Winter Preparation-What Do You Do

[Arcto]

Guess the ice storm missed you. Heard it was rather messy west of the Cascades. All tucked in here for the winter.
The old trees in the unheated garage trick. A small space heater in the upper left for nights in the single digits and lower. Snowballs in the pots do a sufficient job of winter watering here.

 

[aml1014]

We're having a 3 day warm spell and today is the end of it, but I wake up and it's 51°f in the middle of december? WTF!!!
Very weird winter here indeed. Even the puss willows at my work are about to bloom, like 2 months early
Aaron

 

[miker]

I turned on a space heater last night inside my unheated, detached enclosure with all my cold frame boxes in it because the temperature outside at 1 am was 14F outside and 18F inside the enclosure. Temp in the enclosure was up to 21F an hour later and was 25F (perfect) this morning at 7:30 am, versus an outside temp of 15F. Off the heater went since the sun is rising and we will be 27F later today. Would rather keep the trees frozen for as long as possible.

 

[M. Frary]

Under mulch. Under snow. Not much more I can do.

Nervous though. -15 here we come...and it's not even xmas.

Under the mulch and snow you should be fine.
Mine are. There are way worse things than cold that kill trees in winter.

 

[wireme]

It's been a bit slow coming this year but we've got a nice cozy blanket of snow forming now. Doesn't matter now how cold it gets, roots will stay warm enough. We did have extended cold with little snow in early dec so I'm glad I mulched. I mentioned the danger of roofalanches under the eves earlier in the thread. Got a good load hanging now, gonna be a ripper any minute now.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

brrrr

 

[miker]

60F here today, and no frigid weather returns in the next ten days, though it will be more seasonable temps after today.

The coldframe boxes are staying a bit soggy, so I am worried about them staying soggy all winter long, especially sitting on the ground in a sheltered nook of the house. I could put them out in the sun and in the open to dry out a bit more before the next round of precipitation comes through Thursday, but then sunny warm conditions are not good for overwintering hardy trees. I could put them in the garage or the shed to keep them from getting more wet, but each location stays warmer than would be ideal for most of the trees. The shed will probably run 40-55F during the upcoming days and the garage 42-52F, while outside highs will be 33F - 45F and lows 25F - 32F after today.

Is it okay for the trees to stay on the soggy side when the temperatures are mostly 45F and below and the roots are in separate potting media in pots? I am less worried about the trees in akadama vs the ones still in some kind of soil.


Soggy, wet pine bark mulch.

 

[aml1014]

My winter preparation is currently in a regression. Temps have Benn all over the place, one week there will be highs in the low 40s and lows in the upper teens, the next week will be in the 60s as the highs and lows just above freezing. So today I decided to start moving my trees back to the benches. I'm still leaving anything in an expensive pot tucked in the treehouse as I had my first nursery pot of the year pop 2 days ago since it has very retentive soil
Spring will be early this year I can tell, hopefully we don't have a random hard freeze in may like we do sometimes.
Sorry for the rough pic, my phone is toast right now so I'm using my tablet.

Aaron

 

[miker]

I've almost considered taking my trees out of their cold frame boxes, as temperatures here have 25+ for the past week and look to stay that way for the next week. The boxes are still staying a bit soggy, especially from being in full shade all day. I won't though, as I am certain the coldest of the winter is still to come.

 

[Underdog]

We went from single digits to a record high of 69 degrees in about a week. Forecast is mild for the next week plus so I admit to dragging some stuff back out too. Right or wrong...

 

[miker]

I obviously didn't want to start a thread just to ask, but, would a good thick (1/4-1/2") coating of ice be a good substitute for snow (as far as insulating effects for bonsai)? Clearly SE PA does not tend to have much lasting snow cover in the winter generally. But I am wondering if creating a layer of ice over my trees during an upcoming 4-5 day cold spell when the temperature will be below freezing will help. Thoughts?

 

[fh05]

you don't need a cold house in Va. Beach...I keep posting this photo to "winter wimps" ;-)

Can't imagine why you'd need a coldhouse in Va. Beach. I have posted this photo a lot for "winter wimps" ;-) Bald cypress (La. collected 20 years ago), cedar elm, Japanese maple, amur maple. wisteria, boxwood, zelkova and more. 12-15 F. All the pots are on the ground covered by a foot or so of shredded hardwood mulch. Trees are in a shaded location out of the wind. They typically remain dormant until mid-April-ish, if I don't uncover them View attachment 125433

Agree, a greenhouse is not absolutely necessary in VA beach but how do you protect the trees from rodents. I am worried when trees are on the ground. Any advice/tips?

 

[M. Frary]

I obviously didn't want to start a thread just to ask, but, would a good thick (1/4-1/2") coating of ice be a good substitute for snow (as far as insulating effects for bonsai)? Clearly SE PA does not tend to have much lasting snow cover in the winter generally. But I am wondering if creating a layer of ice over my trees during an upcoming 4-5 day cold spell when the temperature will be below freezing will help. Thoughts?

That's basically what my trees are in right now.
A 12 thick block of ice.

 

[GrimLore]

I obviously didn't want to start a thread just to ask, but, would a good thick (1/4-1/2") coating of ice be a good substitute for snow (as far as insulating effects for bonsai)? Clearly SE PA does not tend to have much lasting snow cover in the winter generally. But I am wondering if creating a layer of ice over my trees during an upcoming 4-5 day cold spell when the temperature will be below freezing will help. Thoughts?

Actually that is what I prefer to see here an hour and a half East of you. It rarely gets like that though.

Grimmy

 

[rockm]

Agree, a greenhouse is not absolutely necessary in VA beach but how do you protect the trees from rodents. I am worried when trees are on the ground. Any advice/tips?

I wait to put trees in the ground until after a series of hard frosts and a few freezes. By then rodents have largely found their winter quarters or are hibernating (chipmunks). I have NEVER had a rodent problem (knock wood) with trees in mulch beds on the ground. The mulch beds are NOT sheltered from the weather. They get wet and freeze solid--which mice don't like. Put those same mulch beds in a sheltered enclosure and mice will be in heaven.

 

[M. Frary]

(knock wood)

You should.
I had to go all Fort Knox to keep vermin out.

 

[aml1014]

I thought it was never going to come this year.
Aaron

 

[rockm]

I wait to put trees in the ground until after a series of hard frosts and a few freezes. By then rodents have largely found their winter quarters or are hibernating (chipmunks). I have NEVER had a rodent problem (knock wood) with trees in mulch beds on the ground. The mulch beds are NOT sheltered from the weather. They get wet and freeze solid--which mice don't like. Put those same mulch beds in a sheltered enclosure and mice will be in heaven.

I might also add that the beds are out in the open are not only exposed to weather, but also to predators including cats, foxes and hawks. I've seen cats executing a few voles and mice. Foxes also help.

 

[ghues]

This winter has been more normal (whatever that is lol), colder, with much more snow, then warming (lots of melting) and then some record cold temps 15-16degrees (f) lasting a few weeks and now some more snow......which will really test my preparation....here is the main bench before the latest snowfall.
Cheers

 

[Tycoss]

Meanwhile, in Southern Alberta:
Expecting-40 this week (Celsius or Fahrenheit, both the same). Our coldest winter in 20 years.
If my trees survive this, they should be able to handle anything.