Looking for opinions on wintering my Oak.

abqjoe

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So I've been doing a lot of research on my Oak which is a hybrid, Quercus x Chasei or better known as a California Live Black Oak. This hybrid species is most commonly found and originated in the Santa Clara County/ San Jose California area. I looked up what there weather patterns are here http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/san-jose/california/united-states/usca0993 . After carefully taking this info into consideration I started to think why not winter it in my greenhouse that I have coming this weekend with my Tropicals over the winter with a set temperature of 65 degrees. I'd love to here the communities thoughts on this, especially the opinions of those from the Northern California area who actually have experience with this particular species of tree. Thanks!
 

jcrossett

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If i recall some one posted on mine about wintering a live oak.

It's not the hybrid like yours.

But they said it does need a dormancy period of about 2 months.

And I must say there night temps are awesome.

How do your temps compare
 

aml1014

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If i recall some one posted on mine about wintering a live oak.

It's not the hybrid like yours.

But they said it does need a dormancy period of about 2 months.

And I must say there night temps are awesome.

How do your temps compare
Very different we'll dip into the teens and twenties every night in winter.

Aaron
 

jcrossett

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Teens 20 no good. I think 40 is lowest.

But some how it needs a dormancy period. Constant 65° is no good.
 

aml1014

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Teens 20 no good. I think 40 is lowest.

But some how it needs a dormancy period. Constant 65° is no good.
I recommend he do what I do with my pomegranate and olive. Leave it out until night temps dip into the high 30s, low 40s then to move it into the greenhouse for the remainder of winter. I also tested this on a BC with no issues.

Aaron
 

abqjoe

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If i recall some one posted on mine about wintering a live oak.

It's not the hybrid like yours.

But they said it does need a dormancy period of about 2 months.

And I must say there night temps are awesome.

How do your temps compare

Here's ours http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/albuquerque/new-mexico/united-states/usnm0370 . I guess my thinking is shaped around what this particular species goes through in it's natural habitat. This is the logic I've been using the entire time I've been into Bonsai and it's served me well so far. I look at each tree as an individual species, research a given species natural habitat and try to create that habitat for it while still incorporating the obvious essential rules of Bonsai too.
 

LanceMac10

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My neighbor got a cork bark oak from Roy's nursery last year. It was kept in a root cellar over winter with temps in the high 30's to low 40's. It's still alive but not very vigorous like it should be, in my opinion. Maybe think about providing it with light and cool temperatures for a decent spell in winter?
 

abqjoe

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My neighbor got a cork bark oak from Roy's nursery last year. It was kept in a root cellar over winter with temps in the high 30's to low 40's. It's still alive but not very vigorous like it should be, in my opinion. Maybe think about providing it with light and cool temperatures for a decent spell in winter?

Yea I know that this species need's light and cannot go into a typical dark winter box. I also came up with the idea of building an insulated mulching box that would go up to the tree's lowest branch and build a vented sub-floor in which I can insert a heating pad in. Keep the heating pad on low at night once temps start to dip below 35. I was told it needed shelter below 30.
 

LanceMac10

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And by the way, how can I become involved in "Quality Assurance"? It seems to pay very well!!!:p:D:D:D:D:D:D
 

abqjoe

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Horticultural care is your first concern. Your "habitat" is what counts. Are any trees you acquired native to your "habitat"

Ponderosa, Juniper, Black Pine is compatible in my zone also. But, I can tweak certain conditions for non-native tree's too by being able to generate/create humidity, create lower temps by placing certain species of tree's in shaded area's etc. The only thing I can't modify pretty much is our altitude:)
 

LanceMac10

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It's certain you will do whatever it takes!!!!:D:D:D

I was only relating some experience with a tree perhaps not really appropriate to my climate. That's not mine!:rolleyes:
Now grow that Oak!!!!;)
 

abqjoe

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And by the way, how can I become involved in "Quality Assurance"? It seems to pay very well!!!:p:D:D:D:D:D:D

I spent 15 years in my field as a tradesman actually doing the work that I now inspect before moving into Quality Assurance. But, my day job isn't my only source of income, I don't limit myself like that:)
 

justBonsai

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Personally I think it would be fine in the greenhouse. These oaks are Mediterranean trees and tolerate warmer temperatures. If you have it a bit colder like 50 F or so it probably would lend to a better dormancy which in turn would mean better vigor in the growing season but the effect probably isn't much. These trees don't have a long and deep dormancy like other deciduous trees. They just stop or slow growth for 2, maybe 3 months. As a live oak it keeps its leaves so they still should be photosynthesizing and feeding sugars to the tree.
 

JudyB

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If you are willing to invest in a greenhouse for your tropicals, and invest in such amazing trees as you have, I don't know why you'd not invest in a cold overwintering structure to make sure the tree is safe. Just sayin....
 

abqjoe

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Personally I think it would be fine in the greenhouse. These oaks are Mediterranean trees and tolerate warmer temperatures. If you have it a bit colder like 50 F or so it probably would lend to a better dormancy which in turn would mean better vigor in the growing season but the effect probably isn't much. These trees don't have a long and deep dormancy like other deciduous trees. They just stop or slow growth for 2, maybe 3 months. As a live oak it keeps its leaves so they still should be photosynthesizing and feeding sugars to the tree.

As it is it will get 2 maybe 3 months of 40-45 degree nights with day time temps of 55-60 degrees outdoors. That's typical mid September to mid November out here.
 

abqjoe

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If you are willing to invest in a greenhouse for your tropicals, and invest in such amazing trees as you have, I don't know why you'd not invest in a cold overwintering structure to make sure the tree is safe. Just sayin....

Oh I'm going to build a wintering box but for my tree's that need it but my Oak seems to have slightly different preferences when it comes to winter temps. While my other trees will be perfectly comfortable in 20-30 degrees cold storage my Oak most likely will not be comfortable. But that's why I started this thread so that hopefully those with experience/familiarity with this specific species will chime in.
 

Cadillactaste

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Your oak sounds a lot like a temperate tree. I wintered mine my first year with my tropical...and it weakened and I lost branches and it never recovered come spring. Just continuing to decline until it died. Since I had no appropriate place to winter mine.
https://nebonsai.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Temperate.pdf
 
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