elenac9
Newly Registered
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2014 8:59 pm

wintering my juniper

I have had much help on this site about my plant..thank you all. My tree has been out side since I bought in 2 months ago. (southern NY). I have decided to leave it on my uheated porch for the winter and watch temp..if it warms to much from the sun I can open a window a crack away from the plant. I know I will need to water it some but..when and how?..will the roots freeze? Shall I take it out of the pot so it dosent crack? Isnt it bad to let wet roots freeze??? Shall I wrap the root ball even though its protected? Sorry for so many questions..I really want to do my best..thank you

tomc
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2661
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:52 am
Location: SE-OH USA Zone 6-A

I'd invest in a wooden packing crate big enough to permit some straw inderneath your tree. I would probably repot into a smaller (5") daffodil paper-white pan, by simply potting up the soil ball with added soil around the existing soil.

*Soil* its not what you think it is.
For a single tree I would probably buy some cactus mix from one of the big-box stores. its not going to look a bit like the soiless-mix you are trying to reach for. Soiless-mixes and potting soils have too fine particles. Your tree will drown (and asphyxiate) in potting soil.

Now that your tree baby is in a plastic pot and nested in a bigger box on the porch, you are still going to depend on touch for need of water.

Its not *if* your tree baby freezes, but how many times it freezes and defrosts. better it freezes in December, and stays froze till March. You are still going to poke it with a chop-stick or finger daily.

A frozen tree tends to be brittle. It needs protection from fido or Kitty walking on it.

Hope this helps.

Your next history lesson: The Larz Anderson bonsai collection was exhibited for many years at the Boston Flower show. It and the bronx-zoo collection were old collections of retired diplomatic corps members.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larz_Ander ... Collection may have leads to how they store their trees.

elenac9
Newly Registered
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2014 8:59 pm

Thanks that was very helpful. but poking it to see if it needs water?? How can I poke into the soil if the whole rootball is frozen. Wont it just feel cold..? So you are saying even though its frozen it will absorb water?? It is in a10 inch pot and top surface is all loose gravel and moss...shall I bury it with cactus soil mix anyway?

tomc
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2661
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:52 am
Location: SE-OH USA Zone 6-A

Elen, I love my baby trees. Maybe better than I like people. I don't know of a (more) tactful way to tell you to take your baby Juniper out of its ceramic pot late in the fall and put it in a plastic pot and nest it in a wooden box (with some straw) checking daily for at least the first few winters, until you know beyond any possibility of doubt how your tree is doing.

Your best answers are going to come from your juniper, and not from me.

Bonsai soil is going to look too coarse to you. Many people substitute cactus soil, which will work fine by the quart (its too spendy by the barrel). By the time your soil looks "right", its too fine.

Creating a winters nest of a tree in soil in a plastic pot, nestled in a larger box snuggled into some straw outdoors but away from drip edges, is a matter of common sense and not a ruler.

Yes your juniper will likely freeze, your job is to reduce that freeze-thaw cycle the best you can by close monitoring. Its not the long freezes, or the long thaws, its jumping back & forth.

A nest that doesn't collect water well will let excess run off.

I hope to see you have a good time in your new hobby.



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