Snow Thread!

[sorce]

No Brian. No!

I wish I were in Alabama!

Do you like this weather?
F snow!

Break ain't bad!

Sorce

 

[Paradox]

If you're North of Ga. and Ala., don't take overwintering advice from Southerners ;-). The sustained cold we've had here in Va. and north in the last few weeks is VERY dangerous for unprotected bonsai. South of here, cold temps don't last very long and things warm up to some extent in the day. With sustained temps below freezing we've had for the lasts month, especially temps below 25, you have EXTREME danger for trees not protected by DEEP mulch, a garage, or a cold greenhouse.

This.
Cadellac, Alabama and Georgia is VERY different from northern Ohio just as all 3 are very different from where I am. Hell it can even differ within a state, Im on Long Island and it is very different from Buffalo, NY.

It can also be different from one year to another.

Throw in the fact that it aslo differs between species, and even between trees (how much they were worked on, how old/big they are, what stage of bonsai development etc).

There are lots of factors and things to consider. The only way to learn and get comfortable with it is to winter some trees for a few years. Youre going to lose trees to winter, we all do.

 

[coh]

Placing the pots on the ground will keep them from getting too cold, because the ground really doesn't get much colder then 32 F, even up north.

Please be careful about this one. It's certainly true that the ground cools at a much slower rate than the air, but if you have one of those snow-less but cold winters, the surface layer of earth will eventually get pretty cold and won't offer much protection if the air temp gets way down there. In the southern areas where the ground doesn't freeze, it will offer some protection.

Best situation is trees on ground under thick snow. As long as you don't have a large vole population, that is.

Good luck to all, hard to believe we've had to deal with this two years in a row.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

If you're North of Ga. and Ala., don't take overwintering advice from Southerners ;-). ... I won't know until spring if I've lost a lot of stuff.

Well...it would be absurd if I was actually offering advice to overwinter in Ohio the same as I do here...but if I was offering advice and still potentially losing a "lot of stuff" in the winter...?
How about we get back to some snow Pix?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Well...it would be absurd if I was actually offering advice to overwinter in Ohio the same as I do here...but if I was offering advice and still potentially losing a "lot of stuff" in the winter...?
How about we get back to some snow Pix?

Sorry...was just curious...back in January my cold greenhouse went to 17F for a few hours...reading your post made me feel less stressed is all. I would never contemplate putting my trees out as you southerners do. Sorry I got this thread down a rabbit hole. But...wanted to make sure I was understanding. Please...more snow covered trees please.

 

[Dav4]

Right, I was merely trying to explain that every tree exposed to 15 F for a few minutes isn't going to explode or keel over...just explaining how I do things here, since Darlene asked. I, for one, have kept potted trees in both northern and southern climates, and I would NEVER tell someone in Ohio to just put the pots on the ground and forget about them.

 

[coh]

I don't have any pics of snow covered bonsai because all my trees are in shelters. Even if they were outside, there wouldn't be much to see (2' snow depth would completely cover most of them). So please post those pics if you have them!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Chilly camilly

 

[JudyB]

Not bonsai, all my outdoor storage trees are wrapped from the wind, and buried in snow. The majority are in my cold storage house, thank goodness for that thing. But some pictures from the farm... and aussies trying to kill each other, just for fun!

 

[jk_lewis]

I expect I've lost a bit -- for second year in a row. We went into the single digits for a couple of days last week. Frozen solid for 10 days. I'd move some inside -- some quince that were blooming, a couple of small juniper I'd just repotted, a pear that was leafing out, some maple pre-bonsai, and a wisteria. But dozens stayed outside. These days, I'm just not able to make that many trips outside and carry trees back in.

 

[evmibo]

Not bonsai, all my outdoor storage trees are wrapped from the wind, and buried in snow. The majority are in my cold storage house, thank goodness for that thing. But some pictures from the farm... and aussies trying to kill each other, just for fun!

No snow to report, but I also have two Aussies. These are my first Aussies and I will always have Aussies from here on out. They took a break from wrestling for the photo...
(Sorry to clutter the thread with dog pics, oh well):

 

[rockm]

"...but if I was offering advice and still potentially losing a "lot of stuff" in the winter...?"

Nice. Guess I'll have to triple up on the ;-) next time. No wonder I don't post here anymore.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nice. Guess I'll have to triple up on the ;-) next time. No wonder I don't post here anymore.

You could always post a photo of your tree in the snow.

 

[Maros]

Snow is gone by now in our area and cant wait for spring.

 

[rockm]

"You could always post a photo of your tree in the snow."

I ain't going out there.;-)

 

[FrankP999]

Mine stay out all year too. If it gets down to around 20, I may move trees in nice pots to the garage to prevent cracking.
Below 15 and I'll bring in trees I've wired in the fall.
White pines, red pines, spruce, junipers, and natives will not get protection.

Brian,
Do you leave your Japanese maples out all year also?

Thanks

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Brian,
Do you leave your Japanese maples out all year also?

Thanks

Yep...everything except an inherited nerifolia get to brave it outside.

 

[Giga]

Crazy amount of snow in my area

 

[Smoke]

I only have one wife, and she's here safe...

CHICKEN!!!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

CHICKEN!!!

No chickens. Keep trying, but I must be planting the eggs too deep...