Nova bonsai garden

markyscott

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Looking good. Where are your trees?
They’re at the cottage in White Post where I’m living. I have deadlines - on average, the first frost in Delaplane is in mid-October. I need for all the infrastructure to be ready for the plants so that I can get them to their winter home.

- S
 

rockm

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They’re at the cottage in White Post where I’m living. I have deadlines - on average, the first frost in Delaplane is in mid-October. I need for all the infrastructure to be ready for the plants so that I can get them to their winter home.

- S
FWIW, I don't put my Southern collected trees into storage until late November. First frost here is around Oct. 24. I let my cedar elms, live oak and bald cypress get hit by the first early frosts and shallow freezes through Oct. and Nov. down to about 27 or so at night. If temperatures are forecast to be below freezing for a few days, with no daytime warm up above 45 or so, I bring the trees inside until it warms up a bit. I use Thanksgiving weekend to get them all under mulch for the winter.

Allowing those initial cold temps to hit them helps get them prepared for the winter. Trying to protect them from reasonable lower temps can be counterproductive, as they may not be completely dormant and remain vulnerable to lower temperatures later in the winter.
 

markyscott

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FWIW, I don't put my Southern collected trees into storage until late November. First frost here is around Oct. 24. I let my cedar elms, live oak and bald cypress get hit by the first early frosts and shallow freezes through Oct. and Nov. down to about 27 or so at night. If temperatures are forecast to be below freezing for a few days, with no daytime warm up above 45 or so, I bring the trees inside until it warms up a bit. I use Thanksgiving weekend to get them all under mulch for the winter.

Allowing those initial cold temps to hit them helps get them prepared for the winter. Trying to protect them from reasonable lower temps can be counterproductive, as they may not be completely dormant and remain vulnerable to lower temperatures later in the winter.
Thanks Rockm. That’s very helpful! I appreciate your experience and advice.

-S
 

rockm

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Thanks Rockm. That’s very helpful! I appreciate your experience and advice.

-S
I hope it's helpful. If not, tell me to shut up 😁

The freeze thing can be tricky. Smaller trees, like mame and shohin can freeze through on nights with temps down to 27. That's not good. Big trees won't freeze through, which is a good thing. Mostly placing trees on the ground will prevent that from happening in shallow freezes. Also, cold air flows downhill, just like water, since it's denser than warmer air. You can use that to your advantage by siting trees on slopes, etc. Additionally, radiational cooling can be a beeotch...Temperatures will be lower in areas that are exposed to open sky. That means frost can happen when air temps are as high as 40, the air is relatively dry and the sky is clear. Humidity and cloudcover can help, but simply moving trees under an overhang can prevent them getting frosted on iffy nights.
 

markyscott

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I hope it's helpful. If not, tell me to shut up 😁

The freeze thing can be tricky. Smaller trees, like mame and shohin can freeze through on nights with temps down to 27. That's not good. Big trees won't freeze through, which is a good thing. Mostly placing trees on the ground will prevent that from happening in shallow freezes. Also, cold air flows downhill, just like water, since it's denser than warmer air. You can use that to your advantage by siting trees on slopes, etc. Additionally, radiational cooling can be a beeotch...Temperatures will be lower in areas that are exposed to open sky. That means frost can happen when air temps are as high as 40, the air is relatively dry and the sky is clear. Humidity and cloudcover can help, but simply moving trees under an overhang can prevent them getting frosted on iffy nights.
My plan is to move the tropicals into the greenhouse when night time temperatures drop into the 40s. Pretty much all the rest i’ll overwinter in the high tunnel once they’re dormant. I’m mostly concerned about daytime temperatures getting too high inside the tunnel. So I’m using 50% shade cloth and automatic vents. I’ll have an exhaust fan as emergency backup. Any experience with keeping a high tunnel cool?

S
 

rockm

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My plan is to move the tropicals into the greenhouse when night time temperatures drop into the 40s. Pretty much all the rest i’ll overwinter in the high tunnel once they’re dormant. I’m mostly concerned about daytime temperatures getting too high inside the tunnel. So I’m using 50% shade cloth and automatic vents. I’ll have an exhaust fan as emergency backup. Any experience with keeping a high tunnel cool?

S
good plan. I don't have any experience with a high tunnel. I have friends who have a large polytunnel at their nursery, as well as a cold greenhouse. The greenhouse is fitted with auto fans and a heater (to keep it above 35). The tunnel is unheated, and as far as I know they regulate it by opening ends when needed. Unfortunately, I don't know the details of day to day management.
 

rockm

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My plan is to move the tropicals into the greenhouse when night time temperatures drop into the 40s. Pretty much all the rest i’ll overwinter in the high tunnel once they’re dormant. I’m mostly concerned about daytime temperatures getting too high inside the tunnel. So I’m using 50% shade cloth and automatic vents. I’ll have an exhaust fan as emergency backup. Any experience with keeping a high tunnel cool?

S
Better keep an eye out come Thursday. We've got an early autumn cold front rolling through that will drop temps 20 degrees...There are even hints some areas west of I-81 will get frost. Might be the higher ridges in the W.Va. mountains, but clear, dry skies can mean the same for areas out your way...you might want to think about getting your tropicals under a roof for a couple of nights. Other stuff should be fine.
 

penumbra

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Better keep an eye out come Thursday. We've got an early autumn cold front rolling through that will drop temps 20 degrees...There are even hints some areas west of I-81 will get frost. Might be the higher ridges in the W.Va. mountains, but clear, dry skies can mean the same for areas out your way...you might want to think about getting your tropicals under a roof for a couple of nights. Other stuff should be fine.
Calling for 46F Thuirsaday night at my house, just about 15 miles from Nova Bonsai Garden. Too soon to be alarmed, though ever cautious.
 

rockm

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Calling for 46F Thuirsaday night at my house, just about 15 miles from Nova Bonsai Garden. Too soon to be alarmed, though ever cautious.
I wouldn't be alarmed, but patchy frost is possible at 44-46 degrees. Not likely, but possible--enough so that if I had tropical bonsai on benches exposed to open sky, I'd get them under a roof or under some larger trees.
 

penumbra

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I wouldn't be alarmed, but patchy frost is possible at 44-46 degrees. Not likely, but possible--enough so that if I had tropical bonsai on benches exposed to open sky, I'd get them under a roof or under some larger trees.
I appreciate that, but everything I have is under large trees. My target is lower 40s or sustained mid - upper 40s.
 

markyscott

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i don't know if Markyscott's trees are under larger ones.
Caution is much appreciated. They’re not under anything currently, so we’ll take steps to protect the tropicals.

S
 

markyscott

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High tunnel is going up. As high tunnels go, this one is a modest 20’x40’, but it’s the first I’ve ever built. I’m guessing it will take me a couple of weeks and I’ll document the process here.

S
 

markyscott

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First step is to put up the sidewall poles. For this high tunnel, there are 9 on the each side, spaced 5’ apart. The posts are about 2 1/2” in diameter, 10’ tall and need to be driven to 32”. This is a major job for a man with a sledgehammer.

yes — I know there are tools to make this easier. But there’s something cathartic about manual labor and the knowledge that, at the end of the day, it’s something that you built with your own hands. So the sledge it is (for this job anyway).

S
 
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