Every cold-hardy tree goes in Thanksgiving weekend. October isn't what it used to be! It does see some cold and some light frost. I got this tree your discussing at Bonsai West four years or so ago, has to kick the can to get it out of the ice in the ratty hoop-house where he kept them at the time!!
So it was already pretty acclimated to the cold!!!
As far as winter protection? Ummmmmm, I have a porch?!?!
The openings are covered with a couple layers of 8mm poly......and that's it.
Winter doesn't seem to affect it too much in there, it seems to offer a gradual course into freeze mode.
I imagine that doesn't qualify as "significant"?
Still alive, though! Even looks kinda' healthy, I must say.....
This approach has killed more than a few Chinese Elms, Tridents and Chinese Quince, though, as I've discovered!
Sixty degrees in Feb. followed by long cold snaps in March and April can reek havoc, as your well aware in this locale...what happened to spring?
I accounted for the extra time the storage provides me based on a 4-8 week period of bud, elongating needles, begin to harden. Figure the storage gives me roughly a month of "hardening off" before it's "windshield scraper" time. What I consider a dangerous frost level. Close to the "100 days" nonsense.
The Japanese had to have a bug infestation teach them how to work a JBP. And in the grand timeline of Bonsai, they just figured this out last week, figuratively. That reeks of dogma....and I don't appreciate dogma. On the other hand, I'm not doing stuff like this with no forethought. I think I'm using common horticultural sense and a sensitive approach. And certainly NOT trying to re-invent the wheel or questioning anyone else's technique, arguing, telling people, "do this". I tell people that might be watching, "don't do this".
And to expand on that, this is an approach that I don't plan on repeating on either tree, necessarily. The last one shown is a "practice tree". Upon which I've heaped MUCH abuse...so I observed it's response to each varied insult and recorded the aftermath.
. It was always my plan to cut spring candles on the two trunk, going forward. I didn't think the tree was ready until now. Although, in hindsight, it could/should have been done last year. But I didn't think I could grow it so strong!! De-candling is more of a refinement technique, I supposed. Didn't think it was ready for such yet.
Oh, one more thing.....I didn't really want to comment on it, but it has been bugging me a bit. If you want to attach something like "yadda, yadda, yadda" to my thoughts
@Adair M , well, I take that a bit personally. At least as much as "internet sadness" affects me.
. I've always been respectful and appreciative of your wonderful contributions here, but I find your comments to border on the "elitist". I'm just a guy that has never grown anything in a container. And I don't think I've really started doing "Bonsai" proper. I'm not "claiming" anything. I'm no Dario!!
When I got these, I had but three or four years of "experience" container growing, ZERO knowledge of JBP, (or any conifer, for that matter!). So I'm pleased/surprised that they are healthy and while perhaps not advancing quickly, they are not declining/dead.
. The entire process has given me a bit of a spiritual uplift, I have to say. And deepening my appreciation of the medium and Nature in general. So I have to say your characterization of me is a bit disappointing, to say the least. I certainly realize that I might come across poorly to you relating to my content. I get it, I'm a strong cup of tea for most people. But while I may not have anything to offer you, one has to imagine, I will continue to learn from you as I have been. In fact, I don't think I could have got to this point without learning from your posts. Despite "this point" being unsatisfactory to you.
If anything, I hope my posts encourage people to stop looking to get spoon fed and get out there and work on your trees!!!!
With all respect.
Or, the ignore button is always an option!!