LittleDingus
Omono
Photosynthesis (well, the dark reaction anyway) is temperature dependent. Above ~95F some of the required enzymes denature and energy conversion basically stops. Below ~45F there reaction also slows to a crawl with very little energy converted.
Knowing this, I don't care about access to light at all for my colder tolerant evergreens. When the temps are below 40F I don't care if they are buried in snow, tucked away in a dark garage, whatever...they aren't converting energy.
But does anyone have any practical experience with species like cork oak or any of the other live oaks? Last year I stored them in the garage where they spent most of the winter somewhere between 35F and 55F. I did keep them in a grow tent with lights...but now I'm rethinking the lights. I'm actually rethinking it for my coast redwoods for the same reasons.
Is there a value to providing light to evergreens that are below 55F? Has anyone stored an evergreen in the garage or someplace where they are well above freezing but have no source of light? Note that some energy conversion can happen at 55F...but do dormant evergreens make use of it?
Last year, the lights did burn out the chlorophyll on one of my coast redwoods very early on. It sat brown all winter until the temps warmed enough to wake it up. Then it greened right up. It's browning already this year so I'm thinking it's genetic with that guy. I don't see how it does much with light during the winter. Unfortunately, the garage warms enough to wake the trees a few weeks before it is safe to move them outside, but that's a different problem
Here's how I have my garage set up this winter:
Nice and pink! The lights are hung to the side and angled to the wall to light up more of the trees and to keep them from shining in my eyes when I park!
There are 5 coastal redwoods and about 2 dozen live oak (suber and virginiana) on and under that shelf. The top 2 lights are pretty strong. I have 2 similar lights but half the output that I was thinking to set up for the bottom trees. But now I'm wondering if I should even bother with the top ones...
One the one hand, I trust the science On the other hand, I'm not sure what benefits light might provide beyond photosynthesis that would cause issues were I not to provide it? That's also a lot of trees to kill all at once
Probably I should just play it safe again and hang the other lights for the oaks. I could move a few sacrificial "volunteers" to a darker area of the garage to see what happens so I can plan better next year...
Well, internet, thanks for listening! I am curious if anyone has thoughts on the necessity of light below 55F for evergreens while the trees are dormant. I'd be especially interested in any practical experience people may have on storing species like cork oak in a dark room while dormant.
Knowing this, I don't care about access to light at all for my colder tolerant evergreens. When the temps are below 40F I don't care if they are buried in snow, tucked away in a dark garage, whatever...they aren't converting energy.
But does anyone have any practical experience with species like cork oak or any of the other live oaks? Last year I stored them in the garage where they spent most of the winter somewhere between 35F and 55F. I did keep them in a grow tent with lights...but now I'm rethinking the lights. I'm actually rethinking it for my coast redwoods for the same reasons.
Is there a value to providing light to evergreens that are below 55F? Has anyone stored an evergreen in the garage or someplace where they are well above freezing but have no source of light? Note that some energy conversion can happen at 55F...but do dormant evergreens make use of it?
Last year, the lights did burn out the chlorophyll on one of my coast redwoods very early on. It sat brown all winter until the temps warmed enough to wake it up. Then it greened right up. It's browning already this year so I'm thinking it's genetic with that guy. I don't see how it does much with light during the winter. Unfortunately, the garage warms enough to wake the trees a few weeks before it is safe to move them outside, but that's a different problem
Here's how I have my garage set up this winter:
Nice and pink! The lights are hung to the side and angled to the wall to light up more of the trees and to keep them from shining in my eyes when I park!
There are 5 coastal redwoods and about 2 dozen live oak (suber and virginiana) on and under that shelf. The top 2 lights are pretty strong. I have 2 similar lights but half the output that I was thinking to set up for the bottom trees. But now I'm wondering if I should even bother with the top ones...
One the one hand, I trust the science On the other hand, I'm not sure what benefits light might provide beyond photosynthesis that would cause issues were I not to provide it? That's also a lot of trees to kill all at once
Probably I should just play it safe again and hang the other lights for the oaks. I could move a few sacrificial "volunteers" to a darker area of the garage to see what happens so I can plan better next year...
Well, internet, thanks for listening! I am curious if anyone has thoughts on the necessity of light below 55F for evergreens while the trees are dormant. I'd be especially interested in any practical experience people may have on storing species like cork oak in a dark room while dormant.