What To Do When Trees Don't Go Dormant?

Bonsai_FL

Seems as if the cold weather did not stay long enough for my jap maple and a few of my elms to go dormant. The elms leaves started to turn yellow and drop a few but, more then 70% are still green and spring is here in FL. As for the maple, most of the leaves turned red (centers still green) but the leaves did not drop. On the maple the buds have already formed and started to swell. Am I in trouble? Can I root trim?

Advertisement

Whimsical

I'm curious where you even got a jap maple in zone 10 FL. I live in zone 9, and have heard they won't grow here, and never see them. As for the elms, they will be fine. They are only semi-decidous this far south. I have heard that 45 days in a fridge will give a jap maple healthy dormancy, but I think its the heat in the summer that really gets them here.

TreeBay

Artificial defoliation (leaf plucking or cutting) may be a solution.

Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

Bonsainut

Treebay nailed it as usual. I defoiiate all Decids the day after Christmas here in Zone 9- 10 in So-Cal.

Whimsical,
I grow Jap. Maples here. I don't know Florida, but You should not listen to"Them" and give it a try. Give lots of organic Nitro and defoiliate when leaves turn brown about the margin. Sometimes twice in a summer. Very Strong grower.

Such a great tree I hate that you can't experience it.

__________________
Keep growing,---'Nut



Lethal Use of Farce

Whimsical

I was told it was the insane heat we have in the summer. Ya know, I have always thought japanese maple to one of the most splendid bonsai. When I first started a few years ago, jap maples were one of the things that first caught my eye. will definately give it a shot now. I had been pondering for a while if I could just grow them inside during the rigors of the summer since I rarely use AC, being a Florida native and all.