Those of us in the Northern Hemisphere where autumn is turning to winter are facing the challenge of ensuring that our prized bonsai survive another season of dormancy. Overwintering presents different challenges for each climate, increasing in complexity with the tenderness of the plants and the severity of the winter. November's bonsaiTALK Newsletter takes a look at some overwintering practices.

1. Trees and plants are graded according to their Hardiness Zone. Keep in mind that the ratings for landscape plants which have their feet buried snugly in Mother Earth. Up on the bonsai bench or out in the full exposure to wind and the elements, it can get much cooler, more quickly, so it's not unusual to consider your bonsai to be one full zone less hardy than their landscape counterparts.
2. Dale Colchoy from Wild Things Bonsai Studio offers us this outline of his experiences in overwintering plants on the fringes of hardiness, and presents some reasonable practices that you can use to protect the bonsai that are considered somewhat fragile in your zone.
3. This discussion of Overwintering in a Garage and Overwintering in General show the differences in the types of winter preparations different hobbyists make across climate zones.
4. Wintering Kingsville Boxwood is another topic that has come up recently.
5. Keep in mind that even evergreen plants undergo seasonal changes in response to winter. It is not unusual to see even "evergreen" bonsai like False Cypress, Cryptomeria and Juniper turn shades of gold and rusty green that can make a new bonsaist fear the worst. Broadleaf evergreen plants like Satsuki Azalea and boxwood can react in the similar ways. It almost makes me want to set up a tropical greenhouse like Carl Rosner where I can enjoy tropicals year round.
6. Do you wonder like this enthusiast, How much preparation is enough?

BASIC PREPARATIONS

• Talk with experienced growers in your area and find out what preparations they make for winter. It might vary from bringing tender plants indoors in an unheated structure to building a coldframe where you can keep your plants below the frostline and under the cover of a protective mulch.
• An inexpensive mechanical min/max thermometer or electronic thermometer can be a useful addition to help you keep track of the depth of cold your plants experience.
• Poly tunnels, heaters and soil heating cables can be useful to help protect plants.
• Moving plants UNDER their benches and draping the benchtops with poly sheeting can be effective in helping to reduce wind chill and buffer nighttime temperature drops. A simple Thermostatic outlet can trigger small space heater and a lightbulb as a frost warning.
• Portable greenhouse structures are now available that unfold like a car dashboard protector and pack away in summer to save space. I found a great one with vents and integral shelving. Keep in mind that you can pack deciduous trees together very closely during dormancy.
• You can expect water demands to drop with temperature, but do keep your plants hydrated. It is one defense against the effects of cold.
• Stay ahead of the game by checking up on your bonsaiTALK weather. You can configure it to show you a regular forecast every time you visit the forum.
• Record and share your experiences with other hobbyists!

Taking good care of your plants in preparation for winter will help them to survive and thrive come springtime. These winter months pass quickly, so be sure to get lots of rest and get your tools sharp and supplies ready for springtime.

Enjoy a safe and happy holiday season from bonsaiTALK!

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