Winter Preparation-What Do You Do

[ghues]

@Wilson .........Grouping together seems to be a popular technique.......we've seen mild wet weather over the last month but going for worst case winter scenario (anytime btwn now and Mar) takes most of the risk out of the equation....seeing as though this is only the second winter for the "Bonsai Pit", I'm using the most common techniques for overwintering.... a couple photos of my trees (some late summer yamadori and in training) grouped together beside and under the main display bench.
G

 

[aml1014]

Deciduous trees that are less hardy or in a bonsai pot are tucked into my tree house.
Conifers get moved from the full sun bench to the half day sun bench next to the tree house for wind protection.
Everything else will be grouped together on the ground next to the wall by the conifers. If we are looking at Temps in the single digits I'll mulch them, otherwise they enjoy the cold.

Aaron

 

[ghues]

Deciduous trees that are less hardy or in a bonsai pot are tucked into my tree house.View attachment 123318
Conifers get moved from the full sun bench to the half day sun bench next to the tree house for wind protection.View attachment 123319
Everything else will be grouped together on the ground next to the wall by the conifers. If we are looking at Temps in the single digits I'll mulch them, otherwise they enjoy the cold.

Aaron

Just updated myself with your climate....seems like you will get periods of cold and periodic snow? Are those Aspen on either side of your second photo?
G.

 

[aml1014]

Just updated myself with your climate....seems like you will get periods of cold and periodic snow? Are those Aspen on either side of your second photo?
G.

We get cooled pretty much every night in winter (between 14°f and 30°f) but it normally will get pretty warm during the day (40°f to 60°f), so if it does snow it doesn't hang around for more then a couple days.
Those are Rio grande cottonwoods, native to my area.

Aaron

 

[parhamr]

This is a sneak peak at progress on getting my pots up off the ground. When weather and my schedule permit I will have some fancy photos of the new bench.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Most of the deciduous trees i removed leaves, did rough styling where needed and placed in greenhouse. Trees with more work needed are placed aside for working later. Conifers stay out a bit longer except for the ones i want to keep dry-ish. Greenhouse stays open until it starts freezing again.

 

[sorce]

trees

Holy monstrosity....

What is 0914?

Beast!

Sorce

 

[parhamr]

Tada! Pots off the ground.



This is redcedar lumber. I think I've figured out how to prevent warping by aligning the grain in specific ways. I'm intending to let this age and season without any treatments.

 

[GrimLore]

This is redcedar lumber.

Excellent work and choice of material, thank you for sharing I have been using reclaimed lumber from 200 plus year old buildings here and the cedar is by far the best. I also found some hand collected and milled very old ash but only enough for a unique potting/work table complete with ash borer trails. Cedar will require far less maintenance but the ash was a special find knowing the exact history of it.

Grimmy

 

[aml1014]

Just crammed most of the trees in nursery pots (1-15 gallon size) together. I still have other deciduous on the benchs but they are so hey they stay there.
Aaron

 

[Wilson]

Oh S**T!! It's here! At least my lady is good, and takes photos before she does snow removal.

 

[mattspinniken]

I keep my slightly less hardy trees like Shimpaku in this deep window well. All tucked away.

 

[petegreg]

S**TView attachment 123704

S**T =Some two snow flake Time? We're awaiting it next week. All preps done.

 

[miker]

Happy Thanksgiving all. Nothing needed to be placed in winter storage, or protected in any way yet(will include detailed photos when the time comes). I think we did get in the low 20s at my house yesterday morning. Temperatures for the next 10 days look chilly, but nothing below 27F in the forecast, so I see no reason to protect yet. I wouldn't be surprised if there is no need until the second week of December. Places further south might actually be riskier. I remember being in Atlanta in late Nov 2006 and the Japanese maple leaves were all fried from lows in the teens. A steady progressive chilling before true winter sets in seems like it is better for temperate bonsai than 55F-70F days, nights in the 40s, then a night or two in the 18-22F range.

 

[M. Frary]

I keep my slightly less hardy trees like Shimpaku in this deep window well. All tucked away.

Really? All my shimpaku junipers stay out with everything else. This year it's in this. I put Molemax all around 2 weeks prior to assembling this box. The steel sheets are buried aboutilier 10 inches deep.
Every crack and crevice has been packed with steel wool.
I also watered the ground all around the base of the sheets so it will freeze solid.
We'll see how this works come spring.

 

[mattspinniken]

I bet that will work Mike. Maybe try some mouse poison just outside your area. I am using 1 1/4" PVC and filling the top with bait. It's what all the orchards and a lot of landscapers use around here to prevent girdling.

 

[M. Frary]

I bet that will work Mike

If it doesn't I'm setting the whole swamp where the voles are coming from on fire next year. Take their habitat away.

 

[sorce]

Sorce

 

[wireme]

Real winter cold is more or less here now -20s C.
I think the little forest is cozy enough.

 

[Giga]

It's easy for me, I have a cold storage house. I recommend them to anyone, even with zone hardy trees. No critters, no digging or mulching...

n/m found the thread