Juniperus Communis, shohin

Hello Yvonne,

It was nice to meet you at Noelanders.
Nice little shohin!

Best regards,
Yannick

Hi Yannick

Very nice to meet you too......Look forward to next the time.

Kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne Graubaek wrote: Hi Jie
I will be gone for a coupple of weeks, when I am back home again, will I tell you, why my trees love my garden. I do things a bit diffrent.
Kind regards Yvonne

Hello, Yvonne!
Now that you are back, may I ask that you share with us your secret of doing things differently?
Perhaps this is that little bit which will make the difference....
A beginner's way is always struggle for new info, you see...

Dear My Nellie

I can give you a few tips, that will make your trees happy, and easier for you.

I keep my trees frostfree in winter, this way they are strong in the spring,
as roots grow on all kind of species, all winter, if they are not frozen.
I guess it is not a problem for you......

In summer. Will I very carefully, make sure there is no sun on the pots, NOT EVEN ON A TINY CORNER.
as the roots rapid will warm up to a very high temperature, and exhaust the tree, and give watering problems.

Also will I give part shade to species who lowes that, and full sun all day to trees, who loves that...but full shade on the pot.

If you have a large shari on your tree, will " Holzharter" from Walter Pall stop the live vien from evaporate through the shari.
On a small tree will the live vien grow fat very soon.

Hope you can use this few information.
Kind regards Yvonne

Good Morning, dear Yvonne!
Thank you for your response to my question!
May I ask some clarification on the following:

Yvonne Graubaek wrote: .... ....and full sun all day to trees, who loves that...but full shade on the pot. .... ....

How do you achieve this? By covering the pot, perhaps?

Yes, I cower the pot/surface with a piese of cardboard, and also let the treecrowns, cower for each other, by letting them stand close to each other. On the outerpots, will I have a panel of wood standing.
It does not look pretty, but your trees will be happy.

Partly shade is not full sun the half day, and deep shadow the rest of the day.
I use a branch from a live big gardentree, pruned to give a lot of light between the leaves....I prune this tree many times during the summer.

Kind regards Yvonne

Very representative!
Thank you once more!

Dear My Nellie

When ever I want to enjoy a tree, maybe a coffebreak, I just place the tree on a stand...and sit and enjoy.
After that, the tree will be placed on its every-place again.

Kind regards Yvonne

Hy Yvonne,

Thanks for sharing your way of doing things differently.
I find myself doing things much the same.
Because the covers against to much sun or rain are not always pretty,
i found the thin wood planks of an old fence and saw them in short pieces.
They have that old patina and character that is much nicer to look at.

You put your trees frost free so they come earlier in growth,
it extends the growing season and roots may grow a bit during winter time.
But they say there is the necessity of exposure to some frost and a period of low temperatures
so the tree will be also in the long run healthy and keeps his vigor.
I feel a bit uneasy about that, sure myself i leave some outside and others in the greenhouse frost free
for several reasons like recent bending repotting and so on.
But i got the feeling they all need a period of winter dormancy so i have to strive for that?
Do you have a long experience with keeping trees frost free and not getting weaker?
regards, Sunip

Hi Sunip / Yvonne

I am doing the same thing, placing trees tightly on the benches and using larger bonsai to make shades for pots or semi shade for trees needing this.Also a strategic planted large tree in the garden makes shifting shades to the shohin trees.

Regarding frosts I over winter my trees in a green house. Will not keep them free of freezing all winter, but this will kill some insects buried in the soil or hidden in the bark in freezing periods. That´s all good the frost does to the trees. In nature most trees have their roots at a depths keeping them from freezing an continuous root growth can happen. I think it is fine to keep growth all winter, but some freezing period will not harm too although it pauses root growth. There are advantages and disadvantages at both. No really big deal I believe in the final result.

Regards
Morten

Hi Thank for responses

Keeping the bonsai frostfree, will not make the tree start earlier in the spring, it is just stronger, as all roots is growing....
It is wellknown that danish forests-owners prefer a temperature between 5 - 7 degrees.

I dont think bugs will be killed by the frost...only maybe an imported bug.

I have kept my trees frostfree in 20 years, and I am absolutely sure, they dont need the frost. In spring they bud at the same time, as trees in the nature, and also the autumncollors are striking. I belive, I can work more and faster on my trees than others, because they are stronger.
When I read how long people have to keep their newly digged up material, untouched. I can only smile.
I will take a photo of two trees, and post later, as an example.

In nature trees have their roots frostfree....and I can not imagine, a bonsai will want its roots to be frozen solid

Kind regards Yvonne.....I will try to use more pretty material to make my yard look better

Hy Yvonne, Morten.

Thanks for your response, so i understand now, the frost free approach of trees
is for you not only given by the northern climate.
Here you hear the idea, trees need the winter dormancy for their vigor on the long term.
When temperatures are getting really low you cover them or get them sheltered inside
because in a pot trees are much more vulnerable.
Maybe the point is then more in the kind of; when they are frozen, keep them frozen
and in dormancy because awakening and dormancy over and again will weaken them
(Of course out of the wind for winter burn, drying out) ,
but then this al is not strictly necessary since you got other experiences.
About extending the to short growing season; Yvonne you said; they come not earlier in growth,
are they growing longer then in the autumn? or you think its not possible?
The other question is, to what temperatures you do heat your greenhouse?
I understand Morten uses it only for shelter and will maybe heat by when things are really getting low.?
For the killing of insects, you really need some good frost there as i observed.
regards, Sunip;)

I am really excited, a beginner being able to follow your "conversation"!
Thank you all!

Hi Sunip

Everything you say, is exacly what "they" say.....
I keep my trees in a humid, cold dark basement, with only windows closed, when frost, the temperature is 1 -3 degrees.
I dont need frost to kill a bug...provado-stick does the job for me.

My trees bud, when they bud in the nature, and the leaves will fall midt october, after having striking collours.

kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne,,,You have some very nice trees there....I really like the hawthorns!! wish i could find one to collect and work with..very good job that you do with all your trees take care john

Hy Yvonne,
Thanks a lot, now i understand the way you kept your trees in wintertime for over 20 years
around 1 to 3 centigrade.
Interesting for me to hear different experiences.
It deepens the insight.
Loved your responding; what "they" say
Always eager to learn some new things.
Of course you understand that i was fishing for ideas about extending the growing season in the north
having in mind the Korean Taiwan and Japanese circumstances(not to speak of tropical)
Things should however fit in the range of the natural and reasonable as i feel You and Morten stand for.
regards, Sunip

I understand Morten uses it only for shelter and will maybe heat by when things are really getting low.?

Hi Sunip

I do have a indirect heat from another room rising temperatures some. It does not keep my green house free of frosts all the time, but it works very well and shortens the periods.

A little insect bonus info.
Insets and bugs do die during a winter with more or less freezing temperatures. Some bugs migrate to warmer climates, but many cold-bloodied bad creatures do adjust to freezing temperatures or they simply die if not able to dig deep in the soil and over winter frost free there. Insects have some sort of “clock” built in that warns them when winter approaches, named as photoperiodism. Makes them able to hide before it is too late, under isolating leaves dropped in autumn i.e. or they lay hardy eggs and let them take over in spring if not they are able to produce a anti freezing oil in their bodies. But millions of insects die every year by the cold, moist weather for longer periods e.g.
As trees some bugs/insects are apple to cope with little freezing, very freezing temp. or not at all. Depends on species like trees have different hardiness.

In a bonsai pot freezing the insects that needs to protect themselves from heavier frosts is doomed. So some insects and bugs do not cope in a bonsai pot freezing, and others will. I do not say that a heated shelter kept frost free will add insects, but of course they will have better chances of surviving. Also therefore I let my trees benefit from some freezing temperatures in a period.
The latest two winters have, luckily been hard to the Siberian snail as we call it here. A very destroying leaf eating bastard, who gave me troubles earlier on, another place I lived. Now the two cold spring periods have taken some air from these because the eggs do not cope when frosts are appearing in late spring. So cold do harm bugs and insects.

Frosts and age
Secondly frosts do add some age to a bonsai. The moist bark will crack in winter when freezing adding more character and natural age to the tree, like heat does when it dries out. Like in nature were the environment and weather adds age to the trees, this is a small side effect of freezing temperatures. I look forward to the spring and some warmer weather though. Insects or not



Regards
Morten

moyogijohn wrote:Yvonne,,,You have some very nice trees there....I really like the hawthorns!! wish i could find one to collect and work with..very good job that you do with all your trees take care john

Dear Moyogijohn
Theese trees are not difficult to find.....They vere in a group of many, planted in section of an forrest 15 years ago.

Look for 6-7 m high trees with a 2 to tree branching out, on the lowest 50-60 cm. cut it dawn, and dig ( my husband digs, and I moan ) If you find younger trees, leave them in the forrest untill they have enough old bark.

Dear Sunip

I understand about the tropic plants...I have ficus. They have their best periode starting from midt july, to midt august.
I have made the season longer with a indor hothouse, it really works.

Morten, about the insects......thank you for the lecture, many may find it interesting.
I have never really spend a lot of time thinking about them, as this is bonsai, and not a whole forrest.

The bark will crack when the tree grows, and summer, wind and humid weather does the job. The bark on my hawthornes has already improved, sinse they were dug up. My trees does not need the frost.

Kind regards Yvonne

Hy Morten

Thanks for your thoughts.
Doing things the natural way is to learn to stand next to the tree.
But winter is still going strong for a while i feel.
regards, Sunip

( Quote Yvonne: "my husband digs, and I moan"
Here:
I dig and my wife moans;
ah not yet another tree!
regards, Sunip

I still belive a frosen rootball is a big issue.

Morten, I already had your opinion, so I will not need an answer from you again.

Tony wrote in an another tread he had made a heated greenhouse, and the survival of hes yamadori, had gone up close to 100%

Will wrote in an another tread, that a dug up craetegus like mine, had to wait 4 years in a big box, before handeling,
wich is perfectly normal treatment.

This tell me that frost is a big issue....

Mine two craetegus shown in this tread, was dug up in 2007, had basicly only 4-5 fat roots.
And I have been able to work both trees, crowns, and roots very much, without ever bringing the trees to a risk.
They have been strong and healthy all the way.

Kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:

Morten, I already had your opinion, so I will not need an answer from you again.

Be sure of that.

Morten
You are manipulating my answer to you...you forgot the
The smile was not sarcastic

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:Morten
You are manipulating my answer to you...you forgot the
The smile was not sarcastic

I am sorry I took it like that if not intended. Not being manipulative, but properly misunderstood. Being told not to answer anymore made me think I was not welcome, or at least my views are not. Smiley or not. Sorry about that.

Regards
Morten

OK, no problem