Bonsai ID and Qs

rockm

Corey, "Multi Bonsai World Champion" aside, what is YOUR experience in using distilled water/bottled water on YOUR trees? Would love to hear what using such wonderful stuff can do for a variety of plants over a decade or so.

Reverse osmosis filters or whatever can certainly do a good job, but is it a hugely NECESSARY job for most bonsaiists? I think not. This is one of those things that is a nice thing to have --like a top of the line car stereo system--but isn't a necessity...I'd rather spend the hundreds of dollars that an adequate R/O system costs on something that I actually need.

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fishbone

So does this plastic pot look big enough? Didn't measure how many inches tall but by placing the bonsai pot halfway in there's 2 inches space around it and plenty to go from the bottom up. Plan is to fill it with mulch from bottom up enough to have the little tree sitting about halfway in and then cover it from the top of it's pot with about an inch, two at most, with more mulch.

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rockm

The pot is unecessary and could do more harm than good if the drainage becomes blocked and the tree is out in the elements. The best solution would be to place the tree on bricks on the ground and mulch the entire thing with four to six inches of mulch all the way up to the tree's trunk.

The ground is more stable in temperature than a plastic container. The mulch helps trap the ambient "heat" (heat is relative in winter) that is absorbed by the ground. You're not trying to keep the roots toasty warm in winter. You're trying to keep the worst winter cold out. A mulch pile on the ground does that.

I overwinter trees in a covered cold pit--12 inches deep with mulch filling the pit once the trees are placed inside. The below ground location uses the ground's more constant temperature to protect against bad winter cold--constant below 25 degrees F-- The cold frame covering prevents too much precipitation from collecting in the pit during the winter.

fishbone

I'm getting some conflicting advice here
Firstly this tree is very very small, if I place it outside it'll probably just freeze over totally. Secondly my plan was, at least for now, to put it in my unheated garage because this thing has been indoors in 70 degree temperature for a month and although it needs to get outside and sleep pronto, it will tranzit from 70 to 40 degree weather in a day. Putting everything together indoors I figured the temperature drop will be gradual. I'll say it again, this thing is a tiny shrub, not a "tree" per se.

Vonsgardens

Put it in the unheated garage. Don't set it on the floor next to the doors. Make sure to keep it moist over the winter. Best of luck, John

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fishbone

Just set it like that near the window where I took the picture and not worry about any insulation at all even if it gets below 32ish?
How about light? Direct sun, shade? The window is facing east.

Dav4

Your plant looks like a japanese garden juniper, 'Juniperus procumbens', which is hardy to USDA zone 4, where winter lows approach -30F. Winter cold is not a problem, per se. Your goal in overwintering the plant is to keep it cold but not too cold (below freezing is ok or even prefered), out of winter sun/wind/ severe cold, particularly at the root zone, and keep it moist without drowning it. I would do as John said, which is to place it on the garage floor in an out of the way place and mulch the pot. Dormant evergreens kept below 40F need little or no light so don't worry about the window if you expect the garage to get cold enough and stay that way. I actually keep the doors open in my garage during the late fall and mid to late winter as I want the temps in the garage to stay cold for as long as possible as this helps with maintaining dormancy into spring. If the soil/mulch freezes, then you can stop watering...thats the benefit of letting your hardy trees freeze during dormancy. I can't comment on the potential shock of moving your tree from a heated, indoor environment to your colder, unheated garage as I've never had to do something like this. I will say that these junipers are pretty tough if healthy. I would get it out to the garage asap and protect the foliage from freezing temps for as long as possible to allow it to harden off...you can take that plastic pot and place it over your little tree on those nights when you think the temps might dip below freezing in the garage. I would only do this for a few weeks, and then just let it be until spring, watering as needed. Good luck,

Dave

rockm

Dave and John give excellent advice.

The goal is NOT to keep it from freezing. Freezing will NOT affect it-as long as it doesn't get too cold for extended periods--like below 10 degrees for two weeks. Temperate zone trees are well adapted to frozen roots. Happens all the time in nature. Most tree roots reside in the top six to 10 inches of the ground--which routinely freezes solid for months. Junipers can handle the lower extremes provided they have some protection from the worst of it and are sheltered from the wind. Frozen roots cannot transfer moisture to the foliage. Wind draws moisture from the foliage at a greater rate, so the top growth on a plant with frozen roots exposed to harsher winds can get "burned" or even killed off. Junipers and other evergreens are better adapted to even windy frozen conditions than deciduous trees (Which is why deciduous trees drop their leaves when it turns cold). Evergreens have a natural waxy covering on needles and foliage that helps seal in moisture in colder conditions.

Pearl

Hi Vonsgardens and Rockm, thanks for disagreeing with respect; unlike Asus101 who just received a 1st class ticket to my ignore list.

As I mentioned before, I'm new to bonsai. I went to Iraq for vacation earlier this year and didn't know my shrub had to be watered almost on a daily basis. I came home a month later and was half dead, tried to save it but no luck. I talk with champion dudes because I figure they know better then me. They say exactly what you guys say which is: Yes a person can use tap, but if given the option, they recommend using purified or distilled, afterall water is cheap.

I also would like to mention that bonsai is only a fraction of my many, many hobbies. I fly airplanes, powerboats, snowski, dirtbikes, deep sea fishing, traveling the world just to name a few. Actually my family takes care of my trees because I'm rarely home. I'm able to make post here from any place in the world, except North Korea where the internet and cell phones are banned.

I know most of you guys have dozens if not hundreds of trees and shrubs. I'm not 1 of those people, I don't plan to ever have more then 5 at the most at any given time.


Back to Fishbone,

Some say to put it in the ground with mulch, others say put the pot over it, I'm very confused as I have the same tree, only difference is, his is 8 years old, mine is 3.

Enough for now, Asus101 is going to my ignore list ASAP!!!!

Thanks all for your opinions and thoughts.

Corey