Giant Sequoia advice

GailC

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I don't know why I do this but I picked up a sequoia seedling today from the grocery store. Its about 7" tall with a 1/4" trunk.
I know it should be outside but its only 5 F today and I don't know if that would be too cold for a young plant that isn't hardened off.
Would it be ok in the house under a light if I can keep it moist enough? I have a 10 gallon glass tank I can set up as a mini greenhouse.
 

Guy Vitale

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No not inside, but it does need protection from outside winter conditions. If you have an unheated garage that would be best. With these it’s not the cold that gets them, but the cold and wind, that will desiccate them.
 

Potawatomi13

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For future see if any of these planted out in your area. "Can" be bonsaied but might be best planted in BIG yard;).
 

GailC

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Unfortunately, I don't have access to a garage. I can however, bury it in the snow next to my other bonsai.

It's still cold but we are out of the single digits now. I'll see if the snow is soft enough to dig out a hold later today.
 

Bonsai Nut

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Wait! Don't do anything this winter. It is far too late! You will have to keep it inside this winter and move it outdoors in the spring. If you move it outdoors now it will almost certainly die. Trees take months to enter winter dormancy and establish cold hardiness. Don't worry - a single winter indoors will be much easier for it to take than to be suddenly thrust out into an Idaho winter. Cold hardy trees normally take several years to die from lack of a cold dormancy - which is why a single warm winter doesn't typically kill tons of mountain tress, but three in a row might.
 

GailC

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Thank you @Bonsai Nut, I will keep it in. Do you think it would be better to have warmer temps and high light or lower temps and low light? If I put it on the plant stand, it will be in a warm room but I can put it in a winder sill in the laundry room and it will be in the 60's but only have natural subdued winter light.
 

Bonsai Nut

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Thank you @Bonsai Nut, I will keep it in. Do you think it would be better to have warmer temps and high light or lower temps and low light? If I put it on the plant stand, it will be in a warm room but I can put it in a winder sill in the laundry room and it will be in the 60's but only have natural subdued winter light.

Sequoias are actually very hardy trees. Even though they exist naturally in a small local range, they have been established all over the world successfully - in environments as far north as Norway and as far south as Southern California. Treat it like it is having a "warm" winter - keep it cool but give it plenty of sun and water. It will naturally slow down at this time of year anyway given shorter photoperiod... just keep it from drying out.
 

Guy Vitale

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Sequoias are extremely difficult in Bonsai culture at best, that's why we don't see very many of them. I would never advocate keeping one outside in a northern zone, it's not that they can't take the cold, but the combination of winter climate and exposed foliage mass is what does them in. Conversely they are very susceptible to drying out so indoors is not a great option either. I've unfortunately had to kill a few of these to see what they like and I still don't think I have it quite figured out.
 

GailC

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They don't sound particularly hard, lots of fertilizer and keep from drying out. A humidity tray inside or buried in the snow outside will provide the humidity needed. I'm glad to have found something different that is cold hardy.
 

Bonsai Nut

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I haven't found them as easy as you describe, best of luck.

Though I think sequoias are quite interesting / beautiful trees, and would love to have the space to have one in a yard or field, I agree with @Guy Vitale that they don't make the best bonsai subjects. They can even be difficult subjects in landscape simply due to their size and strength - many people plant them without fully understanding what they are getting into... and then have to cut them down 20 years later. A sequoia in a good environment can reach a 9' diameter trunk in 50 years and be over 200' tall! A tree that large can often get unwelcome attention from neighbors, HOA's, and city zoning...

But by all means see what you can make from one... but be prepared for a challenge!

(giant sequoia in Swiss mountains)
WinterthurSwitzerlandgiantsequoia3.JPG
 

Guy Vitale

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I truly want as many people trying sequoias as possible, there is very little info on growing them as bonsai and much of what I have learned is from trial and error. Getting other people's do's and don't would push the knowledge of the spiecies forward a good deal. I personally know what they don't like, but what they like is still tough to lock down.
 
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