I recently received a Camellia Sasanqua "Yuletide". It is in a bonsai pot and currently blooming. They are not hardy in my zone. I have a done a little research regarding overwintering and come to the conclusion that I probably should not have chosen this tree, but too late now. Ideal temps for these in the winter are said to be in between 40-59 degrees and they require light even in dormancy. I have two choices, an unheated garage or inside under the lights. I have had it inside since receiving it on Sunday. It still has quite a few flower buds that haven't opened yet. I'm in a bit of a quandary over what would be best for it. Any advice/suggestions/experience would be welcomed.
Overwintering Camellia
- Thread starter Carol 83
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Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
I think at this time...I would do as you have. But...consider a better alternative for next winter. A cooler room, or basement location. If you note decline...possibly place it there this year.
That would be a good alternative, but I don't have either.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Oh...An attic then maybe? In a small propagation tent? Other than that...I'm out of ideas.
I do have an attic, but they need light even in dormancy and the attic is dark. My OCD husband would have a fit if I left a light on up there.
JeffS73
Shohin
Sometimes I wake up in the night and worry about the fans in my grow tent - they've been on for a year solid, so I can see where your husband is coming from. One day an led lamp, next a whole grow operation! At least I think that's how my long suffering wife sees it.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Does he go into the attic? Just curious... Small set up wouldn't take up much electricity. Something to chew over.
Yep, our furnace is up there and he changes the filter.
Leo in N E Illinois
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I would see how it looks after wintering in your light set up, with the orchids, Grewia, and other tropicals. If it looks good by spring, just keep it indoors with the tropicals again the next year.
Otherwise you might be forced to set up lights in your garage.
Seriously, see how it does indoors. If it does well, problem solved.
Otherwise you might be forced to set up lights in your garage.
Seriously, see how it does indoors. If it does well, problem solved.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I would do the garage before the attic because you are more likely to see it in the garage and remember to water it
I have kept it inside under the lights because it had a lot of unopened flower buds. They are starting to open now and seems to be doing fine.
River's Edge
Imperial Masterpiece
Not sure how cold it gets in your location. My Yuletide camellia is planted in the front flower bed next to the house. Thrives in a partially shaded, somewhat protected location. Morning and early afternoon sun, Flowering now!
We cover with a sheet during frost to protect the buds. The only time we lost all the buds was during an extended period of -5 to -10 Celsius, 23 to 10 Fahrenheit. The plant is very healthy, leaves turn a bit bronzy during the winter. We have had a bit milder winter this year with one or two colder nights around -5 but not consistently. Here is the plant today!
We cover with a sheet during frost to protect the buds. The only time we lost all the buds was during an extended period of -5 to -10 Celsius, 23 to 10 Fahrenheit. The plant is very healthy, leaves turn a bit bronzy during the winter. We have had a bit milder winter this year with one or two colder nights around -5 but not consistently. Here is the plant today!
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ABCarve
Masterpiece
Is your unheated garage attached to the house? My unheated garage has warm walls on two sides. I have to keep the garage door partially open to keep it cold. Have you monitored the garage min/max temperature?
Really nice, I would love to have them in my landscape, but pretty sure they would not survive the winter. This has been a pretty mild winter thus far, but we can have extended periods of very cold weather. Seems I'm babying it and should have just put it in the garage. I just wanted to see the new blooms open. If it survives inside until spring, I'll know better next year. Thanks!
No, it is a detached garage. I have a thermometer out there with my crepes and Satsuki, but haven't really checked it this year, because it hasn't been that cold. I need to do that. Thanks
Leo in N E Illinois
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I know Carol's climate, my sister lives not too far from her. Her unheated garage might get too cold in a "normal" winter. I support her move of keeping it in the house for this winter. If she installed a light garden out in the garage, and had heat mats to set the pots on, with thermostats to keep the soil at or above 35 F, she could use her garage in winter. But as it is right now, her garage is not the ideal place to winter Camellia. She has a nice under lights set up in her home. If the Camellia does okay this year indoors under lights, she should continue doing so. It is good enough.
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Leo in N E Illinois
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One of the problems with over wintering Camellia, is that many of them want to bloom "during winter" whether it is late autumn, middle of winter, or very early spring, for most of us northern growers, zone 6b and colder, the blooming period of Camellia happens when it is impossible to have them outdoors. I keep all my deciduous trees, and my satsuki azaleas in an unheated well house with no lights. Because it stays under 40 F, there are no problems, everybody stays dormant.
But Camellia want to bloom when temperatures are in the middle 40's. ( 40F = 4C ) In order to see well developed flowers with normal colors, you absolutely need light. You can not keep Camellia in the dark leading up to or during bloom. If you do, the flowers won't develop right.
Obviously, this means winter storage for a Camellia needs to have light, either a cool greenhouse or an under lights set up. This is why Camellia are not very popular north of the area they can be successfully wintered outdoors.
But Camellia want to bloom when temperatures are in the middle 40's. ( 40F = 4C ) In order to see well developed flowers with normal colors, you absolutely need light. You can not keep Camellia in the dark leading up to or during bloom. If you do, the flowers won't develop right.
Obviously, this means winter storage for a Camellia needs to have light, either a cool greenhouse or an under lights set up. This is why Camellia are not very popular north of the area they can be successfully wintered outdoors.
Thanks Leo, so far so good, new buds are opening and not dropping. I imagine if I suggested a set up with lights and heat mats in the garage, divorce may ensue, lol. He's just somewhat tolerant of the indoor set-up. I know the Camellia was not a great choice but was the only tree available from the place my gift certificate was from that I was interested in.
Leo in N E Illinois
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Camellia are lovely, fascinating trees. And they are adaptable. My biggest problem with wintering Camellia indoors, under lights, was that I had too many plants, and had difficulty keeping to the watering schedule the Camellia needed. It needed more frequent watering than the orchids, and got too dry, several times, while in the orchid collection. As a result, it failed to thrive. But if you can keep on top of the watering, there is no reason the Camellia won't survive in your light garden.
In the future, leaving it outdoors in autumn, until serious cold threatens, may be sufficient to set flower buds, and you may be just fine keeping it indoors for your future winters.
In the future, leaving it outdoors in autumn, until serious cold threatens, may be sufficient to set flower buds, and you may be just fine keeping it indoors for your future winters.
