Hi,
i'm thinking about possible ways to protect my trees in winter time, but i can't find any info that are appriopriate for my situation. I live on 3rd floor and my trees are placed on balcony, my USDA zone is 6b/7a (depends on a map, i live in Poland). I have a wall there that can block wind completely from one side. As of species currently i have:
- European Beech in starting phase of kabudachi style development, they are not fused together yet,
- Chinese Elm of unknown origin, but i think it can be from southern China, so i don't know how hardy it is. Also it's cheap commercial bonsai and i had to repot it mid august, because of big root rot and falling leaves (it was in very bad dense soil and came to me soggy wet),
- Juniperus Sabina Tamariscifoglia, still in nursery pot, but styled this year, this one seems healthy and hardy.
My current plan is:
- 5 cm thick styrofoam for bottom insulation,
- cold frame on top of styrofoam,
- thick layer of mulch to cover pots to the rim,
- optional styrofoam insulation and blanket in case of temps below 20F/-6C,
- constant temperature monitoring with wi-fi thermometer and push notifications on certain thresholds.
Alternative plan is to put everything in totally unheated part of house at my parents place, but I'm concerned if they would know how to properly water my trees and don't know what temperature will be inside (probably above 32F/0C, but i don't know if it will be cool enough). They also have unheated greenhouse. Which plan sounds better? When should I relocate trees to protected space? Is there any bulletproof plan for watering trees inside that unheated space, so i can give my parents simple instructions?
i'm thinking about possible ways to protect my trees in winter time, but i can't find any info that are appriopriate for my situation. I live on 3rd floor and my trees are placed on balcony, my USDA zone is 6b/7a (depends on a map, i live in Poland). I have a wall there that can block wind completely from one side. As of species currently i have:
- European Beech in starting phase of kabudachi style development, they are not fused together yet,
- Chinese Elm of unknown origin, but i think it can be from southern China, so i don't know how hardy it is. Also it's cheap commercial bonsai and i had to repot it mid august, because of big root rot and falling leaves (it was in very bad dense soil and came to me soggy wet),
- Juniperus Sabina Tamariscifoglia, still in nursery pot, but styled this year, this one seems healthy and hardy.
My current plan is:
- 5 cm thick styrofoam for bottom insulation,
- cold frame on top of styrofoam,
- thick layer of mulch to cover pots to the rim,
- optional styrofoam insulation and blanket in case of temps below 20F/-6C,
- constant temperature monitoring with wi-fi thermometer and push notifications on certain thresholds.
Alternative plan is to put everything in totally unheated part of house at my parents place, but I'm concerned if they would know how to properly water my trees and don't know what temperature will be inside (probably above 32F/0C, but i don't know if it will be cool enough). They also have unheated greenhouse. Which plan sounds better? When should I relocate trees to protected space? Is there any bulletproof plan for watering trees inside that unheated space, so i can give my parents simple instructions?