Apartment care

groan

Hi there.
I will be moving into an apartment soon, and will need to keep a few trees outside.
I live in Ottawa Canada and the winter temperatures can easily get as low as -20 c.

What i want to know is if i get a large styrofoam or wood box, lined with styrofoam, and plant my trees in it for winter care, will that be enough protection?

all of these trees hae been outdoors in the ground for the past 3-4 years (fattening them up ).

also, would being in a large box be like having them in the actual ground in terms of trunk enlarging?
I wont have access to this garden any more to keep my treees in, so i need to find an apartment option.

Thanks for any advice you have and look forward to watching this forum for a long time!

Groan

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groan

anyone? even just a thought?
I need some good advice on this, as i'm not sure what to do about it.

Jay

Hi, -20C (or -4F) is pretty cold. You say these trees have been outdoors in the ground for a few years. Do we assume you are in the same area now that you were in before? If so and if these trees were able to withstand the conditions you have they can survive, protected, in a box situation. Remember, in the ground they were sheltered a bit from the severe cold. Can you place this box up against the building? This way there will be some heat transfered to the box through the house walls. Not much but enough to moderate the -20C temps you may get.

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A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

ripsgreentree

Shop around for your appartment. I found one with a back and side yard so be encouraged. Remember that you don't have to keep these trees warm just at 32 degrees. Make a place for them next to the apt. as jay suggests and then run a couple of heat tape strips the kind that keep pipes from freezing under the pots. Jse straw for insulation. Put plastic over them, there has got to be an answer. Look at it like this, it is all about taking care of your trees and this is just another aspect of that care. Look for ways to addapt. I have had as many as 1,000 trees in the back yard of my appt. Currently I am down to about 400 and yes for an appartment I have a big yard but much smaller than a house. You will be supprised at how much bonsai and pontensai you can fit into the yard of an appt.
sincerely

Attached Images

backyard-1.jpg (22.9 KB, 44 views)

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ripsgreentree

It requires an open hand to give and to recieve.

groan

Thanks alot for those suggestions.

I already bought the apartment and it has a balcony where I will be housing my few bonsai. The balcony is 5ft10x16ft. Thats how much room I have to work with.
I used to have many more trees but had to cut down due to room restraints and other things.
I will be getting back into it when i move.
All teh trees I refer to are locally collected, so can withstand the canadian winters.

If i do this sort of setup,
styrofoam or wooden box approximatly 2.5 ft deep (the depth of a large cooler) with a heat cable beneath (or would it be needed?). I can not put the box beside the house on this balcony as the patio doors run the entire length of it (or most of it).
here you can see the balcony, second floor.


Thanks again, and any more hints before i move in would be great.
Ill post my setup after i get it , uh, set up.

Groan

Attached Images

070102_courtyard[1].jpg (46.4 KB, 42 views)

Jay

OK, looked at the pix of the appt. Is thre an electric outlet outside? If so, you can place an electric heat tape, as Rips suggests, to moderate the temp. I use one in my unheated garage. I have the type that has an auto stat. I made a grid out of copper tubeing, filled the grid with auto anti freeze and placed the tape on the grid. You could do this, put the grid in the bottom of the box, wood would probably be better to use. put a couple of inches of peat moss on top of the grid and then bury the trees in some more peat. That would help. You could still put the box up against the window if it is 'politically correct' in your house. The auto stat of the heat tape will not let it go on till needed and will shut it off if it is getting warm in the area of the stat. By putting a few inches of peat under the trees it will not allow that much transference of heat to the trees. Make sure to allow for air into the box.. do not seal it! You want it cold.... just not THAT cold.

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

groan

Jay, is this what you would do with trees in pots as well?
right now the trees i hae in the ground are free-growing. havnt even looked at them in a year and a half...should be intresting to see how they have progressed.

thanks again for those great tips. I will probably need lots more by the time i get to this. I stil have to see if they are retrieveable out of the ground.

I am moving in october, so cant do anything until then. I hope they survive the winter after being freshly transplanted from earth to box. I dont have any choice unfortunately. Ill try to not disturb the rootballs.

Jay

Now remember... I am a novice with some knowledge as my signature says. That you can not get them till October is probably best... they will be entering dormancy at that time. I would try and build some growing boxes, one for each..... you could place the heat grid below the boxes.....when you transplant to the boxes do as little disturbance to the roots as you can. you could even try and build a little green house around them on the deck you have... if its allowed! could be real low, just high enough to cover the trees.

Another thought is to try and get a friend or relative to let you put them in the ground by them! Just a thought!

Good Luck

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing