Where art thou spring!

[Beng]

I've been reading the weather pattern over the northeast of the US is going to continue bringing in winter weather for another 3 weeks or so. I wish spring would get here. From a weather blog I read.

The Atlantic Oscillation (AO) has gone strongly negative, and with high pressure in place near Greenland, we have a classic "blocking pattern" across the eastern United States. That means the jet stream has a big kink, allowing very cold air from Canada and points north to race southward, into the eastern United States.

At the same time, any storm system that glides from the Pacific into the continental United States will encounter this cold air, and we face the possibility of wintry weather -- even though the calendar says "spring."

......

And there doesn't seem to be any sign of a temperature recovery to average levels (middle and upper 60s) next week -- at least, not for anything more than one day at a time. The trend seems to be for below-average temperatures through Easter, and for that matter, through the first week of April.

Read more here: http://obsweatherguy.blogspot.com/#storylink=cpy​

I'd say about 1/4 of my trees have leafed out safely in my cold house, and most of the repottings now done, but it's just so cramped in there during the winter... Can't wait to get things out onto my benches! Would love to see some spring pictures from those of you in warmer climates.

 

[Nybonsai12]

I know what you mean. This is brutal. My trees have been in mulched in the ground behind a burlap wall for protection and fortunately they haven't showed any signs of any type of breaking dormancy yet. I pulled out an atlas cedar and a juniper so I could get a good look at them and plan to repot soon. Guess not. Should have just left them alone but I think they will be ok.

What is your cold house like? Per fab or did you make it?

 

[Beng]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/2...y-phil-over-early-spring-forecast-seek-death/

 

[Beng]

My greenhouse is made by Rion its the 8.6 by 8.6 ft model which can be extended up to about 13 feet with an attachment. Haven't done that yet, don't think I will.

I have a small propane powered heater that I put on when temps are forecast to fall below 25 and a solar powered exhaust fan which comes on around 60 can't remember who I bought it from or the brand name. Has 2 large windows one is controlled by an auto opener I think it's filled with some kind of temp expanding wax when temps go above 45 or so it opens, and a louvre window also controlled by another auto opener.

It maintains its temp from stored heat most nights but I find if temps are going to go below 25 I need to put the popane heater on to keep the internal temp above freezing. Temps can fall down to 30 outside and it can usually maintain 40 or above.

My trees never fall below freezing this way and because of where its positioned in my yard and when the sun starts to warm it I'm able to get about a one month jump on repotting. Really useful, but I'd rather be enjoying them out in the open. I keep a shade cloth over it this time of year as well so that the sun doesn't heat it too much.

 

[october]

Hi Beng.. If the repots you did involved root pruning, especially heavy root pruning, you definitely need to get those temps up..Not like 30-35 degrees F,, but Spring temps in the 50s plus. One thing you do not want to do it root prune and repot and then put the trees in the freezing cold. It can spell disaster.

Rob

 

[Poink88]

Would love to see some spring pictures from those of you in warmer climates.

I'll snap a few this weekend for you

 

[coh]

Would love to see some spring pictures from those of you in warmer climates.

Could be worse! This morning...

 

[fourteener]

Here's my backyard. It was 11 degrees this morning. I'm two months away from much activity.

 

[wireme]

That's about how my yard looks now too, we may have to wait longer but it's nice to know the trees are cozy in their snow blankets for now. I'm working in northern Alberta right now minus 28 Celsius a couple mornings ago...

 

[berobinson82]

View attachment 32896

Here's my backyard. It was 11 degrees this morning. I'm two months away from much activity.

Blessings counted.

 

[Beng]

Hi Beng.. If the repots you did involved root pruning, especially heavy root pruning, you definitely need to get those temps up..Not like 30-35 degrees F,, but Spring temps in the 50s plus. One thing you do not want to do it root prune and repot and then put the trees in the freezing cold. It can spell disaster.

Rob

You're absolutely right, 32-35 would be too low right now. Perhaps i didn't explain it well, that is the coldest temps my trees see all year. Winters here can be volitile freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw and it's better to keep them just above freezing but dormant. 32-35 are the temps they see in december/january. Been repotting like this for many many years, although this greenhouse is a new one I've used a similar setup since about 2001. I keep them 40 or above once repottings begun, although 50 would be optimal i'd go through way too much propane that way.

 

[Beng]

View attachment 32896

Here's my backyard. It was 11 degrees this morning. I'm two months away from much activity.

Wow awesome, that's a real winter! Snow never stays here too much ground heat from the city.

 

[milehigh_7]

Would love to see some spring pictures from those of you in warmer climates.

Ask and ye shall receive... My little sumo Q. Virgianania almost ready for more wire or at least a hair cut.





Oh BTW it is 2:03AM and 56F out...

 

[Beng]

Ask and ye shall receive... My little sumo Q. Virgianania almost ready for more wire or at least a hair cut.


View attachment 32916 View attachment 32917 View attachment 32918 View attachment 32919


Oh BTW it is 2:03AM and 56F out...

Nice, love how the leaves come out as 2 colored. I went to las vegas once in the summer and thought i was going to pass out, I think it was 111 that day. Never felt heat like that before! Do you have to use more organic in your soil mix there due to the dry hot weather?

 

[daygan]

Maybe not much warmer (zone 7) and averaging mid-40's (highs) lately, but here are some blossoms that speak of spring's closeness:

 

[Poink88]

Beng...some pics taken today for you.

Montezuma Cypress w/ all new leaves
View attachment 32965

A Cedar Elm
View attachment 32966

Korean Hornbeam
View attachment 32967

A small Trident Maple
View attachment 32968

Pomegranate
View attachment 32969

 

[Beng]

Looking good Dario did you collect all those, how do you go about finding your collected material? Craigslist? Are those Cherries or plums Daygen, either way thats one of my favorite sights during spring. Here's a pic I took from Mt Yoshino in japan, cherry blossoms from one mountain to the other. View attachment 32992

 

[Poink88]

Looking good Dario did you collect all those, how do you go about finding your collected material? Craigslist? View attachment 32992

More than half my plants are collected and yes most are found through Craigslist. A few are picked up from sidewalks but mortality on those are really high (most that you see on my bone pile).

Thanks!

 

[daygan]

Are those Cherries or plums Daygen, either way thats one of my favorite sights during spring. Here's a pic I took from Mt Yoshino in japan, cherry blossoms from one mountain to the other. View attachment 32992

You're in the neighborhood.. but not exactly. If I'm not mistaken, they're Prunus davidiana, a species in the peach subgenus, and I've just recently discovered that they're used fairly often in landscaping here in Tianjin (though not nearly as much as I would like). That's a great photo of cherry blossoms. I wish I could see displays of blossoms like that around here