Warm winter causing my

[tanlu]

Warm winter issues

Hi,

We've had an unusually warm winter here in New York. So much so that my pines are starting to move. They're mulched with pine needles under a thick grove of JWP that were planted 25 years ago in the ground. They wintered there very nicely last year, but this year's freakishly warm (high 50s on some days) winter seems to be encouraging root growth and shoots to turn green at the tips. The plum tree in the front entrance is already in bloom!

I don't have any photos, but I can see a few root hairs creeping out of the bottom of the pots along with signs of growth in their terminal buds. Their foliage is also starting to turn greener and they seem to be taking up water more quickly. Today was the first time I watered them all winter.

Is this normal?

T

 

[tanlu]

Hi sorry for posting twice. I tried to edit it, then I couldn't edit the old title so made a duplicate thread, but then couldn't delete the old one. Can the administrator delete one of these threads please?

Thank you!

 

[painter]

its a scary thing here in jersey too.ive been watching my pines as well. and my tridents buds have swollen too in my garage. and they say its gonna be freezing this weekend! yikes.
hope for the best is all you can do, try and keep em dormant. and not loose branches.
i thought i was the only one paranoid.
p

 

[tanlu]

I think pines should be fine. I did some research, and apparently pitch pine foliage (my prized yamadori^^) can withstand sub-zero temperatures! If they can, then certainly JWP and Scots pine shouldn't be an issue. JBP, on the other hand, is less winter hardy and will need more protection. Luckily my Kiyohime maple buds haven't started to swell yet. I'm anticipating the delicate spring foliage on Kiyohime maples and Korean hornbeams!

T

 

[Dav4]

Your JBP foliage can withstand sub zero temps as well...I had several planted in the yard that saw -8f with no damage, and I had one in a training pot (mulched) that saw -5F, again with no damage. JRP, JWP, and pitch pine are more winter hardy, though, and would be ok with colder temps. FYI, roots grow when the soil temps are above 40F...as long as the pots are heavily mulched, I wouldn't worry about the pines. Now is not the time to start moving trees around, as you have the chance for freezing temps for atleast 8 more weeks. We are going to see temps in the low 20's this weekend after a very mild December and January...All my quince are flowering and have leaves, and my Ume has new brances 3 internodes long! They all got put under the deck for the next few days. My Junis and pines are staying on the benches...they will be fine.

 

[FrankP999]

The wind associated with this cold front is predicted 20-25 mph with gusts 30+ here in Georgia. You have to protect from the wind as much as from low temperatures. The high wind will dry a plant out in a hurry.

I have a few maples and one bald cypress that are already green with buds. I guess they have to go back in storage this weekend. Yikes - I have 70+ temps this week and now low 20's....

 

[rockm]

Deciduous trees are safe from freezing UNTIL buds break into leaves--that doesn't mean full leaf, though. Once the edges of the leaves pull away from the buds and you can see the edges, the tree has lost most of its ability to stand freezing. If you can see leaf edges on buds, you'll have to move the tree into frost-free locations--Pray for colder weather or we'll be two steppin' until the middle of April.

 

[crust]

I swear I am going to put a freezer unit in my storage facility.

 

[davetree]

This is why I winter my trees in my garage. I can control temperatures a lot better than outside. If the weather gets really warm, the garage is still cooler plus I can throw snow on my trees to slow them down. This year for me has been perfect, garage at 35 degrees almost constantly due to the warm weather, have only had to turn on the heater once.

 

[JudyB]

I swear I am going to put a freezer unit in my storage facility.

I was looking around to see what is available, portable air conditioners won't go down as far as we need, and all else I can find are water evap. types. Do you have something in mind? I am interested in the same...

 

[mcpesq817]

This is why I winter my trees in my garage. I can control temperatures a lot better than outside. If the weather gets really warm, the garage is still cooler plus I can throw snow on my trees to slow them down. This year for me has been perfect, garage at 35 degrees almost constantly due to the warm weather, have only had to turn on the heater once.

I do the same thing and it has been working well for me the past few years. The garage moderates the high and low temperatures pretty well.

 

[Bill S]

A couple of things you can do to help.

Put the trees in an area that doesn't get sun, an obvious one, but sometimes overlooked, along with a cold frame etc., they also keep the cold in for a while.

Burry the pots in the ground, then mulch them in well after the ground freezes, the earth around them won't warm till it's ready.
Aside from that move them as necessary as rockm pointed out.