Dormancy and Indoor Bonsai
by Brent Walston
Introduction
The most difficult barrier to growing bonsai indoors is the need for a cold dormant period in temperate climate woody plants.
DORMANCY
Eventually as winter arrives, trees have completed their natural defensive system against the cold of winter; dormancy.
Dormancy: Your Plants May Need a Vacation
Here 's how to accomodate those hard working plants ...
Dormancy - Is the resting period for bonsai, where little or no growth is produced - usually autumn and winter months.
DORMANCY
Some trees require a period of dormancy as it is an essential part of their life cycles.
While dormant, you should check your tree for water once a week.
Bonsai Dormancy Period
If you have a bonsai that needs to be dormant during the winter months, there are a number of techniques you can use during the dormant period.
Dormancy - Periods of slowed or suspended growth activity.
Dwarf - A genetic mutation that produces small trees.
Drainage mesh - Plastic mesh that is used to cover the drainage holes in the bottom of Bonsai pots to prevent the loss of soil.
After dormancy requirements have been satisfied and the temperature is allowed to rise above 40 degrees F for more than a few days, temperate climate plants will begin to grow. This will occur even in total darkness.
During dormancy in the Winter, don't just trim the tree to your ideal shape/silhouette. Any further growth the following year will need removing to bring the branches back to within your ideal silhouette.
Bonsai Glossary: dormancy - Resting period for plants, during the winter months, where little or no growth is produced.
previous summer in their bodies and enter dormancy in this state. Generally
speaking, nothing but watering is necessary during this period. If your bonsai
tree is deciduous, you can simply keep it indoors or under the eaves. As you ...
Remember, the juniper needs to go into dormancy even if it considered an indoor plant. During its dormancy period, make sure there is some light getting to the tree, as it will die in total darkness.
Therefore, as long as the roots of Bonsai trees are protected, low temperatures are not a serious problem as the foliage protects it selves when it enters the period of dormancy.
This is the working theory behind this type of winter storage (in an area that: can get everything from a dusting of snow to feet of it, dry gale force winds for days, hot sunny weeks in Feb/March before the trees should break dormancy): ...
rubrum's very wide range, there is significant variation in hardiness, size, form, time of flushing, onset of dormancy, and other traits.
In late fall, deciduous plants have stopped supplying leaves with moisture, evergreens are slipping into dormancy, ambient temperatures are cooling, heat stresses are gone.
Common bonsai species (particularly those from the Japanese tradition) are temperate climate trees from hardiness zones 7 to 9, and require moderate temperatures, moderate humidity, and full sun in summer with a dormancy period in winter that may ...
The primary thing to remember about juniper bonsai trees is that they need dormancy during the winter months. Dormancy is like a hibernation or rest period that most trees of this kind need in order to recharge for the coming spring and summer.
They have different levels of dormancy than we see on deciduous trees. One sees a change in needle color in pines and junipers when they go into their dormancy.
That you can provide a dormancy period for your bonsai by keeping it in the refrigerator. Temperate climate bonsai trees need a dormancy period, of at least six weeks, in order to maintain their health and vigor.
- Ok, so, the most important point is to respect your tree's need for winter dormancy. Your tree will have it's own internal clock and by bringing your tree inside for protection over winter will actually result in your tree's eventual demise! ...
Deciduous bonsai trees annually shed their leaves in winter as they enter their winter dormancy period. Deciduous bonsai include Maple, Larch, Crabapple, Apricot, Hornbeam, Gingo, and many Elm species, to name a few.
It is easy to tell when they are approaching dormancy because the leaves change color and begin to fall off the tree. Dormancy is obvious when the tree has no leaves and the new buds haven't swollen yet.
Stratification is the process by which a seed breaks it dormancy and gets a cue to start germinating. Climate plays a major role in seed stratification.
Actually what happens is during a mild winter, the soil stays too warm, and the bulbs begin to come out of dormancy early.
Temperate trees, those requiring a cool dormancy period, such as maples, larch, pines and junipers will usually not live indoors.
Unlike the Serissa or Ficus, Junipers are not indoor plants. They are outdoor plants which require an annual period of dormancy (winter). Without a cold dormancy period in winter, a juniper will die or become very sick as it is unable to rejuvenate.
This is due to the tree breaking from dormancy and it’s growing period just starting. It’s advisable therefore to wait until later in the year when the sap flow has tailed-off and the growth of the Bonsai has slowed down.
A deciduous tree - one that loses its leaves in the winter - should be allowed its dormancy. A warm winter home might get it to continue growing at the wrong time of the year.
Wiring: Best wired in winter in plants dormancy, if wiring young shoots in spring or summer dont leave wire on for too long as it wil mark the shoots.
It will go on until autumn given the conditions when is tends to slow down as plants begin to take on dormancy. The remaining females will now turn RED (described by some of being more Orange than red) and find places to hibernate.
D Deciduous - a plant that sheds its leaves and enters a state of dormancy annually
E Eda - Japanese term for branch
evergreen - a tree that does not shed its leaves in winter ...
When trees don't have leaves until buds come out (When in dormancy) in winter, they don't need sunlight.
If you bring mini-bonsai into your room, they can't get enough sunlight when they are growing.
The plants may drop their leaves as a signal. As dormancy approaches, gradually decrease the supply of water. When a plant is fully dormant, cut back on water by about three quarters until new growth appears.
Woody - The description of a plant stem that has hardened and will not die off in winter conditions or during the plants dormancy.
Whether preparing the seeds artificially or allowing nature to do it for you, this breaks the seed's dormancy and leads to germination.
Full strength or Half strength or Gradual release (i.e., OsmocoteŽ or Grow PowerŽ)
Urea-based nitrogen fertilizers are slower released and safer acting.
When to apply? During growing seasons, not during dormancy, during pre-flower seasons.
Though many have had good luck with them indoors, it is actually taking them out of their natural environment. For those concerned with the extreme cold of winter, an unheated garage will keep the tree in its intended dormancy while out of the ...
XX - Frost free zones or warmer climates.
C - Cold climate, may need winter temperatures for dormancy
D - Deciduous, will loose leaves in winter.
F - Grown for flowers.
Berr - Grown for fruit or berries
A - Aussie native ...
Focus should be on dormancy, not stimulating growth. On deciduous trees, remove any wires that may be cutting in to avoid losing that branch during the winter. Remove any remaining leaves on deciduous trees.
Various methods must be employed, as each species of tree exhibits different budding behavior. Additionally, some pruning must be done seasonally, as most trees require a dormancy period and do not grow roots or leaves at that time; ...
Ultimately, pruning your bonsai trees roots should be done just before the growing season begins because that is when your cut root ends will begin to repair themselves. Pruning your roots too early in dormancy means the roots will be remain ...
Jones next door, come the winter pruning, it will be all the better. This leads onto the second facet of the horticultural reason behind the display of bonsai in the winter months - that of the use of dormancy.
The lights must be quite close to the plants and the length of day depends on the type of plant. One that needs winter dormancy needs a short day in the winter and a long one in the summer, ...
 See also: Bonsai, Plant, Tree, Growing, Species
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