Bonsai Winter Care

As with most bonsai techniques determining the optimal care for your trees in winter will depend on where you live and the tree species you have.
Bonsai winter care. If you own any tropical trees you are going to want to get them inside or into a greenhouse when the temperature at night starts to hit 50 55 degrees consistently. Therefore your bonsai must be maintained in a cool cold environment during the winter season. Most hobbyists living in less than tropical climates grow tropical trees outdoors in late spring through the summer and bring them indoors for the winter. Bonsai tree care basics.
See the page on growing bonsai trees indoors. Though bonsai trees are more delicate compared to the average indoor plant a few basic rules should enable anyone to take care of its tree properly. Some bonsai beginners feel that their trees may perish if subject to the harsh conditions of the winter months and bring their trees indoors to protect them. Winter water consumption is very low but the bonsai tree s roots still need damp not drenched soil.
A small greenhouse may be ideal. Both of these help trigger dormancy in our bonsai. During the autumn in colder areas hardy trees start preparing for the coming winter by hardening up new growth and for deciduous trees dropping leaves to reduce moisture loss. Tropical bonsai cannot withstand freezing temperatures.
Deciduous bonsai tree species need this winter dormancy so it is best to leave them outside to experience the seasonal cold. Your hardy trees can stay outside at this point. If you have the space a basement set up under lights will work. Another bonsai winter care note is to keep the dirt moist at all times.
As a guide around thanksgiving day it is time to prepare your bonsai for its winter dormancy period which should last approximately three 3 months. Most importantly are watering fertilization and choosing the right position to place it. However unlike trees planted in the ground bonsai trees are in containers. Most bonsai can be repotted during the winter but the best period for this is the weeks immediately prior to the early spring revival when you judge that there is no longer a danger of intense cold that could damage the roots.
Never allow to the bonsai growing medium to dry out. When the dirt is wet it can freeze and it takes a lot to get ice below 32 degrees. If this occurs the tree could die. Overwintering your bonsai trees.
Being in containers their roots are less insulated and could freeze. A camellia japonica bonsai is a living miniature tree and not a house plant. Special care during winter.