First Hard Freeze

[Giga]

I think everyone should be fine as long as the temps aren't below 15°. Smaller trees are best on the ground while larger tree should be ok up to that point, in theory anyway. I know when temps get to around 25 I put most on the ground and then spray and mulch around the pots. Less hardy stuff I put next to the house. I don't like putting anything in a shed or garage because my weather here can get in the 70's on weird days and then down to the low twenties that we had last night. It's a fun run around game I have to play. At least the larger pine/spruce are good to go as I rarely move them, unless they're newly collected, then they just get put on the ground.

 

[Paradox]

I had a feeling we were going to get an early cold spell this year so I made sure their space in the garage was cleared before the end of October. Even so, it was a bit of a scramble on Friday night after work to get them all inside. Four of my hardiest pines are still outside. Their pots are frozen, but they wont stay that way. We have temps going back up into the 50s next week. They will stay out until the next predicted freeze then get moved into the garage before the temp drops.

 

[Bunjeh]

Brrrrrrrrrrrown

I have several Hinoki Cypress that seem to have gotten hit this week. Weather man said we would see 27 degrees, woke up to 18 degrees. Tips on them have turned brown. Is this normal or a sign that they were damaged?

 

[augustine]

My weather's almost identical to the forecast shown in Brian's post. Placed my trees on the ground and covered with pine needles and oak leaves.

Best to all,

Ray

 

[Nybonsai12]

I have several Hinoki Cypress that seem to have gotten hit this week. Weather man said we would see 27 degrees, woke up to 18 degrees. Tips on them have turned brown. Is this normal or a sign that they were damaged?

Do you have a pic?
Has it shed foliage already? if it's the tips it's not good. It's usually interior growth that Browns and dies in fall, but the tips remain green. Was it windy as well? Cold wind is the real killer.

 

[equanox1]

I'm in lexington nc. it's supposed to get down to 15 tonight. i pretty much have 3 junipers and a hinoki cypress, i guess i'm leavin em outside.
last night was bad, i think it got down to 19 and when i moved em last night somewhere around 2am, the soil was rock hard. but today i just put em under an old screen door tilted against the house with a ton of leaves around em for insulation. I'm hoping the leaves will be enough to protect them from this freeze. good idea with the leaves? I'm most worried about my hinoki though, it's the smallest and it's pot is only an inch and a half deep, it's tips were looking a little lighter kinda more golden tipped than it has been too

 

[Bunjeh]

Thanks

Do you have a pic?
Has it shed foliage already? if it's the tips it's not good. It's usually interior growth that Browns and dies in fall, but the tips remain green. Was it windy as well? Cold wind is the real killer.

I'll post a pick in the morning.

 

[Skinnygoomba]

Oh boy, it's going to be 12 degrees on thursday night in my area.

For the pines on the ground I'm thinking of bringing them next to the house and wrapping the pots in burlap.

 

[skrit]

Oh boy, it's going to be 12 degrees on thursday night in my area.

For the pines on the ground I'm thinking of bringing them next to the house and wrapping the pots in burlap.

Agreed, I'm going to be bringing mine into the garage tomorrow to keep them from getting too cold to quickly. We've had some freezes, and a couple days down near 25, but 12 is going to be a big jump and it's looking to be below 20 Wednesday night too, at least by me. Luckily my garage temp is super steady all winter (typically 36 +/-2F) and has a couple windows for some light. It's probably a still a bit warm for them in there, but I think it's better than risking damage.

If you can't get them in a cold frame / unheated garage, I think protecting them from wind as best you can is a good idea. I'd think that next to the foundation the concrete should leach some heat from inside the house/ground and maybe give your plants some thermal protection.

Good Luck!