oOglassOo
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Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:33 am
Location: Chicago

Newbie needs suggestions please

I went to lowes today and bought a couple of shrubs to bonsai up. I bought a Red Barberry Bush and a Blue Prince Holly. They both still have leaves on them and are the crappy pots. Should I leave them this way in my garage for the winter? Any advise would be much appreciated. Thanks Dennis

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manofthetrees
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Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
Location: west seneca ny

I know the holly is an evergreen so that should be kept outside to get light
as for the barberry depending on the species (there are roughly 500) it is either deciduous or evergreen .I guess if the leaves drop you'll know...
if you can bury the pots in the ground if not at least keep them out of the wind and burry the pots in snow when it comes .in the spring when there is signs of growth is the time to repot.best of luck

oOglassOo
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Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:33 am
Location: Chicago

Thanks for the info, the barberry is a cranberry cotton easter. The Holly had a really small root base it actually fell out of the pot, and the root ball is the size of a softball.

[img]https://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm157/ooglassoo/100_3587.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm157/ooglassoo/100_3588.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm157/ooglassoo/100_3589-1.jpg[/img]

tomc
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Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:52 am
Location: SE-OH USA Zone 6-A

Your new trees are temperate (as in outdoors only) deciduous trees. If you like those, boxwood and bitter-sweet (a noxious vining weed) actually are pretty good and rugged.

Frogman
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Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 6:47 pm
Location: Washington

Just wondering, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, after you've 'bonsaid up' your little plants, would you mind posting some pictures? I'm curious as to how they'll turn out!

Thanks :)

tomc
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Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:52 am
Location: SE-OH USA Zone 6-A

IMO your holly is set in its pot way-way too deep. Wait till after spring repotting before you chop off those half buried branches poking up alongside the trunk.

Your Holly is old enough to have a nice halo of well grown roots at where-ever its true soil-line is. You might want those low hanging branches as sacrifice branches inna year or three.

Measure (or draw) your bonsai twice, cut once.

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djlen
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Location: Just East of Zone 7a

I would do nothing with either until the Spring. You can leave all of them out doors for the Winter but I'd suggest the South side of the house for cover/protection. They will do well all Winter like that.

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djlen
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Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:37 pm
Location: Just East of Zone 7a

I would do nothing with either until the Spring. You can leave all of them out doors for the Winter but I'd suggest the South side of the house for cover/protection. They will do well all Winter like that.



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