Can Bonsai Trees Live Outside Winter
Therefore your bonsai must be maintained in a cool cold environment during the winter season.
Can bonsai trees live outside winter. When overwintering keep a close eye on your trees. More important is that bonsai trees from temperate climates need their period of winter dormancy but most species need some protection from frost and strong winds during that time. Many many bonsai are lost over winter and it does not have to be so a little bit of prudence and care will ensure. If you have the space a basement set up under lights will work.
The trees don t need much water when in dormancy so be careful not to water too often. Water only when the soil dries out. Even though your tree is cold hardy it will still require special care during the winter months. Most outdoor bonsai trees need sunlight for at least a few hours a day.
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. A bonsai is a living miniature tree and not a house plant. Outdoor bonsai must live outside because they need a dormant period in order to survive. When a tree grows in nature its roots are usually quite deep and protected by the soil.
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. These are outdoor trees only during the warm summer months in many temperate areas of the world. This can be accomplished in several ways. Can bonsai trees live outside in the winter.
A small greenhouse may be ideal. By following the proper procedures most cold climate bonsai can survive the harsh elements quite successfully. See the page on growing bonsai trees indoors. These trees have a pigment called phytochrome which resides in the leaves and bark of the tree.
To keep them outside during the winter would be fatal. Bonsai trees are not houseplants but rather trees that should be grown outdoors in all seasons. Without experiencing the winter temperatures bonsai trees will live only a few years. 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.
Also check your trees for insects and infections regularly. Since your bonsai is typically planted in a shallow container with limited soil it is more vulnerable to damage caused by colder temperatures. But preparing your bonsai plants for the winter is important even in warmer climates. Specific care of outdoor bonsai species.
The only exceptions to this need for dormancy are tropical and subtropical species.