Frozen!?

[Cody]

So I have my trees in an enclosed porch area for winter , it's not heated . They have been doing good in there but I noticed last night one of my trees is frozen , not sure why just one but I'm nervous about it. I'm wondering what the best thing to do is ? All advice welcomed ! Thank you!

P.S. I live in the zone 6a

-Cody

 

[AZbonsai]

What kind of trees?

 

[Wilson]

If it is an elm, and it has hardened off for winter, you should be fine. All my cold hardy trees are frozen solid, buried in snow.

 

[Cody]

What kind of trees?

Chinese elm , and JH Elm

 

[Zach Smith]

You'd be hard pressed to kill a Chinese elm in an indoor setting, even an unheated one. I had a small one survive 15F frozen to a bench a few years ago. Didn't bother it in the least.

By "frozen" do you mean the soil surface is frozen solid? If so, shouldn't be a problem. This is what happens to hardy bonsai in the winter.

I don't know how JH elm compares to Chinese elm for hardiness.

 

[Cody]

You'd be hard pressed to kill a Chinese elm in an indoor setting, even an unheated one. I had a small one survive 15F frozen to a bench a few years ago. Didn't bother it in the least.

By "frozen" do you mean the soil surface is frozen solid? If so, shouldn't be a problem. This is what happens to hardy bonsai in the winter.

I don't know how JH elm compares to Chinese elm for hardiness.

Yes the soil surface is frozen , thank you for the help , it's my first year for a winter with my trees so I'm just making sure they will be ok . As far as watering , after they thaw I can water again ? Or..?

 

[Zach Smith]

Yes the soil surface is frozen , thank you for the help , it's my first year for a winter with my trees so I'm just making sure they will be ok . As far as watering , after they thaw I can water again ? Or..?

Yes, wait till the soil surface thaws before watering. No watering while it's frozen.

 

[Dav4]

Frozen soil is just fine for a cold hardy tree this time of year. In fact, if I were keeping bonsai in Michigan, I'd be wanting them to be frozen and stay that way into March at the earliest, and preferably April. Your biggest issue will be later this year when the trees are breaking dormancy. If you get a cold snap then and the soil freezes with actively growing roots, you may end up with a badly damaged or dead tree.

 

[Phillthy]

Frozen soil is just fine for a cold hardy tree this time of year. In fact, if I were keeping bonsai in Michigan, I'd be wanting them to be frozen and stay that way into March at the earliest, and preferably April. Your biggest issue will be later this year when the trees are breaking dormancy. If you get a cold snap then and the soil freezes with actively growing roots, you may end up with a badly damaged or dead tree.

What if the soil is frozen throughout the whole winter and doesn’t thaw out. When the appropriate time to water frozen soil? Or is it best to not water at all?

 

[Cody]

What if the soil is frozen throughout the whole winter and doesn’t thaw out. When the appropriate time to water frozen soil? Or is it best to not water at all?

good question , im wondering the same so thanks for bringing that up!

 

[petegreg]

What if the soil is frozen throughout the whole winter and doesn’t thaw out. When the appropriate time to water frozen soil? Or is it best to not water at all?

I'm really curious to hear responses...
My full cold hardy trees in biggest pots are left on my balcony, the roofed balcony in inorganic substrate. It means I can't rely on rain and have to water now and then. If not watered recently I do water before frosts. Then the substrate is one frozen mass. If the below zero temps last for a longer time I watch and check the top of the soil. When I can move the upper layer of granules let's say down to the depth of 1/4 inch I do water again. I hope it makes sense.

 

[Dav4]

What if the soil is frozen throughout the whole winter and doesn’t thaw out. When the appropriate time to water frozen soil? Or is it best to not water at all?

Keeping it out of the wind and sun while frozen will significantly reduce the tree’s need for water. Applying snow to the soil surface when available is all I ever did to my trees frozen in my garage from New Years until the end of March... for almost a decade... they all did fine.

 

[Dav4]

Keeping it out of the wind and sun while frozen will significantly reduce the tree’s need for water. Applying snow to the soil surface when available is all I ever did to my trees frozen in my garage from New Years until the end of March... for almost a decade... they all did fine.

I should add that all my trees were always mulched on the floor and the mulch was watered well before it froze…

 

[GGB]

im a fan of putting handfuls of snow on my frozen trees. I keep mine outside in the winter. I used put some of my favorites in a garage on the coldest nights but I'm not even bothering with that this year. If it doesn't snow for a while I'll water them with very cold water, ideally when it's above freezing outside

 

[sorce]

I think I've watered twice, maybe three times since October.
Been a great year to ignore em.
Lot of fall rain.
Snow and too cold to even go out and look at em!

I'm going to forget what I have by spring!

Which is only a couple Months away!

Sorce

 

[Bonsai Nut]

When I lived in Chicago my trees' soil would freeze solid. Just don't let them dry out!

 

[Ancient Dogwood]

GGB, seen friends in PA starting to bring in best trees to sheltered unheated garages this week due to this pending cold snap and high winds You going to stick wth them out? My trees are all out sill right now in central jersey. First time I've left all the cold hardy trees out. Normally, bring just ones in bonsai pots into garage. Mulched and a little snow, more coming right now! Have a wind break on N and NE exposures. I think later today, going to bring in best potted trees to unheated garage. Low temps to approach 0F through the weekend.

 

[GrimLore]

If healthy they can handle some extreme cold. The JH Elm for example can take -20's F. Here Elms just stay on the ground frozen for most of the Winter.

Grimmy

 

[M. Frary]

What if the soil is frozen throughout the whole winter and doesn’t thaw out. When the appropriate time to water frozen soil? Or is it best to not water at all?

If their frozen they won't need water at all.
Mine haven't had to be watered since thanksgiving.
They will be frozen until sometime in March. Maybe April.

 

[Cody]

If their frozen they won't need water at all.
Mine haven't had to be watered since thanksgiving.
They will be frozen until sometime in March. Maybe April.

So don't water then ? My trees are frozen souls right now , I saw some people saying don't let them dry out , but I can't water them if they are frozen solid. Will they be ok ?