Thuja occidentalis from stock - cold tolerance

[NeyensNeuro]

Hi all! I'm a noobie here and 1 year into my bonsai adventure. I just bought an awesome white cedar, thuja occidentalis, from nursery stock and I was wondering if it is safe to leave outside for the remaining weeks of winter. It seems  really healthy as of today's date, and I would like to keep it that way while hopefully doing work on it.

I live in Calgary, AB (zone 4A) and the daily temperature currently ranges from -8/4°C (17/39°F) with alternating periods of light snow and bright sun. This tree is in the stock plastic training pot (pretty big). The garden centre employee said it would die if I left it outside in these conditions, but I'm finding contradictory information online and was hoping for something more definitive.

I was planning on doing some pruning and wiring soon, leaving it in the training pot until next winter or spring.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Japonicus]

Outdoors safe depends on how it's been kept for the last 3 months (Winter).
If it's greenhouse material and your Spring is not much colder than the greenhouse was, no problem.
Indoors would be bad idea. Do you have an unheated garage or building?

Hard pruning works well in July here in zone 6.

 

[NeyensNeuro]

Outdoors safe depends on how it's been kept for the last 3 months (Winter).
If it's greenhouse material and your Spring is not much colder than the greenhouse was, no problem.
Indoors would be bad idea. Do you have an unheated garage or building?

Hard pruning works well in July here in zone 6.

The greenhouse was significantly warmer, so it might be too much of a shock to have it outside aside from bright, warm sunlight.

We have a shed outdoors, and a cold back room in the house?

 

[Eckhoffw]

The greenhouse was significantly warmer, so it might be too much of a shock to have it outside aside from bright, warm sunlight.

We have a shed outdoors, and a cold back room in the house?

I would suggest keeping it in the shed.
If you can put it in light, that may be good as it must have been used to light in the greenhouse.
Next to a window or a lamp with a grow bulb may be beneficial.

 

[Japonicus]

The greenhouse was significantly warmer, so it might be too much of a shock to have it outside aside from bright, warm sunlight.

We have a shed outdoors, and a cold back room in the house?

Shed would be great next to a window, maybe elevated if necessary.
Only thing is to make sure the temp does not rise from the Suns energy in there.
Also be sure to heft the pot to see if it needs watering (when it feels somewhat lighter).
Rotate it weekly to the light.

Are you going to use this arbor vitae for bonsai or landscape material?

 

[HorseloverFat]

It it is waking up at all, possessing any new tip OR root growth.. You will not want it to experience freezing temps.

T'would be helpful to know HOW cold it was kept...

Because personally, my thujas look THAT green AFTER waking up.

 

[HorseloverFat]

@Frozentreehugger likes to talk 'bout Thuja.. and is similarly-zoned.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Outdoors safe depends on how it's been kept for the last 3 months (Winter).
If it's greenhouse material and your Spring is not much colder than the greenhouse was, no problem.
Indoors would be bad idea. Do you have an unheated garage or building?

Hard pruning works well in July here in zone 6.

It was 15 degrees this morning by me...

OP will be even colder..

So we've gotta be careful, because the thuja looks like it broke dormancy for the year.

 

[Eckhoffw]

It was 15 degrees this morning by me...

OP will be even colder..

So we've gotta be careful, because the thuja looks like it broke dormancy for the year.

This is true. That’s why it needs to be kept above freezing, and given light. If that is done, it should be happy enough till temps come up.

 

[BonsaiPoppie]

Before I focused on the really nice tree, my eyes went right to the bananas.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Before I focused on the really nice tree, my eyes went right to the bananas.

Sí, a me gusta mucha comer las bananas Verdes.

 

[BonsaiPoppie]

Sí, a me gusta mucha comer las bananas Verdes.

Me gustan maduros.

 

[NeyensNeuro]

Wow, thank you all so much for the interest and input

I'm unsure where this tree was kept for the full duration of winter, but it was stored alongside a bunch of tropicals. I agree with the assessment that it probably came out of dormancy a while ago because it is beautifully green with light green foliage tips.

With that in mind, I could give it some decent light indoors and bring it outside just on days that are above freezing? The sunny days recently are 35/41°F

(Also, how do you highlight and quote from previous comments)

 

[HorseloverFat]

Wow, thank you all so much for the interest and input

I'm unsure where this tree was kept for the full duration of winter, but it was stored alongside a bunch of tropicals. I agree with the assessment that it probably came out of dormancy a while ago because it is beautifully green with light green foliage tips.

With that in mind, I could give it some decent light indoors and bring it outside just on days that are above freezing? The sunny days recently are 35/41°F

(Also, how do you highlight and quote from previous comments)

Yes.. that is a good idea.

(You click the "reply" button under the comments, it will copy the entire text to a new message, then you are "quoting" it.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Me gustan maduros.

Claro, a me ambos puedo comer.

 

[NeyensNeuro]

For @Frozentreehugger and others, what are your suggestions on working with the vertical branches and vertically-fanned foliage of this species? Can they be wired down and rotated to good effect? The stock I bought has three arrow-straight trunks, so I was thinking kabudachi style with perhaps some very slight movement.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I really have to thank @Frozentreehugger @mattspinniken @Leo in N E Illinois and others for being "Thuja Warriors" and pushing these trees forward in bonsai consideration.

 

[HorseloverFat]

For @Frozentreehugger and others, what are your suggestions on working with the vertical branches and vertically-fanned foliage of this species? Can they be wired down and rotated to good effect? The stock I bought has three arrow-straight trunks, so I was thinking kabudachi style with perhaps some very slight movement.

(I took that video to show you how I treat branches..

They can be fanned just like juniperus...

Just MAKE sure your foliage is at least fifty-ONE percent oriented "upwards"..

If you wire thuja foliage upside-down, the branch will die back until "correct foliage)

 

[NeyensNeuro]

(I took that video to show you how I treat branches..

They can be fanned just like juniperus...

Just MAKE sure your foliage is at least fifty-ONE percent oriented "upwards"..

If you wire thuja foliage upside-down, the branch will die back until "correct foliage)

Whoa, I am so glad that I asked and avoided that problem! Excited to watch the video too, thank you

(As a sidenote, this community seems amazing!)

 

[HorseloverFat]

Whoa, I am so glad that I asked and avoided that problem! Excited to watch the video too, thank you

(As a sidenote, this community seems amazing!)

Not a problem, friend!

I stopped using social media, paying attention to pop culture and getting my news from mouthpieces when my oldest child was in utero. He is 12, now.

This place has been WONDERFUL...

I'm a bit of a "real-life" hermit, and the people here are among my only true "friends".



(On the video, I say I've been working with them a few days... (It's actually been years)... What I meant was FOR the past few days)