Prepare your Bonsai for winter [succesfully overwinter bonsai]

Fall is ending. Winter is coming and it is time to decide how to overwinter your bonsai.
Making a winter wash:
• Winter wash - 3 types
Protecting against frost video:
• Winter Protection of B...
What kills bonsai in winter video:
• What kills bonsai in w...
0:00 In fall prepare bonsai for winter
0:55 What type of bonsai
1:13 Overwintering Tropical bonsai [Indoor bonsai]
1:50 Overwintering Mediterranean Bonsai [Olive, pomegranate, bougainvillea]
2:42 Overwintering Hardy temperate bonsai overwintering
5:00 In winter do not..: Remove wire & insulate pots
6:05 Prevent Insect damage over winter
7:03 Winter sprays for bonsai
7:50 Making a winter spray solution of oil or lime sulfur
8:20 When to apply a winter spray
9:07 Tips for using winter oil on evergreen bonsai
10:16 Very cold Winter Bonsai care
10:30 How I overwinter my bonsai
11:50 Last Tips for winter care of bonsai

[@jeffhurst4744]

A very nice overview of winter season needs or recommendations for overwintering you bonsai. Very appropriate in fall. Thank you.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you much Jeff!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I think the only thing I would add is that I do greenhouse all of my mame sized trees and the chinese elms. Mostly stuff just gets grouped together in corners of the garden where they are protected from wind. Nicely presented Jelle

[@GrowingBonsai]

Nice addition. I do not bother tbh with greenhouse for smaller trees. In the end, they are still trees :)

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Mine is based purely on bad experiences in the earlier years. I have the space so do it naturally now. I'm probably a bit over protective now :)@@GrowingBonsai

[@bigtomatoplantslover6205]

Wow Wonderful Bonsai ~ Thank you for good sharing LIKE 261 My friend, have a good relationship 😊

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you too

[@gavinbuckner5659]

Thanks Jelle, we love you

[@GrowingBonsai]

Ohw thanks Gavin!

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Great video Jelle 🙏

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you 🙌

[@mattbrennan647]

ESP….I literally just watched your previous video on this topic. Perfect timing. Thanks, keep growing

[@GrowingBonsai]

Great timing! I hope I did not contradict myself too much!

[@bealight5141]

beautiful space and trees, thanks for sharing 🙏

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thanks for visiting

[@nickrobson2753]

All very informative. I've often wondered about a winter wash for my fruit trees too. So will make a big batch of the oil solution. I only have 4 trees in pots but around 70 young trees in grow beds down my allotment. Shouldn't take too long to spray 70 sticks though 😊

[@GrowingBonsai]

:) Have fun!

[@bobbymalta73]

Thank You.

[@GrowingBonsai]

You're welcome

[@mcbabs7495]

Le sujet est intéressant, merci pour la vidéo!

[@GrowingBonsai]

You're very welcome!

[@OjaiBonsai]

Cheers from Ojai California

[@GrowingBonsai]

Greetings from Munsterland, Germany!

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

I'm jealous! I'm still trying to master overwintering. Your information matches what I have recently learned from the tree farm here. We have a commercial grower. They grow from seed. Mostly Black and white spruce to tree planters doing reforestation. The first year seedlings in plugs are packed up in Styrofoam boxes and packed into cold storage. They overwinter their trees at a steady -5C. I am going to try their methods this year. They said for me, with my one year seedling to take them into the house. They become cold hardy at year three in a pot. In the ground at their second year, they are cold hardy once the roots reach a certain depth. I had the most trees survive last winter. Likely just luck as it was a mild winter. -20C here in winter is only for short periods. Except last winter! But normally we stay in the -30s with minimum 2 weeks, up to 6 weeks in the -40s Celsius. Fall is late this year. Still no snow.... It is due this week. Late season!

[@GrowingBonsai]

That is cold! How do you handle the -40?

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

@@GrowingBonsai Dress in many layers or stay in bed Haha! Actually, it is pretty dry usually at those temperatures. You feel it when you breathe in. It will freeze the inside of your nose. You can get burn on your skin. You can not touch metal with bare skin as it will burn your hand the same as heat. Sometimes work is cancelled because, even when plugged in/Wabasto on, the trucks and machines won't start. The oil is too cold and thick. School is also cancelled at those temperatures. So the kids are not standing outside waiting for the bus. If the bus even starts. It's good to have a period of cold like this as it kills the bugs, like ticks, mosquitoes, invasive insects etc. That can survive a mild winter like we had last winter. This past summer, we could not enjoy the outdoors because the biting insects were so bad. So numerous...

[@JaniLaaksonen91]

It's my second winter with this hobby. Last winter I just brought all the trees inside on a window sill. Now there's too many trees to fit inside. I live in Finland so I'm worried if we have a cold winter, will they survive. I bought a mini greenhouse from Lidl layed it sideways on the ground and put my trees in there. I filled the floor with pine needles between the pots and covered the soil/needles with aluminium foil to further insulate from the air. After watching this video I got worried because the whole thing is an a direct sun light. I thought it would be a good thing to have at least some of the light of the short nordic winter days.

[@GrowingBonsai]

DIrect sun is really an issue in small enclosed areas. My greenhouse gets into the 20c on frosty, sunny days.. But yeah, when it gets colder than -10 for longer periods of time, some more protection is needed. Note, if you have lots of snow, allow your trees to receive a blanket which will go a long way in protecting the tree.

[@JaniLaaksonen91]

@@GrowingBonsai Ok, thank you. I'll let the snow pile up on it and if we don't get enough snow until the colder temperatures hit, I'll cover it a bit with something. Next year I'll place it in sahdier spot.

[@jyudy7dytcjux]

Good morning Joelle, thank you for the reminder to spray for pests before winter. Besides bugs, have you ever had problems with mice, voles, rabbits nibbling bonsai twigs over winter? I've had to surround certain trees with barriers.

[@GrowingBonsai]

I have had the problem one winter, when I stored trees in a shed. But we get very little snow, which allows for our cats and dogs to sanitize between the trees :)

[@koenvanmeerbeeck8724]

very informative again...thanks. What about watering? do you still water the trees in winter?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Sometimes. But most f the time it is very wet here. But trees in a shelter do need water when the substrate gets dry.

[@sueb1317]

Great info and well timed! Glad to know that junipers can be sprayed with lime sulfur - I've wanted to try, but have been afraid. Do you use lime sulfur or dormant oil on broad leaf evergreens? What species would you avoid treating?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad it was helpful! I have seen videos of growers in Japan, where they do a lime-sulfur dip on junipers!

[@pietervaneycken9505]

Hi Jelle, tx for the reminder to spray, don´t you protect the roots when spraying ? Either for the oily stuff or for the lime sulfur ? Protection against runoffs or droplets falling on the soil...

[@GrowingBonsai]

I do not, no. But the drip-off is minimal, normally.

[@snejinka_in]

Great video as always ! About the lime sulfur winter wash, is it damageable on the roots if it drips into the soil?

[@GrowingBonsai]

It is something to be avoided as much as possible. But a drip here and there is no problem. Just do not go and drench the soil

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👑🙂

[@GrowingBonsai]

:)

[@uchimartos7674]

Hi Jelle, very nice video and thank you for your advices! Can all tree species be treated with lime sulfur? Greetings

[@GrowingBonsai]

I have not come across species that should not be sprayed with it. Just do not combine it with an oil spray.

[@lolpwndk]

I'm growing on a balcony, southern faced, which has got sides, a roof and a front (obviously) so wind isnt really an issue. How would you over winter i this case? Ive got most of my trees in pond baskets/net pots

[@GrowingBonsai]

Depends a lot on winter weather though!

[@lednus7196]

Great video! Bougainvillea is native to Brazil though, not a mediterranean species.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Absolutely! I think I used the term mediteranean too loosely. In my perspective I try to refer to species that are not purely tropical, but are certainly not temperate!

[@rikkid6]

How do you clean the algie before winter? I have alot thus fall.

[@GrowingBonsai]

I use a small brush to clean smooth trunks, in combination with the anti-algea liquid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n52xnK2gnZWgsNE

[@vallvds]

The only lime sulphur I can find is 29% solution for treating horses. Could this be used as overwinter treatment of trees? If so, how much further to dilute it?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I have heard about this animal dip. I have never seen it here. I would go with the same dilution: The "pure" stuff is also a solution

[@richardmutt1033]

Hi Jelle, why you don’t cut the sacrifice branch while the tree is fully dormant? It is not better as the energy is stored in the roots?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I hear that more often. I prefer to have the tree actively growing when making larger cuts, as the tree can only then respond to the cut and compartmentalize. Note that reserves are stored in all woody parts of the tree. Roots is only part of it.

[@richardmutt1033]

@@GrowingBonsai thanks for the answer. Have a nice day!

[@rudyboyful]

Do you keep your olive trees inside?

[@GrowingBonsai]

My olives are outside, untill after a few nights of frost. AFter that, it will be in an unheated garage for frost periods. Our winters are mild (USDA 7a)

[@gayefanner731]

A nice easygoing, uncomplicated yet informative video. That’s ‘my’ Jelle ! God bless you🙏✝️. ✌️🇷🇺☮️🇺🇦✌️. ✌️🤍🇮🇱🤍✌️

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad it was helpful! Glad to see you still around!