J Maple waking up too soon...

JD_Wolfe

Quick question on what to do with a Japanese Maple that is coming out of dormancy too soon.

I had my JM in my fridge since October. I spent some time building a nice poly-carbonate grow box outfitted with a thermostatically controlled heater where I planned to put my JM for the rest of the winter season. I took the tree out of the fridge and let it stay indoors for a day and half, and cleaned out the fridge, while I finished getting the power sorted out for the grow-box (which I'm still trying to figure out -- apartment living is fun!).

I wasn't even sure that the JM was alive given that it was in pretty rough shape when I put it in the fridge, but sure enough, 1.5 days later I see two of the buds beginning to open (colour me surprised). It's still way too early for this tree to start waking up. I kind of panicked and threw the tree back in the fridge before any of the other buds started to open.

Was putting the tree back in the fridge a mistake? What will happen to the partially opened buds? Should I take the tree out early and keep it indoors until it warms up (May)? I have a grow light set that I can use, but I'm not sure if that is the right thing to do. Please offer some suggestions.

Thanks,

Jeremy

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SlapSlapSlappy

I don't know about your climate over there in Canada, but if it was me I would just leave it outside and let nature do its work.


I think that taking it out of the fridge, then leaving it out, then putting it back in will put some major stress on the tree. It really doesn't matter when the tree wakes up, it will do that on its own.

You can take it out and put it under the grow light, but put a humidity tray underneath it.

JD_Wolfe

Thanks for your reply.
I've done what you've suggested. My grow box is surprisingly warm and is bringing the tree out of dormancy very quickly. Calgary is unseasonably warm and has been for the last week and half. Normally we can attribute warm "streaks" during winter to our Chinook temperature inversions, but we haven't had any. It's just wierd weather right now.

RedPine

I would keep it growing until your weather is safe. It is better served growing as much as possible with good light right now than being moved around, cold one day, warm the next etc.. . basicly keep it from being frosted or frozen it should be just find. It could also be kept indoors etc.. as a tropical until weather allows a return to outdoors.

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JD_Wolfe

RedPine,

There's a saying here in Calgary that goes:
"If you don't like the weather...wait a minute"
Well, we're forecasted for snow this weekend but temperatures are supposed to stay above -7C (19.4F). The heater in my box maintains a steady 5C (41F) so hopefully this dip in temperature won't be too traumatic. Calgary is the worst for growing JMs, I don't know what I was thinking.

Thanks,

Jeremy

RedPine

The tree will be just fine as long as the roots aren't frozen nor the new buds/foliage frosted. I am playing the in and out game with an elm and juniper this spring. We had some days in the 70f range, then a few with lows in the teens, then some snow, yesterday was bone cracking cold and now today more warm sunshine.. . Stuff in the wild is stirring hard and the bradford pears are nearly blooming, it won't be to long.

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redhawkbonsai

Jeremy

RedPine has some good info for you here.
Ya' just gotta protect it from ole' jackfrost.
Its Funny, your temps are too cold for maples & mine are too hot.
LOL, redhawk

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Fletch

Jeremy;

Sorry I missed your post originally, Acer Palmatum in Calgary are a unique challenge and you're trying to grow one in an apartment to boot. I salute your enthusiasm and optimism.

Sounds like you have quite the set up with your growbox but my concern would be will it really support the tree through the worst of winter (can the heater you are using keep up to the -30's and wind chill like we had earlier this season) and depending on the exposure, will it now be turning into an oven when the sun shines? You had a pretty good solution with the fridge (provided no one objected to the tree sitting next to the brocolli and left over roast) .

Now that the tree is out of dormancy I would leave it indoors or in your growbox at night and when winter takes another swipe at us (which I'm sure it will, hell we've had snow in every month of the year since we moved here 20+ years ago) and outside in the fresh air whenever the weather is nice. A bit of a nuisance moving it back and forth, but then you're the one who decided to try a Japanese Maple out here.

BTW where did you get it from? I've seen some landscape size for sale at the Dalhousie Canadian Tire but never been tempted due to the ugly grafting jobs that were done to them (Obviously grafted to some hardier species root stock to try to make them able to survive out here). The lady in the garden centre claimed they did fine in sheltered locations but I can't say I've ever seen one ...?

Well I hope things go well for you with this one, post some pics when you get the chance (I'd be interested in seeing the tree and your growbox set up)

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Fletch