CA weather and seasons

[Neli]

Apparently its Boron in our water that they don't like. The average low in dec / jan in my area is 48. Theres an article on it somewhere online see if you can find it with a google search. I lived here before and sometimes albeit rarely it falls into the upper 30's and everyone panicks a bit. I think I've seen it snow here once in the years I used to live here (very rare) and when that happens even if its a dusting the whole city shuts down. Ginkgo and wisteria are fine here, check out the species huntington gardens has as well as going to local bonsai nurseries. Obviously the trees at huntington have the soil to temper their temps and give them a better winter. There are tons if oak here as well, and princess persimmon is rated to zone 11 I think and we are zone 10b not that zones matter much for what we do since we can manipulate the conditions. As long as a tree doesn't need a long cold dormancy and can tolerate heat it should be fine. A shade cloth is a must though for deciduous broad leaf trees. I plan to join the west LA santa monica club eventually and a number of their members I hear grow satsuki. I have a camco kdf filter hooked up to my hose output I plan to change it every 3 months if the Satsukis I have start to decline in going to switch to RO water but I doubt that will be necessary. Yamaguchi nursery on Sawtelle has a number of satsukis in full sun somehow one of which I believe its chinzan they've had for over 10 years. Are you moving to the area too?

Ben

Thank You Ben.
I wish I can move to the area... I am in Africa, and I love it here... In a country where I am the only one that keeps bonsai. So I have no one to ask about species, and suitability.
Here is a short story about me:

http://www.bursabonsai.com/shes-the-only-one-bonsai-artist-in-zambia/#comment-1766

I wish I new about princess persimmon more. I just did all my shopping in Japan and I think I bought only one P Persimmon, that I like so much. I normally look at where the trees come from to get an idea what conditions they are used to, but Practical experience from people that have grown this trees is more valuable. My Oyakata in Japan has general idea, but no experience with growing trees in my conditions, so your info is very valuable to me. I will need to post them one by one and ask for any specific advise related to our growing conditions.
Our hottest month is October. I have never seen temperature like this before here. 107.6F
But next month with the onset of the rains it will cool down. Our winter temperatures are lowest at night only 43F.
So far all my trees are on the sun, except for the recently transplanted ones, and the pines and junipers from japan which I decided to put in the shade. My Azaleas are in the shade too, and watered with acid added in the water.
The PH of my water is 8.5, so I try to bring it down to 6. My KH is 120 and GH 200. Mostly CaCo3, and some magnesium salts. It is the salts that worry me for the Azaleas, and their build up.
All my mame and shohin are in the shade too.
I have a large area under shade cloth, but for now I will try to keep the rest in the sun, until I see adverse effects from it.
This are my imported trees from Japan. The white pines are for friends in SA. Can you see something that I should worry about?

 

[Beng]

Although our lows may be similar I think your highs are much higher then mine in west LA. Your climate may be more close to las vegas or arizona. Is there air very dry where you are?

Here are some that you'll have trouble with on your list, a few of which definitely won't live in my climate.

Ilex Serrata "needs a cold dormancy" they won't grow here in southern california.

Picea Jezonensis "needs a cold dormancy" they won't grow here in southern california.

Callicarpa Japonica "needs a cold dormancy" they won't grow here in southern california.

Euonymus Japonica I heard these need a cold dormancy which we can't provide here in my area but I could be wrong?

Chamaecyparis obtusa or Hinoki Cypress i'm told they can't take the heat of southern california.

Crataegus cuneata I was told hawthorn might do ok here but they might not. My favorite tree was a english hawthorn "crataegus monogyna" which I sold before I moved out to california... was a great tree. I see the specific type you got is rated to zone 11 though so may be fine?



That's a lot of plants you got do you have pictures i'd love to see them?

 

[Neli]

Although our lows may be similar I think your highs are much higher then mine in west LA. Your climate may be more close to las vegas or arizona. Is there air very dry where you are?

At the moment humidity is 32 %, but it will be high in a month time. October is the hottest and driest month.
Here are some that you'll have trouble with on your list, a few of which definitely won't live in my climate.

Ilex Serrata "needs a cold dormancy" they won't grow here in southern california.
That is bad news...I love umemodoki. I had suspicion about it but just could not resist getting few. I styled one yesterday.

Picea Jezonensis "needs a cold dormancy" they won't grow here in southern california.

I actually bought it for a friend in SA.
Callicarpa Japonica "needs a cold dormancy" they won't grow here in southern california.
Then it will need to go in the deep freezer with the umemodoki. It is just too nice not to have.

Euonymus Japonica I heard these need a cold dormancy which we can't provide here in my area but I could be wrong?
Eunimus I have grown here without problems, for many years. I got this type: They are very popular in Japan and leaf reduce very well. This is one before I styled.


Chamaecyparis obtusa or Hinoki Cypress i'm told they can't take the heat of southern california.
I bought one in SA and lost it already...so now I know why.

Crataegus cuneata I was told hawthorn might do ok here but they might not. My favorite tree was a english hawthorn "crataegus monogyna" which I sold before I moved out to california... was a great tree. I see the specific type you got is rated to zone 11 though so may be fine?
I asked about that a gentleman from Australia and he told me it is OK.



That's a lot of plants you got do you have pictures i'd love to see them?

I brought at the moment around 50+ in my suitcase. Mostly mame and shohin. The ones on this list are coming end of this month hopefully. My agent is giving me grief and had to change and get new permits 10 times.
But they are all paid already, so I am hoping I will have no further problems.
I did not buy many finished bonsai. mostly good trunks (or at least tried). I enjoy developing them. For me that is the fun part...creating things.
Need to post some pictures here one day but not too sure if people will be interested.

 

[Beng]

I brought at the moment around 50+ in my suitcase. Mostly mame and shohin. The ones on this list are coming end of this month hopefully. My agent is giving me grief and had to change and get new permits 10 times.
But they are all paid already, so I am hoping I will have no further problems.
I did not buy many finished bonsai. mostly good trunks (or at least tried). I enjoy developing them. For me that is the fun part...creating things.
Need to post some pictures here one day but not too sure if people will be interested.

That's exciting i'm sure people will be interested. I too love umemodoki i left one of those back on the east coast as well. They are rather rare in bonsai culture here in the US unlike in japan. I've heard of people trying the freezer idea unsuccessfully. Another idea is you could pay someone to take them to your friends place where it's cooler for the winter and then bring them back to you after they have had dormancy.

 

[Neli]

That's exciting i'm sure people will be interested. I too love umemodoki i left one of those back on the east coast as well. They are rather rare in bonsai culture here in the US unlike in japan. I've heard of people trying the freezer idea unsuccessfully. Another idea is you could pay someone to take them to your friends place where it's cooler for the winter and then bring them back to you after they have had dormancy.

Anthoni here has kept trees for many years in deep fridge. I plan to use a deep freezer and put glass on top, so they dont luck light. Also change the temperature gradually up and down.
I shall try and post soon.

 

[bonsaibp]

Anthoni here has kept trees for many years in deep fridge. I plan to use a deep freezer and put glass on top, so they dont luck light. Also change the temperature gradually up and down.
I shall try and post soon.

I really wish you luck with that. Unfortunately when I first moved to CA I tried that for some larch, hemlocks, yews and several others and over 4 years watched them all slowly fade and die. I had them in a big walkin cooler with glass doors at 30F.
Hopefully you'll have a different result.

 

[Neli]

Then This is going to be hard breaking. I will need to look for a good home for them in SA.
I think you should know better...