What to do?

TonysTrees

Seedling
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Ashland, Kentucky 41102
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"What is the best for the tree"?


Buy a boxwood in December from southern Florida and have it shipped to a nothern cold climate that has temps that can go to zero at times.
Do you put the tree outside as you do your other evergreen trees or do you put it in a heated greenhouse? How do these trees grow in a tropical climate with no "cold period'? How about crape myrtle, cotoneaster, azalea, privet, etc? I realize that they go dormant and do not grow, but they are not in a possible frozen state at times.

HELP??????
 

irene_b

Omono
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wait till spring to buy...
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
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What Irene said, also I believe many reputable nursery men will not ship if there is potential for problems shipping out of season so to speak.

Check with the dealer, he may sell it then ship when more appropriate, ask if they will postpone the payment till then too.

If you get it and stick it out now, chances are good to kill it, due to lack of building up the cold tolerance required to have it go dormant. Any newer growth will also be killed.

So I would say either drive and get it, wait, or wait.
 

cubbie

Yamadori
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my best advice to those who want bonsais is to first concentrate on species that are native to your area. if you want tropicals in a northern climate, you need to be prepared to keep them warm and cozy during the winter. Heck, even here in central florida i have my sensitive tropicals in a covered shelter with a heater for this next brrrrrrrr week.
 

R_F

Chumono
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Heck, even here in central florida i have my sensitive tropicals in a covered shelter with a heater for this next brrrrrrrr week.

Me too. I'm also in central FL. I've given up on all things tropical except buttonwood. It's too much of a hastle to bring them in every time the temps dip below 50 - 45 degrees. I can't even imagine the kind of hastle and expense it would be for people up north to keep tropicals. I know Jerry Meislik does it but from what I hear he has quite the indoor setup with lights and such.
 

djlen

Yamadori
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I would go along with Irene's reply as well. Also, if you are not 'set up' for tropicals it is best to stay with plants that are native to your area.
I live in a northern area where tropicals cannot exist outside during the winter and find it quite easy to keep them happy indoors with fluorescent lighting and drip trays/misting. This is time consuming but I enjoy it as a winter break when nothing is happening with my temperate trees outside.
You however are talking about a Boxwood which is an 'outdoor' plant and should not be imported up north during winter as it will not do well indoors and will not do well in the environment that northern exposure would give it at this time of year. It would experience shock when subjected to freezing temps. that it would be placed into at this time.
I would wait for Spring to bring one up and better yet purchase one locally that is conditioned to thrive in your area year 'round.
 
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