Since we're on this cold winter topic. Jim.....you mentioned leaving your
sprinklers on..... which made me think about my trees out in the cold. i
have my japanese maple..cotton easter...collected field maple and oak...
chinese elm and chinese juniper all outside.... they are protected by the
wind..and in mulch.. the temps have been consistently below freezing...
although i havent seen anything below zero yet... except for wind chills.
arent most hardy species pretty safe untill about 5 below?? (being
sheltered from wind of course)
my question..... does watering them now.... help??? I know water releases
some heat when frozen and the fruit farmers down there in florida use this
technique of icing thir trees to protect them.

steve northeast pa

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No, watering frozen trees doesn't help: they can't absorb it. Light
sprinkling of trees kept indoors is OK because the humidity level is low,
but outdoor material is better off without it.
Marty (where the temp. hit 10F the past 3 nights)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Wolfinger"
To:
Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 9:25 AM
Subject: [IBC] watering in the cold

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++++Sponsored, in part, by Jerry Meislik++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Since we're on this cold winter topic. Jim.....you mentioned
leaving your
sprinklers on..... which made me think about my trees out in
the cold. i
have my japanese maple..cotton easter...collected field maple
and oak...
chinese elm and chinese juniper all outside.... they are
protected by the
wind..and in mulch.. the temps have been consistently below
freezing...
although i havent seen anything below zero yet... except for
wind chills.
arent most hardy species pretty safe untill about 5 below??
(being
sheltered from wind of course)
my question..... does watering them now.... help??? I know
water releases
some heat when frozen and the fruit farmers down there in
florida use this
technique of icing thir trees to protect them.


Spraying your trees will keep the ambient temperature in the soil
and the branches, etc. at about 32 degrees F -- UNTIL
temperatures drop below about 5 degrees F. Below that, the
insulation value of the ice drops precipitously -- or so I'm
told; I hope never to have to test it out.

I regularly leave my sprinklers on when we have sudden
temperature drops, and have never lost a tree from the cold.
HOWEVER, the weight of the ice on the branches can do some
unwanted styling.

But for yours which are already mulched and adjusted (or not) to
the cold, I don't think you'd get any benefit from icing them.

But I'm here and you're there. You will do a LOT better talking
to a local bonsaiest and taking his or her advice.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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++++Sponsored, in part, by Jerry Meislik++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++