Peter's Bonsai Blog
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Winter Protection The type of winter protection that you need to provide is extremely variable. It depends upon whether you are trying to protect deciduous or evergreen trees, how much rain you usually get and of course, the expected minimum temperature. The principle objective is to protect the roots and / or the pot from freezing and to limit the amount of water that accumulates in the pot. Most deciduous trees can be left outside all winter without any harm. However if you’re keen to protect an expensive pot, the options range from wrapping the pot in bubble wrap, burying the pot in the ground, placing the tree in a greenhouse or a dark shed or garage. Most of my deciduous trees are kept inside my shed. Evergreen green trees present a different set of problems. Evergreens will continue to grow throughout the winter (albeit very slowly) and need daylight to survive Placing them in a dark shed for 4 months will probably kill them. |
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A sheltered location in the garden, perhaps beside a wall of your house or garage can suffice, or you could adopt the traditional approach of placing the trees below your display benches, and make a temporary shelter with polythene draped over the top. A cold green house would be good if you have the space, but you will need to carefully control the temperature. Bright winter sunshine will soon raise the temperature inside a greenhouse and so some shading and careful ventilation will be required. Another option is to place the trees inside polestyrene fish boxes. My local fish monger was happy for me to take these away free of charge. Firstly give them a good wash to get rid of the smell, Then drill a couple of holes in the bottom; place mesh over the holes, place the pots in the box, adjusting for height as required and fill around and over the top with course tree bark. The following pictures show the technique. |
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Newly collected of repotted trees will need a bit more care, and I would recommend keeping them indoors over winter. Whenever you disturb the root system the tree needs a bit of time to settle down and for the roots to grow and re-establish themselves. Thus the preference for repotting in early spring, however if you have collected or repotted your tree over the winter, the roots are a bit more vulnerable and need a bit of TLC. I therefore recommend that such trees should be kept frost-free until the following spring. During a typical Scottish winter, bonsai left outside will be subject to a lot of rain. As the trees aren’t growing and using the water in the pot, there is a danger that even with a free draining soil, the root ball will become saturated for long periods, with the danger of root rot setting in. It is therefore important that the trees are protected from the worst of the rain. Another option would be to provide the pot with an “Overcoat”. his will provide a degree of insulation, but is mainly to limit the amount of rainwater entering the pot. I use thick rubber car mats, currently available in Tesco for £1, they are easy to cut to size, and will not get blown about like thinner plastic alternatives. Here are some pictures of a pot that has been damaged by frost during the winter of 2018-19.
Click here for the next bonsai tip If you would you are not clear on any of the points made or would like assistance in any other aspect of the hobby please contact me and I shall be pleased to help. Peter Thorne Tel:01294 273085 |
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