When can I take my Elm outdoors?

[MiteyF]

Long story short, I picked up a sad looking shohin sized Chinese Elm last fall. It had been grown indoors, and didn't have enough time left in the fall to acclimate to winter, so I kept it inside under lights. This spring I will be putting it outside permanently. However, as it was inside all winter, I'm wondering when will be too soon to get it outside to get some sun? It's warming up here in SE MI, ranging from the teens at night, and up to about 45* during the day (hooray!)

What should the low temps be at before I start keeping my little elm outside? What is "warm enough" to put it out during the day for some sun, before bringing it in at night?

 

[Poink88]

If you plan on bringing it in when it gets cold...anything above 32 is good.

 

[GrimLore]

I would not recommend putting it out until night temperatures are predicted to stay above freezing. I would not put it out and drag it in. Others may think different, just my opinion.

Grimmy

 

[october]

Smoother bark chinese elms are less resistant to cold than rougher bark varieties. Gray, smoother bark chinese elms (southern china) still need some heat in the winter. I would not leave your elm out until until temps are consistantly in the 50's, especially in your area. If you have nice sunny days from around 55 degrees F or higher. You can put it out during the day and bring it in at night. If you put it out in temps that are below this for long periods of time, the tree might suffer stress since these are things that initiate dormancy. Especially since it has been in the house all winter.

Rob

 

[Poink88]

Rob,

I see some Chinese Elm in parking lots here and they are thriving. We do not have harsh weather but still get a few low 20s a year and they survive those unprotected.

My fukien tea and ficus are a lot less cold hardy and cannot survive those (20s) temps but perfectly fine with me leaving them outside until it goes below 32. I believe Chinese Elm will do better than my FT & ficus at can easily tolerate anything above 32 (even if kept indoors). JMHO.

I protect my tropical trees as you suggested at 50*F and below though.

 

[Eric Group]

Rob,

I see some Chinese Elm in parking lots here and they are thriving. We do not have harsh weather but still get a few low 20s a year and they survive those unprotected.

My fukien tea and ficus are a lot less cold hardy and cannot survive those (20s) temps but perfectly fine with me leaving them outside until it goes below 32. I believe Chinese Elm will do better than my FT & ficus at can easily tolerate anything above 32 (even if kept indoors). JMHO.

I protect my tropical trees as you suggested at 50*F and below though.

I think the fact they are in the ground affords more protection. Those smooth bark elms can get some damage from freezing temps- especially their surface roots! They get all... "Soupy" when it get too cold. And if you so much as touch the root it will pretty much fall apart! I had it happen years ago on a lacebark Chines Em I bought from a nursery... Left a big nasty scar on the root. They CAN usually survive pretty cold weather, but just make sure you don't touch them, move them within a few days of a freeze! Never owned a cork bark Elm so I cannot speak to them..

 

[Poink88]

I think the fact they are in the ground affords more protection.

True but again, it shouldn't have any problem as long as it is not exposed to freezing temps (32*F and below).

 

[jkd2572]

Mine have been growing like crazy since February. Kept in garage under dim light but about 40 degrees.

 

[october]

Hi Dario,trees growing outside do have more of a tolerance for cold. Also, you cannot compare Texas with any location in the Northeast. The most important thing here is the current situation of the poster's tree. You cannot put a tree that has been in a house at room temperature all winter, outside in the cold. House temps are 70-75 degrees. Outside temps are 30's to 50's. First, it will not be used to the cold and second, these conditions are dormancy conditions and it is not good to initiate dormancy out of season, intentional or not. Next season, normal wintering can be done. jkd2572's wintering conditions are optimal.

Years ago, one of my first trees was a chinese elm. I used to give it a cold period of maybe 40-60 degrees in winter. I believe I had the tree for like 8 years before I gave I sold it.

Rob

 

[edprocoat]

Yeah I agree with Rob's assesment, the Chinese Elm should be protected for at least two weeks or until you get some more temperate weather. JKD's keeping his Elm at 40 degrees will allow it to get the cold period it needs while not being harmed,these are a semi-deciduous tree. If kept as he does they will get some color in the fall and lose some leaves, usually not all them but it varies from tree to tree. Too warm and they will still lose some leaves but in the spring the growth is minimal compared to ones that have been allowed to rest. I always let mine see some upper 30 degree weather during the day in partial sun and protect them at night until I hit Florida then they take off in the spring, its nothing to see new shoots coming off 6-7 inches long and covered in leaves and buds popping all up and down the trunk, which can be a pain in the ass because I am always pinching and trimming them.

ed

 

[MiteyF]

Thanks for the help guys. Looks like I'll be waiting a few more weeks to put it outside. It's also dumping snow here 50 degrees yesterday, and it's supposed to be 1 below by tomorrow morning.

 

[fourteener]

I live in northern Mn. I keep my Chinese elm in a cold frame heated to 35 degrees. About this time of year it decides to start budding. I bring it inside and put it in my sunny southern exposure window. It will stay there until May. When it starts getting nice out I put it on my shaded patio during the day and bring it in at night. It doesn't stay outside full time until the lows are consistently above 40. Leave it out below 40 and it really regresses.

I also put all of my house plants outside all summer. That plan seems to work best for them as well.

 

[Ryan820]

I live in northern Mn. I keep my Chinese elm in a cold frame heated to 35 degrees. About this time of year it decides to start budding. I bring it inside and put it in my sunny southern exposure window. It will stay there until May. When it starts getting nice out I put it on my shaded patio during the day and bring it in at night. It doesn't stay outside full time until the lows are consistently above 40. Leave it out below 40 and it really regresses.

I also put all of my house plants outside all summer. That plan seems to work best for them as well.

I have to agree with this method. In Colorado we can have days of nice weather only for Nature to snap that trend in half with her pinky finger.

For what it's worth (yes, this is only my 3rd post on here)-- I've had great success storing trees in their larger pots (I have no plants in bonsai pots currently-- still growing everyone out as much as I can in a season in colorado) in my garage. It's a protected garage and CAN be heated but I never bother to-- why should I? Anyway, it kept my flower quince in dormancy just fine all winter and eventually it begins to bud and I simply take it outside and only bring it back in when the weather threatens to be particularly awful, which is always does. So long as you expect to be inconvenienced by the weather, you'll at least have the knowledge you wont be let down!