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"So are you saying it IS o.k for my trees to stay frozen for a month or two at a time? "

Yes, as long as temperatures don't get below 20 degrees or so for any lenght of time, things should be fine.

"Its been said to keep the soil "moist" throughout, but with them frozen, that doesn't constitute as moist,right? I don't water frozen bonsai, correct? "

"Frozen" is moist. No, you can't water a frozen rootball. Well, you can, but it doesn't do any good. Watering should be done when the roots aren't frozen.

"Also, since I protected my maple from the wind, it didn't drop the dead leaves. Do I just cut them off? Do I cut at the base of the leaf or where the stem of the leaf connects with a branch?"

Do NOT cut leaves off. Let them be. This is a phenomena that's happening this year in the east. We had a warm fall, followed by a sharp dip in temps. Leaves are left hanging on maples as the cold took hold this winter. The leaves are dead now, or will die soon. Allow them to stay onthe tree. Doesn't make any difference if they remain.

What could make a difference at this point is leaf pruning. Cutting them off could---an outside chance--set off new growth, or at least stimluate the process. Pruning tends to stimulate growth. Leaving them alone is the safest course.

13-Dec-2005	#6
rockm bonsaiTALK ArchMaster Join Date: Oct-2003 Location: Fairfax, Va Country: USA USDA Zone: 7 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 4,561	"So are you saying it IS o.k for my trees to stay frozen for a month or two at a time? " Yes, as long as temperatures don't get below 20 degrees or so for any lenght of time, things should be fine. "Its been said to keep the soil "moist" throughout, but with them frozen, that doesn't constitute as moist,right? I don't water frozen bonsai, correct? " "Frozen" is moist. No, you can't water a frozen rootball. Well, you can, but it doesn't do any good. Watering should be done when the roots aren't frozen. "Also, since I protected my maple from the wind, it didn't drop the dead leaves. Do I just cut them off? Do I cut at the base of the leaf or where the stem of the leaf connects with a branch?" Do NOT cut leaves off. Let them be. This is a phenomena that's happening this year in the east. We had a warm fall, followed by a sharp dip in temps. Leaves are left hanging on maples as the cold took hold this winter. The leaves are dead now, or will die soon. Allow them to stay onthe tree. Doesn't make any difference if they remain. What could make a difference at this point is leaf pruning. Cutting them off could---an outside chance--set off new growth, or at least stimluate the process. Pruning tends to stimulate growth. Leaving them alone is the safest course.