Over 50 Japanese Maples Melted Down

[dbonsaiw]

Truly awful, sorry to hear.

 

[Paradox]

I put my Hawaiian mesquite out last year on April 15. It struggled to get going all summer, and then this winter suffered severe dieback.

Maybe June was the right answer?

You are a bit further south from me so you can probably get away with a bit earlier.
April 15 IMO is too early even for you but some time in May might be fine.

I have Brazilian Rain trees and Ficus. The ficus can tolerate temperatures into the 30s for very brief period (overnight) but I prefer not to put them out when its going to be that cold.
They are tropical after all. BRT dont like it below 50 degrees.

I watch the temperatures. When night time temperatures are reliably above 50, Ill take them out and leave them out.
I prefer not to shuffle trees around too much if I can help it but if we do get a night predicted to go below 50 then Ill bring them into the garage overnight.
I dont have too many tropical trees so it doesnt take a lot of time

 

[dbonsaiw]

I watch the temperatures. When night time temperatures are reliably above 50, Ill take them out and leave them out.

Is there any concept of "acclimating" tropicals from indoors to outdoors? I have mine under lights 16 hours a day. Can I just move them out and leave them out once we are above 50, even though the trees are getting much more light and higher temps indoors?

 

[Paradox]

Is there any concept of "acclimating" tropicals from indoors to outdoors? I have mine under lights 16 hours a day. Can I just move them out and leave them out once we are above 50, even though the trees are getting much more light and higher temps indoors?

I usually have mine in an area that gets morning to early afternoon sun and shade in the late afternoon.
I have never had a problem doing this with mine.

 

[JackHammer]

I put a number of tropicals in the greenhouse and a lot of them got a real serious sunburn. I might have lost a few. So much for all that winter growth they just put on... :/

 

[JackHammer]

Is there any concept of "acclimating" tropicals from indoors to outdoors? I have mine under lights 16 hours a day. Can I just move them out and leave them out once we are above 50, even though the trees are getting much more light and higher temps indoors?

Make sure they are at least in front of a window with direct sun for a week or 2. I had mine under lights and they got fried as soon as they got in the greenhouse.

 

[Tums]

Is there any concept of "acclimating" tropicals from indoors to outdoors? I have mine under lights 16 hours a day. Can I just move them out and leave them out once we are above 50, even though the trees are getting much more light and higher temps indoors?

I don't think it's the light levels so much as the UV. I make sure to acclimate all my indoor plants (tropicals, succulents/cacti) because I've had them burn before. Week in shade or 60% cloth, week in part sun or 30% cloth, then usually they're good to go.

 

[Carol 83]

Is there any concept of "acclimating" tropicals from indoors to outdoors? I have mine under lights 16 hours a day. Can I just move them out and leave them out once we are above 50, even though the trees are getting much more light and higher temps indoors?

When I move mine out, they go on the east side of my house for a week where they get morning sun and shade in the afternoon. After a week, they get moved to the south side.

 

[Bonsai Forest]

Last night was a perfect storm for late freeze JM meltdown. My 50 or so cultivars flushed out aggressively last week, and froze last night at 27F. This was the worst damage I had seen in over a decade. Big maples, small maples all damaged. Most will make it but lost much growth, but a few I feel are goners. Was going to take pictures but it was too depressing. My ginkgos took a hit as well.
Unfortunate truth is that it is just the way of things.

I’m very sorry this happened. Salvage what you can and keep moving forward