My elm thinks its spring!

007

I went to check on my "dormant" tree's today and I was surprised to see buds swelling considerably on my elm. Most of the buds are green, and one or two has begun to open. Its been in cold storage since around thanksgiving . . .

What do I do here? I was thinking of styling (which it needs), repotting, and just bringing indoors for the rest of the winter until spring when it will go outside. What do you all think? Other options?

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Ralph

My decidous trees have all been repotted. We expect the coldest weather of the year this weekend. Since repotting, the trees have all been comfortably resting in my garage where temperatures have been rather constant and wont go below 40f in our expected freeze. About the first week of March they will come out of hiding, provided the forecasts indicate we are past hard freezes.

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Emerging from winter slumber
Bonsai trees burst buds anew
Spring is upon us!


-Paul S.

badlad52

007: Is it a Chinese Elm? If so, it should be fine to bring it into a COOL location indoors untill warmer weather comes. I'm not sure if any of the other's are ok or not though... (instinct would be to do it, but keep VERY cool, give it breaks on nice days, and only for as long as is absolutely required...)

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"If there are many ways to do something, than there's only one way to do it; any way you want!"

007

It is a chinese elm . . . just a plain old ulmus (i.e. not a seiju, hokkaido, etc.).

I am going to repot and style today and place into a cool room indoors for the rest of the winter.

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Vance Wood

It is your only choice, if you leave it out you will lose it.

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The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa

Hasaki

It seems early for it to come out of dormancy but I've had this happen once before to a chinese elm around the beginning of March. If you overwinter in a garage you have to try to keep the temps down by sometimes leaving the door open. Even so some trees like trident maples will still come out early, that's why I use lights in the garage to get them through till spring.
If the buds are only just green you can slow it down by putting it outside, I have a covered area for this.
I once left a fairly large trident in almost full leaf under the covered area at temps down to -4C and only some of the new small leaves turned black...but the tree survived fine with no damage. I'm not suggesting that anyone do this but trees aren't that delicate in this situation...["if they freeze, they'll die"].

Hasaki

AncientLegend

I'm just outside of Pittsburgh and keep my trees in an unheated sunroom over the winter.

I have three maples and a privet budding out considerably (repotted two this past weekend). Quince is covered in blooms. Looks like we're about four weeks ahead of schedule.

ChrisM

my biggest chinese elm had been in a cold storage room with zero light since just after thanksgiving. i had to bring it out this week because it was budding as well. confusing weather for man and plant alike here in the northeast this year.

chris

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Jonny

Yes indeed, an unusual winter in the Northeast US. January was mild and the maples stored in the attached garage have begun to stir with swelling buds and signs of life. My chinese elms are in the cold frame and there is no sign of bud swelling there. I have repotted the maples and will keep them inside the garage until the winter is over and warmer temperatures prevail.


Jonny