Bring Trees into House vs. Garage for Spring Freezes?

[DrTolhur]

I've got a bunch of maple trees in my unheated garage. I'll be moving them out as they start to wake up, but I'm expecting to have to take them back inside as the temperatures undoubtedly drop. My question is if there's any concern with taking them into the house for that protection vs. back into the garage. The house would be much more convenient for me, so I'd prefer that if it's not detrimental to the trees. I'm just not sure if the transition from daytime temperatures of perhaps 40-50 outdoors to 65+ inside overnight and then back into the relative cold would be problematic.

 

[Shogun610]

Just take back into garage at night still cool and stable similar to what they’ve been stored at during winter.. it’s called the bonsai shuffle.. it’s spring with frost damage that is most damaging to repotted tree roots and emerging buds.

 

[atlarsenal]

In the house is not a problem if you talking about overnight or a day or two.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Here’s how I do it

 

[Carol 83]

Here’s how I do it

View attachment 422551

It was a record 82 degrees here yesterday, so the trees came out of the garage. Then back in at night because it dropped into the 30's. I thought using my husbands truck would be a great idea, but I would rather him to go to work!

 

[vp999]

Here’s how I do it

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Do you drive it to Florida every night ?

 

[19Mateo83]

Here’s how I do it

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Working smarter not harder I see

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Do you drive it to Florida every night ?

No, just in and out of the garage. Other than that it only gets used for the occasional dump run and picking up mulch for my wife. We hit 68 today and are looking at the 70s over the weekend so just about all my trees are popping buds and I’m working like crazy just to get the all repotted before its too late this spring. Then I’m sure we’ll sink back into freezing territory and it’ll be in and out all over again.

 

[vp999]

I hear you ..I am in the DC area and its 25 tomorrow morning and near 80 sat and Sunday.

 

[rockm]

In D.C. as well. Most of my trees are not pushing buds hard at this point, although I repotted some Japanese Maples two week ago, as they always wake up very early. I don't plan on bringing trees in as long as temp stay above 25 and the trees don't have leaves on them. If I repot, I usually put the tree back under mulch until leaves emerge--or temps are forecast to get below 20. Either or. The mulch keeps roots from getting much below 32 this time of year.

Spring is a very dangerous time for bonsai as we transition from very cold to very warm (80 on Monday forecast). Thing is to think like a farmer and be ready to act if things go south...

 

[Kanorin]

I've seen some people use rolling carts to great effect to roll in and out of the garage at this time of year.

 

[PA_Penjing]

Here’s how I do it

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genius

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Just starting to break bud out here. Things got delayed by the hard freeze to the high teens. Then a long hard rain followed, 4.5” in a week, melting out everything. Thus the whole shooting match is in the ground or one of the other shelters.

But the birds are singing, and next week begins the start of the slow progression on to the benches.

Repot time beckons!

Last week photos before the flood!




Cheers
DSD sends

 

[DrTolhur]

Looks like there's one vote for return to garage and one vote for in the house overnight is fine. I keep my trees in the back, but garage access is either around front or through the house, which is why I'd rather just set them inside the back door. More convenient if the warm overnight temperature won't be bad for them, but I obviously don't want to risk anything as far as tree health for the sake of mild convenience.

 

[jimib]

I've seen some people use rolling carts to great effect to roll in and out of the garage at this time of year.

That’s what I’m doing. The heater system in my little greenhouse kicked out on me. If I keep my trees on an outside wall the temperature stays in the mid to high 30s when the outside temp drops into the 20s and even the teens. I roll them out in the morning and back in at night when it’s going to drop far below freezing

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Its not the inside heat as much as the humidity. If you have a humidifier on you furnace then no problem.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Ok imho only…..

My maples are staying outside, rain, shine, hot, cold. I have 1 year old ones and 10 year old ones. If you aren’t repotting or the like, not sure why you’d wish to shuttle them in and out.

From Midlands 10 day forecast you might as well keep these trees in the garage until they are ready to go outside. You’ll need a week of in and out to hardengemoff and unless things get dicey that’s that. A night in doors once in awhile wouldn’t hurt them… a week straight , different story.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[dbonsaiw]

My maples are generally staying outside as well. We've had nice weather for a few days and will dip down again for a week or so before spring starts to set in. I chopped one trunk (maybe jumped the gun a bit) and will keep this one in the garage when the temps dip. Also, I put any newly acquired trees in the garage until I have a chance to repot. Not sure this is needed.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

In my area once the maple leaves pop out they are not frost hardy. Japanese maples in the landscape seem to get knocked back almost every yaer lately due to March heat waves that cause the trees to break dormancy followed by hard freezes. For example this week we have had temps in the 60s and low 70s and most of my maples, especially tridents have little green leaves on them. However this Saturday we are forecast to have overnight lows near 18F. So the ones in pots will be moved into the garage.

 

[dbonsaiw]

Japanese maples in the landscape seem to get knocked back almost every yaer lately due to March heat waves that cause the trees to break dormancy followed by hard freezes.

Similar situation here. My garage is not in the best of shape and lets cold in, so I set up a tent in the garage to house some trees. None of my trees have broken bud here yet so not yet an issue.

While I'm still relatively new at this, it appears mulching really assisted in the overwintering process and this spring craziness. With a good layer of mulch, I found the trees stay colder longer and don't jump to break bud on the first changes of weather. It can take the few days of heat in stride and then go back to freezing until spring really sets in.

The new trees I purchased aren't in the mulch pile and are therefore subject to quicker temp fluctuations, so I just stuck them in the garage. I wouldn't be surprised if they break bud before the ones in the mulch outdoors.