overwintering Japanese Maples in sunroom?
nnmjdklil
9 years ago
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jean001a
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoqwade
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Japanese Maples in Colorado...
Comments (9)Thanks for your response, kaitain4! After posting here on Sunday, I went to the Container Gardening Forum and was introduced to Al's Gritty Mix and I think I will use it for the potting medium; it sounds similar to what you are recommending, too - bark and gritty material. I've never used a soilless mixture before so I am a bit nervous but the mixture has won over a lot of folks here at GW - and on Dave's Garden - so I am going to give it a try. Finding all of the required ingredients (or their substitutes) and getting them together and mixed before the tree arrives is the challenge! I am purchasing the tree from Davidsans Japanese Maples; it will be a 1 gallon tree and David recommends just using a 2 gallon pot for its first transplant so that the tree doesn't "swim" in too big of a pot. I have one that is just a bit bigger than 2 gallons that I plan to use. The overwintering is the main problem. I do have a shed that I could put it in, though. It does get some sunlight in there during the winter because it has some small windows, but I should be able to keep the tree out of direct sunlight and it will have complete protection from the wind. Watering it shouldn't be a problem. The tree is only hardy to -15 degrees F but we seldom have below zero temps here in the Denver area, so, with the added insulation of the bubble wrap, as you suggested, I think it will be OK. Do you think this will work? Holly...See MoreJapanese Maple - Help
Comments (0)Last year, I bought a young Japanese maple from a greenhouse. I hoped to turn it into a Bonsai. I was told that it wouldn't survive the winter outdoors, but that many people keep them indoors as houseplants. I brought the maple inside in the fall. Within a couple of weeks, it lost all of its leaves. They didn't change color - just dried up and dropped. I kept them in my sunroom with an East-facing window. Its cooler than the rest of the house, with night temps about 12 degrees Celcius and daytime temps 15-18 degrees Celcius in the winter. In March, the JM started to get buds. Unfortunately, these buds did not progress. The tree does have lots of new growth arising from the lower 1/3 of the trunk. The buds have dried up. I thought the top of the tree had died back, but I scratched the bark and found that it was still green. Any idea what happened? Should I prune it back to where the new growth is, or will I eventually get new leaves on the branches? The new leaves that have erupted at the bottom seem to be flourishing, and the tree is now outside for the summer again....See MoreWinter Grafting Japanese Maples - Zone 8, SC
Comments (10)Hi,I'm in UK and unlike Mike's friend,don't have a greenhouse.However indoor winter grafting isn't climate dependant.As long as it's above 15 degrees it will work with this method.Keep out of direct sunlight. Bring the rootstocks indoors a couple of weeks or so before grafting.Try and graft as close to the time when you usually expect your maples to wake up...for me end of Jan is just a shade too early,early Feb is better here.They usually take about 3weeks to take.You will not be watering them again until the graft has taken so make sure they're lightly moist not dessicated. After the first week cut the tops of rootstocks and let them bleed,then a few days later cut back more,you're trying to get the bleeding out of the way before you graft.Once they've stopped bleeding(if they bleed,sometimes they don't)you're ready to graft.If no bleeding,just look for other signs the rootstocks are awake(swelling buds,new roots)the roostocks must be awake,it's better to wait longer to make sure rather than graft on a dormant rootstock and have them fail. After grafting,individually put a small bag over the scion only(don't cover the rootstock) and tie the bag at the base of scion with a twist tie.I find cutting an inch slit at the bottom of the bag(open end)helps...you can then slide the bag down the scion with the rootstock positioned in the slit and tie the bag to the rootstock. (I use little freezer food/sandwich bags but you may be able to source better)This is a must do as they will dry out otherwise.A squirt of fungicide into the bag is recommended too,fungus is the main killer of my grafts so keep a daily check on them.Humidity is not an issue as the bag takes care of this. After about 3weeks you should see some action,the buds will swell then leaf out.If you see blackening at the base of the scion it has failed.Keep the bags on the scions while the leaves grow.Once the scion is leafed out properly and looking happy and possibly getting cramped in those bags,you can now remove them and put a bag over the whole plant instead and elastic band round the pot.Just don't remove the scion bags too early as the leaves will quickly shrivel.You have to be the judge of this.You can also give them a sip of water if needed but only a little.Now you will have to ween them off the humidity over the next couple of months as the grafts get stronger.I'm sure you can think of ways of letting more air into the bags gradually,just don't be tempted to remove their protective environment completely too early,especially in your centrally heated house.Don't rush it,they'll be quite happy in their little 'greenhouses'. I've had over 90% success with this method but sadly(and most annoyingly)I just don't have the same success with summer grafting.....good luck :)...See MoreOverwintering Japanese maple in container in Virginia
Comments (1)In 7b you shouldn't have any worries overwintering a JM in container outdoors. I grow most of my maples in containers and have yet to a lose a single one from cold damage :-) And there is no need to offer any particular kind of protection unless the temperature plunges into the low 20's or teens for any length of time. Just keep an eye on the weather and if arctic lows are predicted, then you may want to consider bubblewrap (around the pot ONLY) or moving the pot to a more protected location. Water only enough to keep the soil just moist to the touch. And frost is not really an issue......the only concern would be sudden hard late frosts that may occur when the tree is breaking dormancy or just after. You may want to cover small, unestablished trees during these priods....See Morennmjdklil
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoqwade
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoLinda's Garden z6 Utah
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agonnmjdklil
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agonnmjdklil
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agonnmjdklil
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoqwade
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoqwade
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agonnmjdklil
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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