Well, it’s that time again – Winter! Old Jack Frost will be blowing all over the US soon. Ok, except for those ideal climates on the West Coast that are in a special climate zone. Not only did we all learn that San Francisco is in an eternal spring this year, I also spoke with someone from Vancouver, Canada who said their average yearly temperature is 70 degrees. So, except from you guys and gals on the West Coast who are thumbing your noses at the rest of us, we all need to prepare for Winter.

There is two things you should be thinking right now: location and fertilizer.

If you are in the South, you probably had your tropical’s outside until recently. As the temperatures drop, it’s a good idea to bring them inside because they like warm, moist environments. Some like more sun than others, but warm, moist environments are a necessity. So, where is a warm moist environment in your home? Even if it’s the bathroom, that’s where your plants need to be. You may even need to run a humidifier. Remember, the heaters remove the moisture from the air, so, even though your house may be warm, the plants probably won’t have a proper environment. You will have to create one for them.

For outdoor varieties, like deciduous maples, elms, etc. you have 3 options: leave them where they are; bury them, pot and all, in the ground; or move them to the garage or a cold room that is insulated from extremely low temperatures. If you have quality Japanese pots, and you live in a temperate climate, then you can most likely leave them outside where they are. If you expect a lot of snowfall and freezing temperatures, then you can either bury them in the ground pot and all, or bring them inside. By burying them in the ground, you are utilizing the grounds ability to retain heat. The ground will not freeze as fast, or as deep as the soil in an exposed plant in a pot will. Inside a garage is a good alternative for your plants, but there is usually not a lot of light in garages. True, the plants will be in a dormant, to semi-dormant state and will not use a lot of light, but some varieties still track photoperiod, or length of the day to know when to come out and start growing again in spring.

As to fertilizer, you should tattoo this on your arm if you need to because as long as you grow bonsai you must always remember: six (6) weeks before the first frost, you should start giving your bonsai 0-10-10 fertilizer. The low nitrogen helps the plant focus on strengthening the roots during the winter and prepares it for nice quality growth in the spring. This is an absolute must for winterizing regardless of the variety. I do it with tropical’s too because during the winter, the tropical’s aren’t going to be growing much, there isn’t enough light. So all you are essentially trying to do is keep them happy enough so all the leaves don’t fall off. Again, you need humidity to make sure of that.

So remember, start fertilizing your bonsai now with 0-10-10 and prepare a place to move them, or identify what exactly you are going to do with them over the winter. They don’t need much over the winter, just your protection. If you take care of them, they will pay you back in the spring with lush foliage and fantastic growth – for a bonsai. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

Sincerely,

Fred Meyer