Weather difficuties. . .

bonsaiBlake

Chumono
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Every part of the country has it's own particular set of climatic "issues" if you will, that bonsai artists/owners must overcome. For me it's wind and sun. I combat this with a greenhouse and shade cloth. . . What element do you spend the most time protecting your trees from? And how do you keep your collection happy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WjgdUl8mWM
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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My "garden" is 4 3rd floor window sills.

Wind is my enemy.

Rocks are my allies.

Winter sucks.

Sorce
 
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118 degree heat and 3% humidity.

Blazing sun too.

"Morning Sun" is too much for anything but Palo Verde, Mesquite, and most cactus.
 

markyscott

Imperial Masterpiece
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January temperatures that swing from 80 degrees one day to 25 degrees the next.

Oh and eleventy billion percent humidity during the summer (March 3rd - December 20th, I think).

Scott
 

Eric Group

Masterpiece
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Every part of the country has it's own particular set of climatic "issues" if you will, that bonsai artists/owners must overcome. For me it's wind and sun. I combat this with a greenhouse and shade cloth. . . What element do you spend the most time protecting your trees from? And how do you keep your collection happy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WjgdUl8mWM

Heat and squirrels... Those little bastards. I haven't had any trouble lately- since I bought a BB gun and dished out a little lead poisoning. I know those bushy tailed rats aren't weather but they are so tam not hick around here it feels like it is raining squirrels sometimes.

Mostly it is heat and wind we battle in my area. Last winter we did have a bit of extreme cold and loads of snow, but that is uncommon!
 

QuintinBonsai

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Our dry Santa Ana winds can pose a problem. Rain is a rare occurrence, and sun is my worst enemy. Unfortunately, I have only an east facing balcony to work on my trees. The entire thing gets parched with sunshine from morning until about 4 in the afternoon. I wish I could come up with some kind of shade cloth rigging to shelter my trees. Anyone have any ideas?
 

ariasong

Seed
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Extreme cold. I cannot put my trees in a garage or shed, and cannot bury the pots in the ground due to lack of space or build any structures around them. Temperatures here can reach minus 25 Celsius(-13 Fahrenheit). When the temperature drops to 5 Celsius, I wrap all pots in bubble wrap, the top soil still exposed. As long as there is no snow the trees are covered in shade cloth for wind protection. When the snows come I throw as much snow over my trees as I can until they are completely buried. Even when the air temp is falling below -20 the temperature in my igloo doesn't fall below -10, and for the most part hovers around -5. There they can remain for 5 months undisturbed. Even when the snow melts everywhere else in the garden, the trees are still covered which is good because it protects them from the wind and early spring freeze-defrost cycle.
In the last 3 years I have lost only 1 tree doing this, although I suspect I might lose some this year as I've bought some trees that may not be so cold tolerant in a pot.
 

jeanluc83

Omono
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The weather is not too bad here. Winters have been unpredictable the last few years. Last winter was the coldest I've seen since I moved to CT. Even then I think it only got into single digits. I have an unheated garage to overwinter my trees. Everything is allowed to freeze but it dampens out the big temperature swings.

The main problem I come up against is the local deer population. They have decided that my trees are snacks. I don't have anything that is worth much at this point but in the next few years it could become a problem.
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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Our dry Santa Ana winds can pose a problem. Rain is a rare occurrence, and sun is my worst enemy. Unfortunately, I have only an east facing balcony to work on my trees. The entire thing gets parched with sunshine from morning until about 4 in the afternoon. I wish I could come up with some kind of shade cloth rigging to shelter my trees. Anyone have any ideas?


Pvc pipes tied to your current railing. To support cloth.

Or one of those big palms.

Sorce
 

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
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Here in N GA, the climate is almost perfect for growing most temperate species. The winters are cold enough but not frigid and last about 3 months. The summers are hot with a fair amount of humidity, but not horribly so- the typical summer time high is 88-90 F. The problem is that it's a perfect climate for disease and pestilence:mad:. Spider mites, lace bugs, borers, caterpillars, pine shoot moths, fungus for EVERY specie of tree I grow, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, deer, and more that I just can't recall right now...ugh.
 

Vance Wood

Lord Mugo
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Our dry Santa Ana winds can pose a problem. Rain is a rare occurrence, and sun is my worst enemy. Unfortunately, I have only an east facing balcony to work on my trees. The entire thing gets parched with sunshine from morning until about 4 in the afternoon. I wish I could come up with some kind of shade cloth rigging to shelter my trees. Anyone have any ideas?

You could build something like a pergola above your growing area and cover it with shade cloth or something like window screening which should diffuse the direct light and heat enough to give you what you want.
 

fourteener

Omono
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Long cold winters, humid cold spring which us great for gathered and recovering trees, but terrible for fungal issues that can overwhelm before the weather warms up and gets things moving.

I have a short growing season but it's okay as it matches my short attention span!
 

M. Frary

Bonsai Godzilla
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I'm in the same boat as the guys in Minnesota . Brutal cold and deer are the worst conditions here. 10 to 20 below zero for over a month straight last year and over 3 feet of snow. Like when I was a kid.
 

GrimLore

Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
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In the Winter here we need to store plants in a fashion that protects them from wind and light. On occasion shed doors need to be cracked open a bit to keep them cool but no big deal honest. Our Tropicals come inside and have their own room so overall the process just requires moving everything.

Grimmy
 

Vance Wood

Lord Mugo
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In the Winter here we need to store plants in a fashion that protects them from wind and light. On occasion shed doors need to be cracked open a bit to keep them cool but no big deal honest. Our Tropicals come inside and have their own room so overall the process just requires moving everything.

Grimmy

I agree; usually this is more than enough for most temperate tree even here in Michigan. I stopped growing trees that are so sensitive that they need special attention to keep them alive. If it can't grow it here without jumping through hoops I don't mess with it. I don't care much for sheds and the like. These facilities require that you inspect those trees in that location at least twice a week to make sure they do not need water. When you have the trees outdoors and it snows you seldom need to water if ever.
 

sdavis

Mame
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spring frosts

Here in the high desert of central Oregon the biggest challenge seems to be the mid-June killing frosts that can knock out maples, larches, crabs, etc that have pretty much leafed out and are very tender.
 

symbiotic1

Mame
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Our dry Santa Ana winds can pose a problem. Rain is a rare occurrence, and sun is my worst enemy. Unfortunately, I have only an east facing balcony to work on my trees. The entire thing gets parched with sunshine from morning until about 4 in the afternoon. I wish I could come up with some kind of shade cloth rigging to shelter my trees. Anyone have any ideas?

I too am worried about the Santa Ana winds. Being in northern LA county the Santa Anas can gust above 40mph regularly and occasionally reach hurricane force (it has blown heavy ceramic roof tiles and gutters off our roof more than once). Anyone who has any tips on how to protect/brace your bonsai while outdoors in these winter conditions it would be greatly appreciated!
 
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