Wintering a Serissa...maybe overkill

[Cadillactaste]

Wintering the subtropical...(((sigh))) wish it was able to winter as my bougainvillea, but sadly it can't. So...regrouping...I have a John Deere garage attached to my home. (Small garage one can drive a riding mower into) So it has two interior walls...it's the coolest room area in my home. With the desktop grow light that was given to me with the tree...I feel I don't need a window.

My biggest fear...draft from when the garage door needs opened. That -20F arctic air rushing in and hitting the tree. So, I have intentions of purchasing this. Leaving it unzipped but offering coverage from blasts of drafts when garage door is open for brief times during the winter months.

It's actually a humidity greenhouse...but, I'm thinking your to add water to an area...I won't be using as it was meant to be. But, to just keep drafts at bay. Figured the cord for the desktop grow light can slip under the clear tent...plenty of height for it to be inside and not touch the plastic of the tent that covers this setup.

Overkill? Maybe...but -20F drafts would be horrible shock on a tree. Hoping this is a buffer...

 

[Cadillactaste]

Found a clip on aquarium fan to attach inside for circulation...

 

[Anthony]

Darlene,

Serissa is rated in the ground for zone 7, in the pot probably zone 8.
Perhaps a few cuttings [ too late now , but next year ] as test subjects for various areas in your house or garage?
Good Luck.

Good Day
Anthony

 

[Cadillactaste]

Darlene,

Serissa is rated in the ground for zone 7, in the pot probably zone 8.
Perhaps a few cuttings [ too late now , but next year ] as test subjects for various areas in your house or garage?
Good Luck.

Good Day
Anthony

Anthony...I had no intentions of struggling to winter sub tropicals. Trust me, if this tree doesn't make it...I won't be attempting any more. I would prefer native trees. Stacking my deck in my favor so to speak.

This tree is a friend's late brother in laws tree whom was into bonsai.When he passed, she passed it to me. Thus, now I'm trying to find something to give it a fighting chance. But, yeah...if I lose it...I'm not going to try subtropicals again.

Appreciate your advice...but, I just would prefer trees I know I have a better chance of wintering.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Cheaper...larger...but, if humidity was an issue. The other has that built in feature to help with humidity. (Actually that is false...called the store. That is for water wick feeding to seedlings. Not really for humidity purposes.)

If I have success with wintering the subtropical...then it would open the door for possible other ones. Where the larger one would come in handy. But...do I want to go down that path...



Edit: Sorry...jumped the gun. Took measurements...forgot how large the safe was that takes up much room agasint the one wall. With the man door swinging into the garage. I only have room for the first one shared. I can add a light to it later if I opt to (you can buy one with a light...but if the Serissa dies...no sense in waiting additional $$$ when I have that desktop grow light that it came with)

So going to make the purchase...fingers crossed it makes it through winter. But, not holding my breath. Going to give it a fighting chance...and hope for the best. If it makes it...I will then add the light for this greenhouse and consider another subtropical since I would have room in the small greenhouse for such a tree.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Having many telling me I'm doing overkill. That it could easily be wintered in with my tropicals. Which the room is around mid 60's-low 70. I thought they needed 50-60F for dormancy...

 

[Cadillactaste]

A member of a FB group suggested a small greenhouse. Picked this one up far cheaper than the one I had originally looked for. Fits as well. The local Drugmart had one for the longest time marked NFS. Yesterday...I noticed the price tag. Much larger than the original one I had planned...but, if I have success with wintering and that draft not bothering them. Well then, it opens the opportunity of possibly adding more.

This winter I will only set a desk top grow light on the shelf. BUT...if it survives the winter. Then I will look into adding a light to the top of the greenhouse. And look into maybe acquiring a few more trees. Fortunate for me...the outlet our freezer is plugged into. Is also wired into the generator if we lose power.

At this time, I'm just focusing on keeping the draft off the Serissa when that door is open come winter.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Decided to use the outlet our freezer is plugged into for the greenhouse. So I moved the greenhouse to another location in the John Deere garage. One that is wired into the generator so I don't lose my power to the grow light and small fan for the tree. Until cooler weather I will keep the zippered access door open. But, with the hard freeze moving in...I decided to put this tree in its permanent location for winter. (Had been in the cold greenhouse since night temps and many days to cool for it) But I needed to move my native trees indoors with us not really have and good frosts preparing the trees. So I couldn't very well bump the temps up in the cold greenhouse and confuse the trees settling into dormancy. So...here we go...I've done all I can to help this tree through our winters. Would love to see it green come spring. Only time will tell...but I know I feel I offered it better protection/set up than I did my Rosemary. (Which I lost from putting it in the cold greenhouse during a warm spell in winter...to only forget when temps dropped and lost it out there) With the desktop grow light that came with the tree...gave me the opportunity to stick it out in that garage. (Section of our basement that is always cool but doesn't freeze which has no lights) Wish I had thought of this sort of set up for my Rosemary back then...but, we can only learn from those lessons. And not make the same mistakes twice.

 

[Cadillactaste]

 

[Txhorticulture]

I like the setup in your first pic. Years ago I did some summer grafting of japanese maple cultivars. Didn't have high success rate that would have been perfect. Would also give good for cuttings. Add an air pump and a nebulizer disk into water tray you have a little fog cloner set up

 

[Cadillactaste]

I like the setup in your first pic. Years ago I did some summer grafting of japanese maple cultivars. Didn't have high success rate that would have been perfect. Would also give good for cuttings. Add an air pump and a nebulizer disk into water tray you have a little fog cloner set up

Thing was...this would have needed a stand to sit on. Wasn't as cost effective if I do lose the tree. I'm not out much if it dies...if it thrives, then room to expand if I so choose to go that route. Though...I do find native trees more to my mind's eye as stacking the deck in my favor of success.

When I called the website about the one you liked...she mentioned wick watering for seedlings was how this was intended.

But, I plan on giving my friend's late brother in law's tree a running chance at survival. Time will tell...

 

[GrimLore]

Going to give it a fighting chance...and hope for the best.

Just bring it inside as I do... Not next to but near any sunny window with a humidity tray would do fine

Grimmy

 

[Cadillactaste]

Just bring it inside as I do... Not next to but near any sunny window with a humidity tray would do fine

Grimmy

The only cool place in the house has no windows...it's the reason I killed the Rosemary. (Had it in a cooler room with window but warmer than John Deere garage that is part of our basement.) Because temps warmed and I stuck it out in the cold greenhouse and forgot it. Then dropped and killed it. Thus...this is what I came up with...for what I can offer.

 

[GrimLore]

The only cool place in the house has no windows...

I don't understand the need to drop sub tropicals to the 50's. All of our tropical and sub tropicals stay lighted 16 hours, 72-73F, and 60 percent humidity all Winter and a few have been around as many as 16 - 18 years.

Grimmy

 

[Cadillactaste]

I don't understand the need to drop sub tropicals to the 50's. All of out tropical and sub tropicals stay lighted 16 hours, 72-73F, and 60 percent humidity all Winter and a few have been around as many as 16 - 18 years.

Grimmy

I don't know Grimmy...just know that it was stressed when I purchased the Rosemary. To keep it cooler come winter but not freezing. In my mind's eye...a subtropical verses tropical has to have a slight difference or they would not be in different classifications. All I can think is...that your in some sort of microclimate that allows you to do as you do. Because all my books and reading claims otherwise. So you break the mold and are fortunate. (Curious if it's the species of subtropical also that allows a bit more leeway.)

 

[JudyB]

I'm with Grim on this one, don't get why it can't just be inside all winter with proper lighting and heat. Serrisa does well in Fla and tropical places south, so why the cool half dormancy idea? I would perhaps question that as a necessity.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Interesting...very interesting. Though I purchased that small greenhouse for the John Deere room in the basement already. Maybe when we get arctic temps I'll pull it to the tropical area then. But since I purchased the greenhouse it might be hard to explain not using it. It will depend on temps and what the thermometer reads what I end up doing.