Repotting and low temps

[MACH5]

I have a question. All my maples have just been recently repotted. Right now they are outside enjoying the unusually warm weather we've been having here in the North East. However, for this coming Monday I'm seeing in the forecast night temps dipping down to 27 degrees. Should I bring all trees inside for the night or will they be ok outside for just that one night?

The problem is that I will be away on business and I would have to ask my wife to bring them in for the night and then back again outside which I really don't want to do.

 

[amkhalid]

I would say bring them in and leave them in for a few days. It is better than leaving them outside at the mercy of the frost.

I have about 15 trees that will be spending at least a couple of days in the garage in the dark next week as it will be dropping below freezing. Not a big deal to leave them in the dark for a few days, even if they are budding out.

 

[JudyB]

I would bring them in as well. All my trees, repotted or not that have leafed out (all of them but the beech) will be going into protection for Monday night at least.

 

[MACH5]

Ok thank you! That's what I figured

 

[chrisd]

Me too, My trees are all in the cold greenhouse. Especially if you've just repotted, you need to protect those vulnerable roots. It won't hurt them to be inside for a few days.

 

[Bill S]

In Massachusetts they are calling for low 20's, thats called hard or killing freeze, they need to go in if leafed out or new buds have pushed on pines and Juni's

 

[MACH5]

I ended up taking all my trees inside. The only exception was a very large maple (also repotted) that my wife could not carry so I left it outside. On the advice of someone I know, I placed a plastic sheet over the tree before I left on my trip. I was very worried but just spoke to my wife and the tree seems fine with no apparent damage to the swelling buds.

 

[rockm]

Trees in bud with no leaves are fine in frost and freezes. If they weren't decidous temperate zone trees would be extinct It is AFTER leaves have broken from the buds that trees in pots are vulnerable to frost and freezing. If the tree had only buds, it needed no protection from the frost.

Plastic sheeting, by the way is not the best way to protect a tree in leaf that's out in the cold. It will work in a pinch, but it tends to trap moisture in with the foliage. If the temperatures drop low enough, that's not a good thing, as it can freeze bad to use as a frost covering. Something that lets air exchange, like burlap or even a bed sheet is better.

Also you have to remove the covering as soon as possible when temps rise above freezing. Leaving plastic covering on a tree in the sun will cook it, if it's in the sun, even if the air temp seems relatively cool.

 

[MACH5]

Thanks rockm! Good to know these things. Yes plastic was removed first thing in the am although the tree is right now is a sheltered and shaded area. I guess my biggest worry was that this tree was just repotted and afraid of damage to the root system because of the hard freeze. Some buds had almost broken into leaf (not quite though) and another reason for concern. I'll be sure to use something like burlap next time for sure

 

[rockm]

"that this tree was just repotted and afraid of damage to the root system because of the hard freeze"

I was talking only about the unopened buds. If the tree had had root work done, pray it didn't freeze through the rootball last night. Freezing is not the best thing for newly cut roots. If it is as big as you say, it probably didn't. Bigger pots, like over a gallon or so, take a few hours to freeze completely in really cold weather. A bigger pot in a shallow freeze--above 25 or so for a night--- probably isn't going to freeze solid all the way through the soil.

Next time (and there probably will be a next time before April is over) bring the tree in...

 

[MACH5]

Gotcha! Yes tree is quite big so it may have not frozen completely as you mentioned. I wanted to bring the tree in but I was away for many days on business and my wife cannot pick it up by herself so this was a problem In any case I will have to think of something before the "next time" happens and I'm away

 

[rockm]

I hear you on the out of town thing. I used to travel on business every spring usually at the exact time for repotting and late frosts. It's a pain in the rear end. I brought trees in before leaving if there was a frost forecast, even if it was four days away. That complicated things a bit, but the trees weren't that much worse for the wear.

 

[MACH5]

Thanks rockm. Again is always good to hear other people's experiences and how they problem solve. This time was an issue for me since I usually travel for 3 or 4 days and then I'm back. I'm away for 7 days and I was afraid that if trees left inside my unheated garage with emerging leaves and for so many days would have been a problem. The light is weak in my garage at best. Had it been a shorter trip it would have been a non issue.

Or... I need to get a stronger WIFE!!