Prunus Mume in Zone 6?

[Jester217300]

Hardiness wise it looks like they can "survive" but would it be a non stop battle for survival? I typically winter my trees in an unheated garage from the moment it's below freezing constantly until temps rise above freezing again in spring.

In a colder climate, would they flower earlier? In January my trees are typically in storage and we have snow outside with temps steadily below freezing.

If I won't get a flower display it doesn't seem very worthwhile. But I'm interested in giving it a go if the flower display will seasonally adjust in a colder climate.

Any tips are appreciated.

 

[fredtruck]

I have 3 umes and live in zone 5. You just have to be careful, and plan for winterization.

So far, I have no rationalization for when an ume will bloom. For the last 3 or 4 years, one of mine has bloomed earlier and earlier every year. The other two are about 2 months ahead of last year's schedule.

You can't really bargain with an ume as to when it will bloom. Some will bloom right off the bat, but others are a real struggle. Some never bloom. Just remember, even in the winter, I water my ume every day, and feed them heavily.

 

[Jester217300]

Thanks for the reply.

Just to clarify... you water your Ume in winter when temps are below freezing? When the soil is already frozen? This seems counterintuitive to me.

 

[fredtruck]

No. I never let my ume freeze. I keep them at 40 to 45 degrees F. Others may do things differently, so I'm telling you what has worked for me. An unheated room in your house may work, or an unheated but enclosed porch.

I'm glad you asked for clarification.

 

[Jester217300]

Oh, yeah, thanks. Makes sense now!