Did some tree shopping Could use some info...

[PierreR]

So a local hardware store had a selection of "fairy tail garden" stuff in their store, with a sign saying miniature trees in the garden center... So I had to go look!! I bought these little guys, mainly because I read about most of them making nice bonsai material, and never finding them ANYWHERE in Alberta!! I realize they are YEARS from anything qualifying as bonsai, but got to take what you can find somewhere right?

I dug up a little info of them on line, seems they will not survive outside here in Alberta's winter. Will these thrive inside? Do they need a cold dormant cycle. if so, how cold, how long? Any pointers, tips, or suggestions welcomed!

 

[Eric Group]

They won't make it indoors.. You will need to leave them in an Unheated shed or garage or somewhere cold during the winter- like 25-40 degrees F- but not brutally cold.

I will let people from colder climates give your commendations on how best to protect them, but I have heard people mention pilling snow on them for insulation, burying them in mulch/ hay... That sort of stuff.

Man, I am glad I don't have to deal with those crazy winters!! LOL

 

[PierreR]

I wish I didn't have to deal with the winters either!! We can hit -40 to -50 F in cold snaps. Typically, 10 to -5 F is our winter.

 

[M. Frary]

It's very hard to keep anything alive out in the brutal cold. I know. I have a couple of zone 5 trees. Left that is. I had more last fall. I can't believe the ones I do have are even alive. I don't know what hardiness zone you're in but I'm going to say 4 at the most lime me.
I can't say anything about any of the trees you have except the hinoki cypress. I have 2. One is a nana gracilis and the other nana kosteri.
They both made it through the last 2 winters. The gracilis suffered some severe die back of foliage on all but 2 limbs.
The kosteri came through fine.
I keep every tree I own outside all winter. We had temperatures here minus 35 F. I think you get lower maybe?
I keep mine on the North side of a shed. Sitting on a bed of straw. Then covered up to the lowest branch in straw. Snow is the key though. I pray for snow to cover them completely. It insulates them for the rest of the winter. All I get to see and want to see of my trees are little mounds of snow all winter.

 

[PierreR]

I am Zone 2a here according to a map I found on line. If anyone wants to confirm, I am in Lloydminster, Alberta. east of Edmonton, on the Alberta, Sask border.

 

[M. Frary]

Man dude! I don't know what to say. I like it here in Michigan a whole lot better now for some reason.

 

[sorce]

Bear,

I like these. I found a couple of them here at a nursery last fall for 70% off. That made em like 5 bucks.

Still couldn't Buy one though. Reverse taperish, lack of movement.
I'm still hunting for a good few!

I like the Hinoki best.

So small, you could build em a climate controlled box pretty easy.
You can also call it....the Hibernator!

Sorce

 

[PierreR]

So went back to the nursery today and picked up these...

I finally found one!! Its a wee little one, but hell! I have never seen one locally before!

 

[Alain]

I confirm: your are in a 'don't even think about it zone', 2a sounds the correct number

I never been to Alberta, been in Manitoba though and lived in Montreal for awhile and I heard about Edmonton weather.

For your Alberta spruce it should be fine but the problem with this guy: they are very hard to keep alive (even in more 'normal' climate), they don't bud back easily, it take them forever to hold the position when wired.
I bought one for Christmas (as they sell a bunch of them as Xmas mini trees), I was waiting to re-pot in a better soil this spring but it was dead before I could do it.
All the other ones aren't supposed to make it outside in your area.

The good thing is that you've got time before winter starts to think about it.
May be an un-heated garage/room with some protection (like straw around the pot)?

Or may be you should specialize in tropical and keep them inside during winter?...

 

[Potawatomi13]

I wish I didn't have to deal with the winters either!! We can hit -40 to -50 F in cold snaps. Typically, 10 to -5 F is our winter.

Pierre; move to Eugene, OR. We'd love to have you in our club and the climate is SOOOO much better than yours.

 

[Potawatomi13]

So small, you could build em a climate controlled box pretty easy.
You can also call it....the Hibernator!

LOL!

 

[PierreR]

Pierre; move to Eugene, OR. We'd love to have you in our club and the climate is SOOOO much better than yours.

I appreciate the invite! I lived in Vancouver, BC for a while, very decent weather. That said, I couldn't handle the humidity and all the bloody rain! Winters are cold here true, but we get a ton of sunshine, and its usually dry. Most of the past week humidity has been near 30%.

I wish there were more bonsai growers here, I think there is a club in Edmonton, and Lethbridge. To far for me to travel to regularly for guidance. Hopefully I can make a friend or several here, who can give a guy a nudge in the right direction.

 

[Eric Group]

So went back to the nursery today and picked up these...

I finally found one!! Its a wee little one, but hell! I have never seen one locally before!

A Shimpaku at a Hardware store? Seriously?

 

[Smoke]

A Shimpaku at a Hardware store? Seriously?

yes, they are stocked for guys that want to replace the skies at the front of their snowmobile. They make good skies and bows.

 

[PierreR]

All at a hardware store, yes.They have a very nice garden center, with quite a selection of exotics, tropical, water plants, shrubs and trees. Nice for a small city!

 

[DougB]

You don't have to wait until these grow 'big'. Explore Saikei and create beautiful works of art now.

 

[monza]

You need winter storage, a insulated shed that the trees can be placed on the ground and mulched over with about six inches of mulch.

Have you researched and or bought new 'soil' yet? You need to get them out of the dirt.

 

[monza]

Here is a site with loads of info: https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaip.htm

Good luck hit me back with any questions regarding where to get soil and winter storage, I've killed enough trying to keep bonsai alive in our climate, hopefully I can keep you from killing as many.

 

[PierreR]

You need winter storage, a insulated shed that the trees can be placed on the ground and mulched over with about six inches of mulch.

Have you researched and or bought new 'soil' yet? You need to get them out of the dirt.

Hi Dave. Yes some research. So many different blends! Haha! Almost as bad as doctors diagnosis'! For these little guys, I was thinking a blend of coarse grit, akadama, and I have some commercial compost "worm castings". In this matter, I would differ to experienced recommendations.

 

[twarawa]

I appreciate the invite! I lived in Vancouver, BC for a while, very decent weather. That said, I couldn't handle the humidity and all the bloody rain! Winters are cold here true, but we get a ton of sunshine, and its usually dry. Most of the past week humidity has been near 30%.

I wish there were more bonsai growers here, I think there is a club in Edmonton, and Lethbridge. To far for me to travel to regularly for guidance. Hopefully I can make a friend or several here, who can give a guy a nudge in the right direction.

Hi Pierre,

With our winters I gave up on a lot of nursery material after my first season. So far I have had the best of luck with native collected material. Sometimes I wonder if the nursery material rated for our zone is even able to adapt to it in time as they likely come from much more hospitable zones before they arrive here. Also, check the tags as I find most big box stores sell a lot of species that would never live up here even in the landscape.

I do not have much protection so I do the following:
- Either wrap a bag around the pot and bury it in the ground or pile mulch around the pot up to the first branch
- Cover the entire tree with something such as burlap. This helps keep the wind from drying out the branches and needles
- Pile snow around the pots and trees for a little extra protection
- Don't remove the protection too early. As you are aware it may be 20 C one day and -20 C the next

On the plus side we don't have to worry about watering for 8 months a year.