Moving my large bonsai collection... again!

[JudyB]

I used to use chipped wood from local tree services to insulate the pots back when they froze solid in MA, and I've been using leaves down in GA for a while in the off chance that I needed more protection then simply placing on the ground. Honestly, I'm not sure why I didn't consider the bark mulch this time around, and with the wooden cold frame in place, the mess will be minimal. Thanks for for mentioning it as I think it's a better insulator and more permanent then the leaves. Fwiw, I'm hoping vermin aren't a problem on the patio or cold room... my trees are probably doomed for saying that now.

mothballs can help, and sometimes those sonic devices are helpful too.

 

[Dav4]

We were just in Detroit for a week last month. Not for fun. Though we rented a charming little house and discovered Holiday Market (thank goodness!) the weather wasn't what I'm used to! Came home and have been spending time at the beach. Hard to beat...Where the Royal Red shrimp are the best and this 'secret' beach where my husband surfs is my happy place. I don't worry about my bonsai getting enough water when I'm here or try and remember if I watered the serissa that lives by the roses and on and on.

Enjoy your new world and rock those pink shorts!View attachment 411329

I definitely love Florida... preferably in week long chunks . I could never live there full time... heat and humidity for 9+ months out of the year is just too much. Even the summers in N GA could be a bit much... 2-3 Octobers ago, it was 90+ degrees for a week straight. From what I here, summer in southern MI is awesome and I've got a friend with a lake front house, dock and 2 boats with lots of beer coolers on each! With that being said, I've become used to futzing around in my back yard throughout the year and this recent move will be a bit hard for me with so many of my trees frozen solid outside and unworkable. Still, I'm hoping the cold room works out... I still need to do all my fall work on this pines... or should I say winter work at this point.

 

[Mayank]

When it gets a bit colder, I'll.....

It was 14F yesterday night, what temps are you waiting for?

 

[Mayank]

From what I here, summer in southern MI is awesome and I've got a friend with a lake front house, dock and 2 boats with lots of beer coolers on each!

Summer in Michigan is incredible and on a lake too! Have fun. Go up north if possible. Petoskey, the bridge, Mackinac (but stay the night so you can enjoy the island after the circus leaves).

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Welcome to the mitten! What an insanely huge relief it must have been after all of that careful planning to see that everything was still in its place when you lifted up that door. Impressive tetris.

Hope to see you at the GR all-state show next spring!

 

[Dav4]

It was 14F yesterday night, what temps are you waiting for?

I'm waiting for the bagged mulch I peeled off the pallet at home depot to thaw out!!

 

[Dav4]

Welcome to the mitten! What an insanely huge relief it must have been after all of that careful planning to see that everything was still in its place when you lifted up that door. Impressive tetris.

Hope to see you at the GR all-state show next spring!

It was a great relief to see pretty much everything intact and doing well after such a crazy, hectic and stressful exit from GA. I'm a bit reluctant to to claim victory yet as the 22 degree F temps the trees experienced literally 2 days after leaving GA were a bit of an abrupt transition to the frozen north. I suspect most will be fine come spring, fingers crossed. I'll definitely make it to the show in GR if I'm around and free.

 

[coh]

mothballs can help, and sometimes those sonic devices are helpful too.

I've heard this but neither worked for me. Maybe I needed to use more mothballs but the barn still smells of them years later!

For me, the only thing that has worked is putting trees up on tables or benches and making the enclosure as tight as possible to keep critters out. I still set traps and occasionally catch one, or find evidence that they've evaded the traps and made their way up to the tables. But no significant damage in years. Leaving trees outside under mulch or snow in my yard would be a death sentence for them as I found out early on. Hopefully Dave doesn't have the same rodent population where he is located.

 

[Dav4]

I've heard this but neither worked for me. Maybe I needed to use more mothballs but the barn still smells of them years later!

For me, the only thing that has worked is putting trees up on tables or benches and making the enclosure as tight as possible to keep critters out. I still set traps and occasionally catch one, or find evidence that they've evaded the traps and made their way up to the tables. But no significant damage in years. Leaving trees outside under mulch or snow in my yard would be a death sentence for them as I found out early on. Hopefully Dave doesn't have the same rodent population where he is located.

I'm hoping the fact that the outdoor trees are on a recessed and elevated concrete paver patio will reduce the incidence of rodents setting up shop. Honestly, that's why the mulch hasn't been applied... I want things good and frozen. As it is, we're warming up into the mid 50's the end of this week...

 

[Katie0317]

I definitely love Florida... preferably in week long chunks . I could never live there full time... heat and humidity for 9+ months out of the year is just too much. Even the summers in N GA could be a bit much... 2-3 Octobers ago, it was 90+ degrees for a week straight. From what I here, summer in southern MI is awesome and I've got a friend with a lake front house, dock and 2 boats with lots of beer coolers on each! With that being said, I've become used to futzing around in my back yard throughout the year and this recent move will be a bit hard for me with so many of my trees frozen solid outside and unworkable. Still, I'm hoping the cold room works out... I still need to do all my fall work on this pines... or should I say winter work at this point.

I just got a letter from your tropical trees and they would love to live here full time. Just kidding, NO I"M NOT. When you get the mulch thawed out take a look at how sad they are and think how happy they'd be here. Smile...Seriously though, if any of them start stressing too bad just know they could have a home that would suit them year round without any of that snow stuff.

 

[Dav4]

I just got a letter from your tropical trees and they would love to live here full time. Just kidding, NO I"M NOT. When you get the mulch thawed out take a look at how sad they are and think how happy they'd be here. Smile...Seriously though, if any of them start stressing too bad just know they could have a home that would suit them year round without any of that snow stuff.

In 25 years of doing this, I've owned 1 tropical, a ficus my fiance/now wife wanted and subsequently bought. The pitiful thing froze to death on our 3 season porch in MA in October... truly wimpy trees! You can keep the tropicals... I'll stick with trees with some testicular fortitude .

 

[coh]

I'm hoping the fact that the outdoor trees are on a recessed and elevated concrete paver patio will reduce the incidence of rodents setting up shop. Honestly, that's why the mulch hasn't been applied... I want things good and frozen. As it is, we're warming up into the mid 50's the end of this week...

Yes, the next couple of weeks look to be pretty mild around these parts. Your plants are going to be so confused!

 

[Dav4]

Yes, the next couple of weeks look to be pretty mild around these parts. Your plants are going to be so confused!

Yup, it seems to be the new normal. It was 19 degrees here yesterday morning and Saturday, we will be pushing 60... shorts and t-shirt weather according to the locals .

 

[Adair M]

Yup, it seems to be the new normal. It was 19 degrees here yesterday morning and Saturday, we will be pushing 60... shorts and t-shirt weather according to the locals .

YOU are now one of the locals!

 

[coh]

I remember the first winter we moved up here from Virginia, looking out the window and seeing the teenagers next door waiting outside for the bus without coats. Temp was probably around 20. No shorts though, they weren't crazy. I've never become _that_ acclimated. In fact, each winter feels colder to me now.

60 F is definitely shorts weather when it happens in March or April. It's amazing how warm even a 40 deg day can feel after a cold winter.

 

[Dav4]

I remember the first winter we moved up here from Virginia, looking out the window and seeing the teenagers next door waiting outside for the bus without coats. Temp was probably around 20. No shorts though, they weren't crazy. I've never become _that_ acclimated. In fact, each winter feels colder to me now.

60 F is definitely shorts weather when it happens in March or April. It's amazing how warm even a 40 deg day can feel after a cold winter.

We were still living in MA when we took a business trip to FL for my wife and I and turned it into a mini family vacation for a few days at Disney in late January. I still crack up thinking about that first morning when we were waiting at the front for a friend who worked at Disney to let us in as guests. It was mid 50's at 8 am, we were all wearing shorts +/- a light coat... but a tour guide we saw leading a large group of visitors was wearing ear muffs, a ski hat, gloves, and a long down coat that went to her knees! I might not be wearing shorts next Saturday, but I probably won't be wearing ear muffs, either .

 

[Crawforde]

Enjoy Michigan!
Sometimes I miss it, but haven’t been back in close to 20 years.
I think that my blood is getting thin down here in Florida, 50 does feel cold now, and may cause me to wear long pants. Sometimes
When lived up there one of my jobs was monitoring and studying the Sturgeon spawning. They get active when the water hits 53 F. Just the idea of jumping in the water at that temperature is painful now. I need another coffee to recover from just thinking about it.
good luck, enjoy the seasons!
Morel hunting and trout fishing in the spring was one of my favorite times of the year.

 

[LanceMac10]

Here's to good growing in your new climate Murph!!

 

[Dav4]

Here's to good growing in your new climate Murph!!

Thanks, Lance! I fear the move to Michigan has complicated my bonsai life significantly and I think I've seen the sun 3 times since I started this thread as the sky tends to be very grey this time of year... BUT... there's a lot of good locally brewed beer here and that fact alone has literally numbed the pain of moving north again . Fwiw, high of 60 tomorrow!

 

[coh]

Thanks, Lance! I fear the move to Michigan has complicated my bonsai life significantly and I think I've seen the sun 3 times since I started this thread as the sky tends to be very grey this time of year... BUT... there's a lot of good locally brewed beer here and that fact alone has literally numbed the pain of moving north again . Fwiw, high of 60 tomorrow!

The endless greyness/cloud cover of winter up here is the toughest thing for me. We can sometimes go weeks without a glimpse of blue sky. I seem to have become more tolerant of it but those first few winters were definitely an adjustment process. Good luck with it!