"just me" wrote in message
...
zoomer mentioned in passing :
My initial thought is that the artificial indoor temp and light
caused an extended growing season.
A cold chamber outside (box in the ground with translucent cover)
would protect it from frost and still give the right light
and temp to put it into dormancy. It could also cause the green house
effect so give the cold box good ventilation.
Here in the Mojove Desert of CA it gets into the teens at night for a
week at a time several times between dec and feb. My
yard tree does just fine. For a bonsai, the roots need protection
(blanket or cold box) that my yard tree gets
naturaly from the ground its in. You could prabably put your bonsai
into dormancy if you put it outside with some protection.
I have some pre-bonsai (ginkgos, maples, oaks . . .) that I pushed
all the leaves from my yard around (mulch would work too).
Hmmm . . maybe the extra growth you are seeing can be used to fill
in where there is a need. Your bonsai may need (I don't know)
dormancy in order to flower next spring.
Robert -
I had wondered about the light thing, too. I originally placed it in the
dining room, where it received natural light via a southern window as well
as a lot of artificial light in the evenings. I moved it in early
December
to a room where it receives almost no artificial light [due to useage
patterns] and direct natural light from a western window. Hasn't seemed
to
change it. That probably leaves the temperature, which we're running
around
68, I think. That is lower than the temp at which it dropped its leaves
in
Florida. Your idea about a cold frame is interesting, but I'm afraid to
try
it as we have seen minus 40 here and I'm just not sure the cold frame
would
protect it. Its +4 as I type and will probably not rise much above that
today. Oh well....maybe it can be a year round tree.
THanks for your input. The question is intriguing and your thoughts might
be spot on!
-Aula
--
The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend. Henri-Louis
Bergson (1859-1941) French philosopher Believe nothing because it is
written in books. Believe nothing because wise men say it is so.
Believe nothing because it is religious doctrine. Believe it only
because you yourself know it to be true. - Buddha
Minus 40! That is really c-c-c-cold . . . you're right to not trust a cold
frame.
If you can't get info from this newsgroup, try talking to one of the clubs.
I just joined
http://www.absbonsai.org/ They may be able
to give you some real info.
Robert, Mojave Desert ;^ )