Winter Lighting

Which Light is Better?

  • Bonsaiboy's Garden Desktop Grow Light

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ChunkPa772

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Hey everyone this is my first post to this form and I am very new to bonsai and I have a question about lighting during the winter.

I received a 6 year old juniper procumbens nana for a early Christmas gift, I know that i need to put it in dormancy for the season ASAP and I am going to put it in the garage. During the winter its anywhere between 25 to 60 degrees in there the only problem is there is almost no light in there. I have found 2 lights that I think would be good and I would like to know your feedback on them.

Hydrofarm JSV2 2-Foot Jump Start T5 Grow Light System;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006856E...lid=3HWUKQ5833NLA&coliid=I26OI56W8ATNNK&psc=1

Bonsaiboy's Garden Desktop Grow Light;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002C6F38...TF8&colid=3HWUKQ5833NLA&coliid=I25IBWQ2Y5XRP9

Your feedback on these lights and any other winterization tips would be greatly appreciated.
 

Keith m

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I don't give any of my trees any light through there dormancy. I have never had any problems with them.
 

A. Gorilla

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If you received it during dormancy, it doesn't need light.

If this was plucked out of a warm and lighted greenhouse in which it never actually went dormant, I'm not entirely sure you can just induce a meaningful dormancy at this time of year. That's a transition which is more complicated than just suddenly putting it somewhere cold.
 

ChunkPa772

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If you received it during dormancy, it doesn't need light.

If this was plucked out of a warm and lighted greenhouse in which it never actually went dormant, I'm not entirely sure you can just induce a meaningful dormancy at this time of year. That's a transition which is more complicated than just suddenly putting it somewhere cold.

It was bought from Longwood Gardens, and it was in a greenhouse. So what should I do then? Its currently in a window where the temperature only gets to the high 60's, low 70's. Will it die if I try to put it in dormancy?
 

A. Gorilla

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It was bought from Longwood Gardens, and it was in a greenhouse. So what should I do then? Its currently in a window where the temperature only gets to the high 60's, low 70's. Will it die if I try to put it in dormancy?

I would personally take it back to the place and see if they can board the tree under the conditions it came from til the spring. Then let it naturally transition into dormancy next fall. I don't think one can firmly tell you what will necessarily kill it at this point. That said, I think the risk of death from an abrupt freeze is greater than letting it skip a dormant period.

But I would also defer to someone with a lot more juniper experience than I.
 
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JudyB

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Well that's a tough one. If you are going to try to make it go dormant, you won't need a light. But if it has not prepared for dormancy, sudden freezing temps may kill it. Can you reach out to the vendor, and ask them what they would suggest? They know how it's been treated and can help you better than we can not knowing if it's prepared to be in freezing weather.
 

ChunkPa772

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I don't think it'll freeze in the garage, I'll bury the pot in another pot to help protect the roots. Would this possibly help?
 

A. Gorilla

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>>I don't think it'll freeze in the garage, I'll bury the pot in another pot to help protect the roots. Would this possibly help?

The broader point is that plants go through hormonal cycles over the course of a whole season. Winter dormancy prepares it for spring. Spring conditions prepare it for summer. Summer conditions prepare it for fall. Fall conditions prepare it for winter. If it's been in perpetual summer for who-knows-how-long, I don't think now would be the time to "make it" go dormant.

If the tree is important to you, try to board it where it came from.

If it's not so important, give it good light on a window sill, and hit the reset button in spring for outdoor conditions.

Unless someone else has something clever to add, I'm thinking you should continue it's "summer" life the best you can in greenhouse like conditions.
 

rockm

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Keep it inside for this winter in a bright place. No need to return it to a greenhouse. It can limp along inside for a couple of months (and it WILL limp. This is basically basic life support inside. Growth will be weird and watering should be monitored carefully. Come late March, get the tree outside and leave it there.

Also, Windowsills can be VERY BAD places for plants in all seasons, drafts can cause problems, and in some instances, you can inadvertently cook the plant on a very sunny day. Find a place a few feet away from a strong light source, like a window, or ideally a skylight. It needs light if it is above freezing. It will die if put in a dark garage that stays above freezing.

Junipers can withstand pretty low temperatures IF THEY ARE ACCLIMATED OVER THE GROWING SEASON. Their roots can, and often do, freeze solid in single digit or subzero temps in nature. Same holds true in a container, but the plant has to be prepared for that. Autumn is an important time for trees, as the shortening daylengths prod them to produce food and store it in their roots. They also prepare themselves for the cold. The process takes months. Plunking a greenhouse plant out in sub freezing temps will likely kill it, or parts of it.
 

Paradox

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What rockm said. Dormant trees do not need light.

The only winter lights I use are for my tropicals that I keep in my basement over the winter.

NEITHER of those lights is very good. If you ever do need a light for a tropical, get a flourescent light fixture from Home Depot with some T5 full daylight bulbs.
My brazilian rain trees are under 6 4 foot 32 watt t8 daylights and they do fine.

June 2015_small.jpg
 
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sorce

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Welcome to Crazy!

Hey....no need to buy a light only means one thing!

$ for more trees!

So what are you going to get?

Sorce
 

miker

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It was bought from Longwood Gardens, and it was in a greenhouse. So what should I do then? Its currently in a window where the temperature only gets to the high 60's, low 70's. Will it die if I try to put it in dormancy?
Longwood Gardens has some GREAT indoor and outdoor (depending on the season) plants and some trees for sale. I guess it was greenhouse grown because it would have to spend an undetermined length of time in the gift shop(no plants in the outdoor sales area this time of year I noticed)?

Keep it as cool as possible but above freezing, then depending on your location, maybe put it out from March forward to give it some opportunity to accumulate some chill hours before the coming growing season. If in zone 7 or warmer, I might just put it out now.
 
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