New to Bonsai .....

[BonsaiGuyNJ]

I am a Newbie to Bonsai, and I live in New Jersey, and have just purchased 3 bonsai - Wisteria, Bougainvillae, and Azalea. I've been watching lots of videos on YouTube and reading alot on the Internet. My initial question has to do with "Over-wintering" the bonsai. The Wisteria I think has to be outdoors for the winter, and I'm still try

 

[SouthernMaple]

Well I live in NE Georgia and the problem I have with wintering my bonsai is that I overthink it. People say all sorts of things and I feel like there is no definitive information other than experience. I have been doing bonsai now for 3 years now and deciduous trees need to go into hibernation every winter, last two years when it gets real cold I put them in an unheated closet and leave them alone for 3-4 weeks with no to low sunlight. I read if you don't let them do this they will die. I have also been told its ok for the soil to freeze once or twice a year, but my winters are nothing compared to yours. The nights it gets real cold I usually just put them in a plastic tub and put an old pair of blue jeans on them. Sounds weird I know but it works. I also only water them once a week in the winter.

 

[BonsaiGuyNJ]

Thanks for the reply. I actually have only owned one other Bonsai .....it was a Wisteria. I placed in my shed, I guess I did not insulate the pot/bonsai enough and the pot broke, exposed the roots, the bonsai died. I don't want to make the same mistake with this one. I do have an unheated bedroom closet - but the Temps remain only at
about 55-degrees, and I don't think that is cold enough for Wisteria. So I'm gonna have to put it back out into the shred, but like you mentioned, I'm going to have to put it in a plastic tub (do I need to use the lid??) and cover the plant/pot with Mulch. What do you think ?

 

[queenofsheba52]

Hi @BonsaiGuyNJ, and welcome to Bnut!

This is my first year trying to overwinter azalea and bougainvillea bonsai. I'm in West Michigan, zone 5. Landscape type azaleas (not satsuki) do well in my yard so they are overwintering in my garden, pots sunk into the soil, and covered with evergreen boughs.

Bougies are tropical and absolutely unable to overwinter outside here. I have my bougies in my basement under grow lights, along with my fig tree, my gardenia and a few other cold sensitive plants. There is much useful info on Bnut about what type of grow lights to use, but I just use Sylvania Grow-Lux that I can buy from the big box stores. So far, this arrangement is doing well -- one bougie is flowering, and the gardenia has flower buds too!

I saw your other post pertaining specifically to your wisteria bonsai. The advice in that post is spot on, especially for a newly purchased tree. Most importantly, do not put any trees in an enclosed space (like a plastic bag) unless you have air movement: you are guaranteed to have trouble with fungus and mold. I had trouble with fungus on my bougies the first week, but an inexpensive box fan set on the lowest setting and pointed above the trees' canopies solved that problem.

I hope your bonsai survive the winter and that you have much enjoyment working with them.

 

[SouthernMaple]

I wouldn't put the top on it, just cover the soil and pot with a blanket or something at night

 

[bonsaichile]

Well I live in NE Georgia and the problem I have with wintering my bonsai is that I overthink it. People say all sorts of things and I feel like there is no definitive information other than experience. I have been doing bonsai now for 3 years now and deciduous trees need to go into hibernation every winter, last two years when it gets real cold I put them in an unheated closet and leave them alone for 3-4 weeks with no to low sunlight. I read if you don't let them do this they will die. I have also been told its ok for the soil to freeze once or twice a year, but my winters are nothing compared to yours. The nights it gets real cold I usually just put them in a plastic tub and put an old pair of blue jeans on them. Sounds weird I know but it works. I also only water them once a week in the winter.

An indoor closet is a really bad idea for overwintering bonsais. It is not just the light, they also need a number of hors of COLD (as in below 40 degrees, the number of hours is species-specific, but it will be at least in the hundreds) for a proper dormancy. Aside from your closet being likely too warm, the relative humidity of an average house in winter is simply too low for a tree. Your trees might survive a couple yeaes, but they will weaken and eventually die. You need to find a different arrangement to overwinter them.

 

[bonsaichile]

Thanks for the reply. I actually have only owned one other Bonsai .....it was a Wisteria. I placed in my shed, I guess I did not insulate the pot/bonsai enough and the pot broke, exposed the roots, the bonsai died. I don't want to make the same mistake with this one. I do have an unheated bedroom closet - but the Temps remain only at
about 55-degrees, and I don't think that is cold enough for Wisteria. So I'm gonna have to put it back out into the shred, but like you mentioned, I'm going to have to put it in a plastic tub (do I need to use the lid??) and cover the plant/pot with Mulch. What do you think ?

As someone else commented in your other thread, your pot broke probably due to its inferior quality. Most pots can survive freeze/thaw cycles without a problem. Your shed should be fine to.overwinter your trees. I am in zone 5a (Denver) and I simply put mine in an unattached garage that is missing a door. It probably is about the same than your shed: the trees (and the pots) freeze several times per winter, without a hitch

 

[SouthernMaple]

An indoor closet is a really bad idea for overwintering bonsais. It is not just the light, they also need a number of hors of COLD (as in below 40 degrees, the number of hours is species-specific, but it will be at least in the hundreds) for a proper dormancy. Aside from your closet being likely too warm, the relative humidity of an average house in winter is simply too low for a tree. Your trees might survive a couple yeaes, but they will weaken and eventually die. You need to find a different arrangement to overwinter them.

the closet i had them in was on my porch, the previous year i had an enclosed porch that worked great, currently they are in my friends basement underneath his staircase, i just checked them a few hours ago and they are doing great, should i leave them there for the rest of the month 20's-30's at night or just take them down at night and leave them on the backside of the house during the day?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

the closet i had them in was on my porch, the previous year i had an enclosed porch that worked great, currently they are in my friends basement underneath his staircase, i just checked them a few hours ago and they are doing great, should i leave them there for the rest of the month 20's-30's at night or just take them down at night and leave them on the backside of the house during the day?

I'm assuming the ''them'' is the Wisteria, azalea and ? Bougie? I would not leave a Bougie outdoors for a zone 7 winter.

The others should be just fine. If the deciduous trees in the landscape have no leaves, and have not started growing, then just leave your trees in ''cold storage'' as you described. Under that staircase sounds fine. Leave them there day and night. Put them out after danger of frost has passed. Usually about the time leaves are expanding on your landscape trees. I use the Norway maples in my area as the ''timer'' to know when it is safe to put trees out. I wait until the leaves of the norway maples are about 25% expanded. Usually they open their flowers first, followed by the leaves. Once I see the leaves coming, I know soon we will be past danger of frost.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Also in NJ, also a noob. Have fun. Im in central nj.

 

[BonsaiGuyNJ]

I just received 3 new Bonsai trees in the mail --- Bougainvillea, Barbados Cherry and Azalea. Here's the scoop:: The Bougainvillea has a few flowers, however the leaves look like crap, and are yellowing and look nasty; The Barbados Cherry looks terrific; and the Azalea arrived with the pot totally broken and the tree looking like crap, with alot of yellowing, brown crispy leaves - I reported the broken pot and they are sending me a new one. However, since it's Winter and real cold here in NJ, these 3 bonsai have to remain Indoors for the Winter...........I just hope I can keep them alive!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

winter is probably more than half over for your area. They should be fine on your windowsill or light set up.

 

[BonsaiGuyNJ]

I am fortunate that I have a very large window in the front of my home which faces South/Southeast. Right now I have Cactus in front of the window, but they can be moved, as they are dormant - I bought another TV tray for the 3 Bonsai so they can be in front of the window, which on a Sunny day gets a tremendous amount of Light. Thanks again Leo for your help.

 

[August44]

where did you buy those if I can ask?

 

[tmjudd1]

Greetings!

 

[SouthernMaple]

An indoor closet is a really bad idea for overwintering bonsais. It is not just the light, they also need a number of hors of COLD (as in below 40 degrees, the number of hours is species-specific, but it will be at least in the hundreds) for a proper dormancy. Aside from your closet being likely too warm, the relative humidity of an average house in winter is simply too low for a tree. Your trees might survive a couple yeaes, but they will weaken and eventually die. You need to find a different arrangement to overwinter them.

thank god winter is over, growing deciduous trees I always worry too much in the winter, I even moved to asheville where after they bloomed had to experience an even colder climate for a while but they look great now, so much new growth and vigor

 

[SouthernMaple]

I am a Newbie to Bonsai, and I live in New Jersey, and have just purchased 3 bonsai - Wisteria, Bougainvillae, and Azalea. I've been watching lots of videos on YouTube and reading alot on the Internet. My initial question has to do with "Over-wintering" the bonsai. The Wisteria I think has to be outdoors for the winter, and I'm still try

So how did it turn out?

 

[Tieball]

Before you move it......A cactus in the front window is a good placement. A cactus serves as a protector. The protection comes from their spikes, that bounce any negativity back out of your house....keeps witches and other bad spirits away also. Just in case you didn’t remember why you put that cactus in front of that window.