Winter setup for Minnesota

[davetree]

This is my winter setup for zone 4. It has advantages and disadvantages. I am lucky to have an attached insulated garage, and with the aid of a small space heater, the temperature is easy to control. I get to look at my trees all winter, and keep them away from rabbits and rodents outside, which can do some real damage. The disadvantage is that in spring I have to be careful because the trees do bud out earlier his way. I tried outdoor wintering in my climate, but I had some losses. This way it has been rare for me to lose a tree. Also being able to study my trees has really aided my planning for spring work.

 

[mcpesq817]

I use my detached insulated garage, and I find it makes overwintering fairly easy. The only issue is sometimes I get early bud break, which means I have to move trees in and out of the garage if I get late frosts in spring.

Very nice trees by the way - what is the big tree to the right in your second picture?

 

[davetree]

It is a cork bark elm from Evergreen Gardenworks. I think I posted on that tree here in the Elm forum.

 

[davetree]

I don't mind doing the bonsai two-step in the spring. I put my trees out around April 1st, and some people here who have them in the ground have to wait another 4-6 weeks !

 

[mcpesq817]

It is a cork bark elm from Evergreen Gardenworks. I think I posted on that tree here in the Elm forum.

I thought that's what it might be. I have one from him also. Very nice.

 

[Poink88]

It is a cork bark elm from Evergreen Gardenworks. I think I posted on that tree here in the Elm forum.

Yep and I love it!!!

Very nice collection.

 

[crust]

My Minnesota set up

I to gave up on out door stashing and love to be able to the trees all winter. No more vermin damage--or neighbors tromping cows. Mine is a custom super insulated structure adjunct to my green house and bonsai compound and stays very cool late in to spring--no heaters needed as it barely freezes.

 

[davetree]

Nice ! I gave up on outdoor wintering when I had major damage from rabbits one year. They chewed maple branches down to stubs.

What do you mean by super insulated ?

 

[the bonsai kid]

Wow thats alot of nice trees.My back hurt just looking at them

 

[crust]

Nice ! I gave up on outdoor wintering when I had major damage from rabbits one year. They chewed maple branches down to stubs.

What do you mean by super insulated ?

Meaning walls are insulated with 9" of high density blown in, roof over cold storage 13". I Also placed 2" aluminum covered foam around the perimeter, down 2' into the ground, so no rodents.

My set up:Its hard to take pictures of the storage area because its full. The structure is 24' x 36' pole type building with pitched roof and 6'6'' sidewalls and is divided bilaterally by a 9" insulated wall. One half is cold storage and has heavily insulated roof and side walls with a sand floor. The perimeter has aluminum covered 2" foam panels sent in the ground 2' and additional foam insulation between members. This half of the structure is made of embedded 6''x 6'' posts with 2 x purlings blown insulation and steel panels inside and out. The other half is made similarly but instead is covered by clear multi-wall poly-carbonate panels. The "GH side" is adjunct to my bonsai compound.

The cold storage is on the N side and stays a very even temp and humidity and is chilly even though its fifty freakin degrees out right now. It barely freezes in the facility, usually after sub-zero temps come, and I regulate cold incoming air via a single window and a dual fan--not very sophisticated venting but it works. For my native collection it is complete over-kill but allows me to work trees all winter and not have any storage worries. I have had this quite a few years now.

 

[Poink88]

...I regulate cold incoming air via a single window and a dual fan--

Sounds and looks very nice. I want one!!!

I can see the fan on the North facing window on the 3rd pic...but it looks like you have 2 windows...one on the west w/ the door?

 

[crust]

Sounds and looks very nice. I want one!!!

I can see the fan on the North facing window on the 3rd pic...but it looks like you have 2 windows...one on the west w/ the door?

Well, the cold storage area has just one. There is a small divisional room on the end that links the green house with the cold storage and acts as a utility room and small heated studio to store chemicals and work on trees. My main water hub and breaker box is in there. So technically there is two windows and two doors in the one half and the other half is GH with two doors. This year I added two 300 gallon 2' x 2'-6'' x 8' tanks, which have covers and doubles as benches. I guttered the building and collect rain water in the tanks--I plan on adding another tank this winter. The rainwater has proven to be a game changer for me.

 

[davetree]

Thanks for all the detailed info. Two questions - don't you have any trident or
Japanese maple ? Is it all native ?

Second question - how has the rainwater been a game changer ?

 

[Poink88]

Crust.

Have you considered these?

View attachment 27943

They are sold here for about $75-$125.
330 Gallon like new water tank/tote.
Filling opening: 6" opening with screw cap and o-ring seal.
Discharge valve: 2" Ball Valve for easy draining,threaded to accept 2" PVC.
Base: Hard shell plastic pallet, base that will not erode.
Size: 40"x48"x50" tall
Weight: 160 lbs when empty

 

[crust]

Thanks for all the detailed info. Two questions - don't you have any trident or
Japanese maple ? Is it all native ?
I use to have tridents and a few tender things but after evil northern Minnesota freezes zapped them a few years I gave up. MN weather sucks the big-one. I remember being completely crushed when it got in the single digits for three days one late spring and I had a old Lenz Chinese elm die--plus some freshly repotted larches I had grown for years. I was just too busy to bring them in and there was too many.

Right now I have a few non-natives: a few shimpakus, a couple of potted satsuki (not really bonsai), a couple micro-leafed elms weeds. The rest are either native or hardy, like Scots pines. I have very few leaf trees, mostly pines, white cedars, junipers and larches. I have too darned many and allot I should get rid of.

Second question - how has the rainwater been a game changer ?

I have high PH minerally water and its been a problem over the years. If I grow trees in hyper granular soil(1/4" pumice/lava western tree mix) in deep pots and repot fairly regularly I am fine---but if you have ones that have thin root pads, finer soil,fertilized little, are growing very slowly and are repotted every decade or so, imbalances can show up and put trees in decline, at least it has for me. I can SEE the difference in how they behave and less mineral build up on trees bases. I use tap and saved rain water but mostly the later--and they appreciate the lack of cold shocking I am told too. This year I am setting up a separate fertilizer tank. with the turn of a valve I will be able to water with custom fertilizer water and not have to deal with a injector and be able to use chemical fertilizers and or organic ferts and tonics. it will be easier anyway--and no dosing complications. We shall see how it works. Is all this necessary? well, hell no, but it has evolved over time and I am a builder so I am always adding and tinkering. In the end, I believe the biggest overall "horticultural" barrier is climate--and Minnesota is pretty challenging.

 

[crust]

Crust.

Have you considered these?

View attachment 27943

They are sold here for about $75-$125.
330 Gallon like new water tank/tote.
Filling opening: 6" opening with screw cap and o-ring seal.
Discharge valve: 2" Ball Valve for easy draining,threaded to accept 2" PVC.
Base: Hard shell plastic pallet, base that will not erode.
Size: 40"x48"x50" tall
Weight: 160 lbs when empty

These won't work for me. I use stock tanks. They are at a bench height (about 2') and 2'6'' wide and 8' long, fit through my green house door. They are easy to manage and clean (I made removable top for them) and being dark, don't grow algae. Being in the GH, they don't have freezing issues in the spring and fall. I dump my gutters in them (through a rudimentary filter)added a overflow, linked them together and added a used pressure pump. It seems perfect. I need to work on my filter system though. My 24'x36' roof produces allot of water--but I could use more.

 

[davetree]

I am in the city and my water sucks, high ph, high sodium and magnesium, so I use an RO system. Big difference. Trees look better, pots look better.

I can't give up trident and Japanese maple, Japanese black pine, or cork bark elms. I am addicted.

 

[crust]

I am in the city and my water sucks, high ph, high sodium and magnesium, so I use an RO system. Big difference. Trees look better, pots look better.
What system do you use specifically?

I can't give up trident and Japanese maple, Japanese black pine, or cork bark elms. I am addicted.

WEll, ya, you are in the deep south of Minnesota--all the way down in balmy Minneapolis area.

 

[crust]

I am in the city and my water sucks, high ph, high sodium and magnesium, so I use an RO system. Big difference. Trees look better, pots look better.

I can't give up trident and Japanese maple, Japanese black pine, or cork bark elms. I am addicted.

What RO system do you use specifically?

 

[davetree]

I got one on eBay. Inexpensive Canadian made, but good quality.

Where in Minnesota are you ?