More wintering questions

[Deleted member 17828]

My first winter with bonsai sort of came at an inconvenient time as I am currently a college freshman. I am about an hour and a half away from where home is, so I have a caretaker for my trees. The problem is that my caretaker has no knowledge of bonsai, so the only thing I can do is give her instructions. During the winter, there will be a few opportunities for me to be home (thanksgiving, Christmas break, possibly another weekend) but other than those times, I can't check on my trees. During Thanksgiving weekend, I intend to prepare my trees for the winter. How should I best do that and what instructions would be easiest/best for my caretaker?
My trees are junipers, and I'm in zone 6a.

 

[edprocoat]

Kirk, you ought to really write these off and try Bonsai again when you can care for them. It would be unfair to put that much of a responsibility on a caretaker that may not be into Bonsai unless you are willing to smile and say to her "Thanks for at least trying " when it, or they die. Its like buying a pet and thrusting the care of it onto another person, something one would expect from a juvenile.

ed

 

[sorce]

I just moved mine and don't expect to have to think about them again till March.

Looks like it's already winter there too. 15 Degrees to our 14.

Just tuck them next to a wall and keep your fingers crossed!

Sorce

 

[JudyB]

Actually winter can be the easiest time for bonsai care, if you site them properly for the season. Can you mulch them into a window well, or up against the house in a shady spot? The things you'll want to avoid are sun and wind. Some folks wrap the area with burlap, but that may keep snow cover from getting to them. So if you can place them in a protected area without that, and hope snow covers them most of the winter, you should be ok with just asking the person to check them for moisture when it's not frozen. Put a skewer into each plant's soil, and then the person can check that to see if they are frozen or if they are dry a couple times each week. Good luck with this, maybe you'll infect your caretaker with the bonsai bug too!

 

[KennedyMarx]

Put them next to the house and pour some mulch around them. They're pretty hardy. A couple of my big ones still in the nursery pots are next to the house in a spot that doesn't get much sun and no wind.

 

[edprocoat]

Kirk, I assumed this was another thread where a college kid had an apartment with no way to keep the plants outside overwinter ! As pointed out by Judy and KennedyMarx they winter best outdoors and need little care so you should be fine, more care will be needed come next summer.......

ed

 

[Deleted member 17828]

Thanks all for the advice. I'll find a sheltered spot for them and keep my fingers crossed!