Frost!!!!

[Shimpaku]

Just a friendly reminder to keep your eyes on the weather daily. In Maryland, for example, we are scheduled to go down to 28 degrees on Monday. Trees will be coming in prior to.

Most know and understand this, but for those of you who are less experienced (Such as myself) BEWARE. Those tender swollen buds go to *&^% if it frosts hard.

So PROTECT THOSE TREES!!! --and don't be fooled by this unseasonable warm early spring.

 

[Bill S]

Time for the Bonsai shuffle, we are forcasted for mid 20's Mon and Tues nights, and we will probably get more.

If your trees are stored in a cold frame and are not pushing, then leave them there. Lack of light and cold could keep them alive. Sounds strange but is true.

 

[rockm]

yeah, apparently we're to get temps down to 35, but that's close enough for me to move stuff in. I have a feeling there will be more frosts before we're done with April.

FWIW, buds will not be harmed by frost. LEAVES and ROOTS can be. Trees do NOT need to be brought in if buds haven't broken into leaf yet (although, I can't imagine any tree around here that hasn't done that.

Roots have to be protected in a hard freeze--air temps hovering around freezing in the early predawn hours aren't going to freeze soil in bonsai pots. but the smaller the pot, the more you have to worry. Dry roots are particularly vulnerable in cold weather. WATER YOUR TREES WELL BEFORE YOU GO TO BED and put them on the ground the night a cold snap is expected and you leave the trees outside.

 

[Shimpaku]

This is some good advice. Please keep your experiences and words of wisdom coming. This is very helpful to me and I hope others that are in uncharted waters.

It would royaly suck to have a dead tree or trashed buds because of something that could have been avoided with a little preparation and vigilence.

I wish I could program something to monitor the weather and send me email alerts if the temps were scheduled to go below 34-35 deg F.

 

[rockm]

UNopened buds are not vulnerable to frost or even freezing. Once leaves are discernable from buds that have broken open, though, things change. The open leaves are vulnerable to frosts and the roots are vulnerable to freezing. Once buds have opened into leaves or semi-leaves, the roots below have lost most of their ability to withstand freezing. In other words, if ya got leaves, ya got no freeze protection in the roots...

FWIW, I left many of my trees under mulch and in my covered cold pit during this Godfersaken hot spell. I have tried to keep everything going slow. With the cold snap, I will bring those trees that are well along in leaf and out on the benches (particularly more Southerly species like cedar elm and bald cypress) into the house at night. I plan on leaving some trees that are in full leaf, but under mulch in the cold pit-- outside. I will pull the cover over the cold frame shut.

Covering the tops with the roots protected will be enough stave off the frost for a couple of days. A hard freeze however, like below 25, EVERYTHING will have to come in. Pray that doesn't happen. Longer term, past Monday and Tuesday night, it looks like it won't, however. Keep your fingers crossed...

 

[Shimpaku]

^ Does the same apply to conifers like Black Pines, Shimpkus, or Junis?

Or does this apply only to Decid and Trops?

 

[Bill S]

Good points rockm, I think many see the nice weather and bring them out because it is nice, leaving them in the cooler darker storage helps to keep them dormant longer, which for really early spring weather helps.

Agree, I wouldn't be surprised to see a few snow events before mid April, definately expect more freezing weather though.

 

[Dav4]

^ Does the same apply to conifers like Black Pines, Shimpkus, or Junis?

Or does this apply only to Decid and Trops?

I would protect any tree that is obviously in active growth...the swelling buds on pines and junis can handle frost, but not a hard freeze, I would think.

 

[rockm]

"Does the same apply to conifers like Black Pines, Shimpkus, or Junis?"

I plan on leaving my black and ponderosa pines out and won't worry about them at all. They're pushing candles, but not needles. Don't have junipers, although I wouldn't really worry about them much either--put them under the eaves of the house if you're nervous.

Conifers deal with cold more easily than deciduous trees in periods with cold snaps. Since they have "leaves"---needles--all the time, they have evolved to handle cold when they're in leaf...if that makes sense. Deciduous trees deal with cold by getting rid of their most vulnerable parts--the sap and leaves above ground--in the winter. Once in leaf, they're not as adaptable as conifers.

 

[JudyB]

I wish I could program something to monitor the weather and send me email alerts if the temps were scheduled to go below 34-35 deg F.

Look at web weather every morning, look at local weather on tv, watch the weather as if your trees lives depended on it.... because they do...

 

[Ang3lfir3]

I wish I could program something to monitor the weather and send me email alerts if the temps were scheduled to go below 34-35 deg F.

ohhhhh but you can young padawan (i always wanted to say that) .... If this then that ... http://ifttt.com/wtf making it easy for the rest of the world to get the things we nerds take for granted ......

 

[Shimpaku]

YES!!!!!^

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED. BIG THANKS ANG3lFIR3!!!!!!!

I think this internet thing is gonna be big.........

 

[Ang3lfir3]

YES!!!!!^

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED. BIG THANKS ANG3lFIR3!!!!!!!

I think this internet thing is gonna be big.........

I am actually trying to make a recipe for you right now.... of course I am using the internet wirelessly on a Ferry in the middle of the Pudget Sound .... so ya know... there are some issues...

 

[Shimpaku]

Freeze recipe in effect to send me email alerts from Weather Channel for my location

What an awesome site. That has my mind swimming with ideas to make my life easier. Incredible stuff there. I went with 36 degrees to be safe. I looked for a hail warning to keep from damaging my car. I've been there and that ain't fun. I think I will try to make one because I didn't find it in the search.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

here is the recipe I created ... in case ne one else wants to use it...

http://ifttt.com/recipes/26278

(lol managed to get it after loosing internet connectivity several times... )