I can zip it up.
I have a few small trees not exceeding the Hight of 12” tall, and a few trees that are larger than 15” tall,
most of these are evergreens but because of how small the pots are I have no idea where to put them.
We also have hard freezes where I keep my bonsai/prebonsai.
 

rockm

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I have a cold frame which trees should I put in it? The cold frame is plastic covered and I can zip it up.
I have a few small trees not exceeding the Hight of 12” tall, and a few trees that are larger than 15” tall,
most of these are evergreens but because of how small the pots are I have no idea where to put them.
We also have hard freezes where I keep my bonsai/prebonsai.
Would help us it you posted your geographic location--state, region etc. A lot depends on that information. In general a plastic cold frame CAN help, but it can also hurt (heat gain, jump in temperature inside can be rapid if it is sited in the wrong place...) You don't want to keep overwintering plants "warm" you want to keep them as cold as they can stand it for as long as possible until spring...
 

jimib

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I have a small unheated greenhouse. I’ve been keeping my smaller trees in there over the winter. However come wintertime I cover it with a tarp. If I don’t, and the direct sun hits it, the temperature can spike 30° or more. I keep the vent or the door open until we get down below 20°. My bigger trees are mulched in in a raised bed. I build a frame around it with three-quarter inch PVC and covered it with cotton canvas to keep the sun and wind off of them.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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I have a small unheated greenhouse. I’ve been keeping my smaller trees in there over the winter. However come wintertime I cover it with a tarp. If I don’t, and the direct sun hits it, the temperature can spike 30° or more. I keep the vent or the door open until we get down below 20°. My bigger trees are mulched in in a raised bed. I build a frame around it with three-quarter inch PVC and covered it with cotton canvas to keep the sun and wind off of them.

This is one of the better ways to use a cold frame or a greenhouse, when wintering temperate, hardy trees. Key is avoiding sudden warm ups. It is critical that temperatures are kept below 40 F or below +4 C.
 

sean f

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I live in north central pa , I have a greenhouse when the trees are in there I have to keep the doors and vents open, can heat up extremely fast with just a little sun. I mostly just use it when it’s really windy n Jan and feb
 

sean f

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I have a small unheated greenhouse. I’ve been keeping my smaller trees in there over the winter. However come wintertime I cover it with a tarp. If I don’t, and the direct sun hits it, the temperature can spike 30° or more. I keep the vent or the door open until we get down below 20°. My bigger trees are mulched in in a raised bed. I build a frame around it with three-quarter inch PVC and covered it with cotton canvas to keep the sun and wind off of them.
I do the same thing, my tarp is off at the moment, it got shredded in a windstorm, I also have a shade cloth inside on the East side to shade morning sun
 

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jimib

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Started snowing so I uncovered my canvas tree manger to get them covered. Looks winter finally made it
 
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