New zone question

Lancaster

Mame
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Can anyone from the nut house help me out?

I have an opportunity to move to Live Oak FL. I say opportunity, because I rent a house now for $1450 per month, with virtually an 8' strip for a back yard, and my sister-in-law is offering me her house in Live Oak for $400 per month and 5 acres! (She is getting married and moving in with him) :)

I am self employed, and my wife can transfer to another branch near Live Oak for the same pay.

So, my questions is, what kind of bonsai issues will I face moving from where I live now (zone 6b) to Live Oak (zone 8b)?

I'm not looking for the easy way out of doing my own research as I am currently researching my trees online to see what "zones" they are hardy to. But most of the info is telling me what the low temps they hardy down to. Not really the upper end...

If anybody has any info on this I would greatly appreciate it. I would also love hearing from some bonsai nuts who live in the area.

Oh, and one more thing. Any suggestions on clubs and bonsai nurseries in the general area would be appreciated also!

Thanks, -Troy
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
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What kind of trees do you have?
 

jk_lewis

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Check out the American Horticultural Society website for its "heat zone" index/map. It tells the high temps that many plants can withstand.

I lived in Tallahassee, FL for 40 years. It is just a few miles from Live Oak (a pretty town). Summers are in the 90s day and upper 70s or lower 80s night from June to mid or late Sept. (In July-August it will be upper 90s and 80s.) Humidity will be very high. If you have hemlock, white cedar, hinoki cypress, larch or other cool-temperate conifers, give or sell them to someone. OTOH, there are many other species you will be able to grow. Ficus, etc., for instance, can be outside from May to November and grow much more vigorously. The number of deciduous trees you can grow there is almost inexhaustible.
 

Lancaster

Mame
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Rock- I have about 100 trees at this time, in various stages of development. Tons of junis. procumbens, couple of san jose, 5 shimpaku, couple kishu.... Several japanese maples too, mikawa yatsubusa, laceleaf, green, reds, kiyohime, tridents..... hornbeams, quince, yews, japanese pines too, black, whites, and reds.

jkl- I do have a few canadian hemlocks. I was thinking that those may have to go, as well as my alpine firs. What about my engleman spruce and ponderosa pines? Do you think they will have to find new homes also?

I really am not embracing the fact that I may have to part with many of my trees, but I would rather them go to somebody who can nurture them for the rest of their lives than for me to be selfish, take them with me and watch them struggle, or worse, watch them wither away.

Thanks for your responses!
-Troy
 

jk_lewis

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alpine firs. What about my engleman spruce and ponderosa pines? Do you think they will have to find new homes also?

Spruce and fir will not last the summer. The Ponderosa may survive a few years, but probably will decline.
 

Lancaster

Mame
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Well, I guess these will be up for sale in the next few months then....dang it.

I'm thinking that my japanese maples under a shade cloth protection should be ok. If i'm careful of the afternoon sun to make sure the leaves don't get crispy. What do you think?
 

daygan

Chumono
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Based on hardiness zones, it looks like Live Oak is in an 8b zone(edit - oh, yes, I see you already said that)? I have "not-yet-bonsai" in an area that's a 9a (hotter) (a little south and west of Shanghai) and the japanese maples (saplings) that I have did just fine last year. This area also has a number of Japanese maples as landscape trees that also have no problem with the heat. My thought is that your Japanese Maples should be fine.
 
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edprocoat

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I bring my Bonsai down to central Fl. for the winter months and they all thrive. The one problem I did have was with a Birds Nest Spruce, we had a really warm winter this year and it just dried up and died despits constant watering. I did trim about 1/3 the top off to open the the foliage to see the amazing branching the tree had, I think it was too much heat for the tree though.

My tropicals love it here of course, and so do my junipers.

ed
 
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