Bonsai ID and Qs

Asus101

Hehe Im a elitest aussie..... but incase people dont understand, dont EVER take me seriously.... I poke fun at things that i shouldn't....


That line was a simpson line, I use ALOT of them....

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FlyBri

Gday Pup!

My thoughts exactly... Let's keep it about Fishbone's Juniper and how to overwinter the same.

Thanks.

Fly.

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rockm

"On the other hand, Louisiana has 80 to 100% humidity year round. If you stand outside in La when it's 30F with no wind it will be bone cracking cold with high humidity."

Duuude. Sorry, that is NOT cold. Cold is a week with daytime temps below 20 F, nightime lows at minus (-)10 F (or worse) with no snow and 30 mph winds (which is USDA Zone 4). You simply don't get weather like that in La. which is USDA Zone 7 at its coldest which means the lowest temps are 10-20 F--which I've never heard of in La. Louisiana is simply NOT cold, at least nowhere near as cold as Nebraska.

For what it's worth, humidity generally acts to keep air temperatures HIGHER in the winter. Humidity acts as a sort of blanket in the winter. Look at it like this, you have a bottle of water and a bottle of air. Place both outside when it's below freezing. The bottle with air will become almost instantly the temperature as the surrounding air. The bottle with water will retain heat for alot longer--until it freezes. The water holds the heat better than just air alone. The water lags the temperature. Of course humid air can also take longer to warm up, but if local temps consistently rise above freezing during the day, temperatures will generally stay warmer than colder.

To work this to winter storage advantage to minimize winter kill on stored trees-- keep the roots moist. The water between soil particles freezes before the roots do, protecting them to some extent from freezing. This is the same principle that citrus growers use to protect their orchard fruit from damage during hard freezes. Spray water over the trees and fruit, the frozen water acts as a kind of blanket to protect the fruit beneath.

So, with shallow freezes come in late autumn, like now before I have my trees under protection, I hose them down with water at dusk. The added moisture adds a layer of temporary protection for the roots, at least until things thaw out the next morning.

Frost and freezes in late autumn are actually needed by trees to prepare them for deeper winter dormancy, triggering hormones and chemical changes that "harden" them for the coming winter. I always let all my temperate trees get hit repeatedly with frosts and freezes before I put them under their winter blankets. I never put them under protection before December here in Virginia.

tachigi

Since when did chill factors effect plants. They absorb heat during the day and release it at night. They don't generate heat, so wind chill is not a factor. RockM is dead on with his statements on humidity. Being from the south you should recognize that. When the temps dip to freezing or below the sprinklers come out and the citrus groves get watered or misted. Initially keeping the temps up and perchance freezing occurs. The action of freezing actually produces heat to protect. <not that I'm suggesting people water there trees during a freeze>.

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fishbone

Putting all of this aside, the juniper is out in the garage. I opened both garage doors and a door on the opposite side, creating a draft and airing it pretty good. I'm lucky, today it's 46 outside and it turns out that where I placed the tree downstairs 2 days ago the roots were actually at 60* F, not 72*F as I initially thought. So the temp difference wasn't as big as I feared. I wish I were home right now to take the tree out, unfortunately I can't do it but might be able to either tomorrow or Saturday.

Victrinia_Ensor

Good job Fishbone...

Glad to hear the little darlin' got moved.


Yours most kindly,

Victrinia

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Vonsgardens

Sounds good. Tree should be very happy. John

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Pearl

Thanks all for your intrest. I lived in La for many years and I know 20F can be around for a week or more, is this not a threat to my Nana?

Mcspeed has received a 1st class ticket to my ignore list. More then once he has been off topic when people are trying to acquire bonsai tips and opinions.

Pup, thanks for the quote, nice to see what people are saying when he is on their ignore list.

fishbone

What a waste of a perfect day to be outside. 46 degrees, mostly cloudy and NO wind.