Too soon?

[Carol 83]

I got a couple little crab apples from evergreengardenworks last spring. They've been hanging out in a detached, unheated garage for a few months. I checked them for water tonight, and noticed they are starting to push, what I assume are flower buds. It's cold here, and we have a good two more months of winter ahead. Should I be concerned? Will they need additional protection from the cold now? It's my first winter with these, so not sure if this is normal for January. I apologize for the blurry pictures.

 

[Carol 83]

@JudyB any thoughts? You know crabs and understand cold winters.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Do you have an alarm to alert you in warm winter days if a door needs open. It seems to have really started to move. I would think it would need protecting from hard freezing now. But let Judy pipe in.

 

[Carol 83]

Do you have an alarm to alert you in warm winter days if a door needs open. It seems to have really started to move. I would think it would need protecting from hard freezing now. But let Judy pipe in.

No, it's just a garage. We did have a fairly mild December. I'm a bit concerned.

 

[JudyB]

If they are flower buds then you may loose them (the flowers) when/if it gets frozen. If they are leaf buds, you may loose the tree when/if it gets frozen. I can't tell from the photos. I have always had protection, so can't speak to what may happen for you without it. If these are leaf buds that far along it may have lost most of it's cold hardiness. If you try to protect it then it will probably speed up and break dormancy and then suffer with lack of warmth and light during the next couple months. I don't know your situation, so don't know the best direction for you to go. I suppose if you have an indoor setup and they do break, you may have to deal with them inside this time.

 

[BackyardBonsai]

How cold is the garage? If you can keep above freezing, I would just leave it where it is. I don't think it will be a problem if the garage is kept above freezing. I have a radiator heater that I use when it get too cold outside. That help a bit and I believe is safe. Just a thought.

 

[Carol 83]

How cold is the garage? If you can keep above freezing, I would just leave it where it is. I don't think it will be a problem if the garage is kept above freezing. I have a radiator heater that I use when it get too cold outside. That help a bit and I believe is safe. Just a thought.

It was 35 degrees this morning. But the highs next week are in the teens. I may just move them to the attic. It's still pretty chilly, but it won't get to freezing or below. I did that with my beauty berry last year when we had a couple weeks of single digit weather, per Grimmy's suggestion.

 

[Carol 83]

I think these are flower buds. @Leo in N E Illinois any advice here? You know the weather here. I've had them in the garage in a Styrofoam cooler, as you suggested for my beauty berry last year.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I do believe you are right. Yep the move to the attic for a week or two, might be your best move. Don't forget, as soon as it warms back up towards freezing, put them back in the garage.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Once again proving that "protecting" trees instead of wintering outdoors almost always leads to difficulties when they bud out sooner than the weather would permit if stored outdoors in the sun. The leaves need to be introduced to bright sun carefully or the edges will fry.

 

[JudyB]

Once again proving that "protecting" trees instead of wintering outdoors almost always leads to difficulties when they bud out sooner than the weather would permit if stored outdoors in the sun. The leaves need to be introduced to bright sun carefully or the edges will fry.

But wintering outdoors also has it's drawbacks. Like mole's and voles, and snow and ice damage. You also can't work the trees like I'm able to do in a cold greenhouse situation. It just depends on how much you're willing to put into the correct kind of winter storage and if the trade off of your collection being safe from harm is worth it to you. Also you can keep species that are out of your zone, which for me is a big bonus.

 

[Forsoothe!]

But wintering outdoors also has it's drawbacks. Like mole's and voles, and snow and ice damage. You also can't work the trees like I'm able to do in a cold greenhouse situation. It just depends on how much you're willing to put into the correct kind of winter storage and if the trade off of your collection being safe from harm is worth it to you. Also you can keep species that are out of your zone, which for me is a big bonus.

Yes, a garage is a trade off on ice and snow and wind and mice and rabbits and other damage. And absolutely necessary for out-of-zone trees, but mice are clever and they can get into outbuildings, too. It IS, choose your poison. I work on tropicals all winter, but have had very bad luck working on trees from outside for unknown reasons. I don't do it anymore.

 

[JudyB]

Yes, a garage is a trade off on ice and snow and wind and mice and rabbits and other damage. And absolutely necessary for out-of-zone trees, but mice are clever and they can get into outbuildings, too. It IS, choose your poison. I work on tropicals all winter, but have had very bad luck working on trees from outside for unknown reasons. I don't do it anymore.

With a controlled environment you can work on trees all winter, but I agree not from outdoors. I keep my building between 32 and 42, and don't experience any problems with winter work. A garage isn't the best solution, as there is too much area to humidify (an important part of my setup) and too many places for rodents to hide. A dedicated build is the best way to go if you want to do it right. Not for everyone, but stating that outside is best option and disparaging protected options as "overprotection" is also one-sided. Doing appropriate lighting is also necessary for the early spring that you can achieve with this type of strategy.

Apologies to @Carol 83 for the sort of off topic...

 

[Forsoothe!]

With a controlled environment you can work on trees all winter, but I agree not from outdoors. I keep my building between 32 and 42, and don't experience any problems with winter work. A garage isn't the best solution, as there is too much area to humidify (an important part of my setup) and too many places for rodents to hide. A dedicated build is the best way to go if you want to do it right. Not for everyone, but stating that outside is best option and disparaging protected options as "overprotection" is also one-sided. Doing appropriate lighting is also necessary for the early spring that you can achieve with this type of strategy.

Apologies to @Carol 83 for the sort of off topic...

I agree with all of that. I quit working on outdoor trees in winter, in my garage making sure they weren't in there long enough to warm up, but suffered an inordinate amount of damage when spring came. I assumed I was doing something wrong. Since I didn't really know one way or the other, I thought I wise to just stop.

 

[Carol 83]

With a controlled environment you can work on trees all winter, but I agree not from outdoors. I keep my building between 32 and 42, and don't experience any problems with winter work. A garage isn't the best solution, as there is too much area to humidify (an important part of my setup) and too many places for rodents to hide. A dedicated build is the best way to go if you want to do it right. Not for everyone, but stating that outside is best option and disparaging protected options as "overprotection" is also one-sided. Doing appropriate lighting is also necessary for the early spring that you can achieve with this type of strategy.

Apologies to @Carol 83 for the sort of off topic...

No worries. I only have the 2 crabs and a beauty berry, so a greenhouse would be overkill. The beauty berry was fine in the garage last year. The crabs are small, so I wanted to provide limited protection, the garage gets plenty cold. They're in the attic now, since the highs will be in the teens this week.

 

[JudyB]

Yeah doing what works for you is the best. Hope you are staying warm, I know you're dreaming of summer....

 

[Carol 83]

Yeah doing what works for you is the best. Hope you are staying warm, I know you're dreaming of summer....

Trying to convince my husband to transfer to Florida. So far, no luck.

 

[Carol 83]

Last weekend it was in the 60's, tonight it's going to get down to 10 and the lows below freezing for most of the next week. So, keep them in the attic above freezing, but no light, or just give up and bring them in and under the lights. I don't want to lose the flowers.

 

[Carol 83]

I tried to keep them cold, but above freezing. Apparently, they just wanted to wake up. What I thought were flower buds, are actually leaf buds, but the flowers are starting now too. I gave up and moved them into the house and into my southern exposure with lights.

 

[Japonicus]

I tried to keep them cold, but above freezing. Apparently, they just wanted to wake up. What I thought were flower buds, are actually leaf buds, but the flowers are starting now too. I gave up and moved them into the house and into my southern exposure with lights.

Best of luck with this. I know we both got ours from Brent this year, but was checking mine this morning and no signs
of movement yet. I've kept mine outdoors out of any sunlight mulched well under my sun room.
Our Winter probably more mild than yours this year? but did have near 0º with that cold Arctic blast in January.
I was checking mine to consider re-potting prior to Spring movement per Bonsai Empire species care guide...

As to moles/voles, I 1st spread granular MoleMax on the ground in my "bonsai cave" then mulched well
around all my pots, then a second application on top of everything of the MoleMax.
I also used a granular lawn insecticide with the MoleMax stirred into the mulch. So far no damage this year
even with the loss of the outdoor cat that always left us mole trophies to step on just outside the entrance door.
Hope next year fairs better for weathering. Could be the difference in climates from recent years care to current Winter
that caused the early movement. Like it was predestined to occur having been raised in California.
I think next year or two may possibly change this in your favour, hoping anyway.