I'll chime in here, FWIW. I'm a newbie - this is my first full summer in
the sport - and I kept seeing responses like Jim's and Nina's to questions
about indoor trees. So, I bought a Metal Halide light and set up an area in
the basement with that and a humidifier. I have a few different varieties
of Ficus, some Serrisa, Fukien Tea,etc. and they were all doing great under
the lights at about 60% humidity (putting on new growth, nice and green...).
So I started thinking all this stuff about having trees inside was simply
preference or exageration. Then, I put my "indoor trees" outside in late
spring...there is simply no comparison. They are growing so fast I can
hardly keep up with them. My conclusion? Having trees indoors during the
fall and winter is nice - gives me trees to play with all year and helps to
extend what is a pretty short growing season here - but they are going
outside every spring as soon as it's safe!

Jeff Isom
Cleveland, OH / Sunset Zone 39

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Lewis ]
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 2:45 PM
To:
Subject: [IBC] Indoor trees (was: [IBC] Another beginner to
Bonsai(help?))


Check our FAQ. There's a nice list of "indoor" bonsai -- defined
as trees that will grow indoors if you insist upon it, but --
weather permitting -- would prefer to be outside.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - The phrase
'sustainable growth' is an oxymoron. - Stephen Viederman


The first thing you need to understand is that
there are indoor and outdoor trees.

Which are indoor ones?


Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - The phrase
'sustainable growth' is an oxymoron. - Stephen Viederman

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

I think the one item we need to at least remind everyone (especially
bonsai beginners) as part of this thread is the concept of dormancy.
Most of what we consider outdoor plants and even some of what we
consider indoor plants do need a period of dormancy each year. It
varies by plant and region. As Jeff said plants can live inside and
usually thrive outside in summer but only certain plants should be kept
in a warm indoor area for winter. Others will not be happy campers if
they need a winter cool dormancy period and are instead moved into a
warm indoor area for winter. Again this is sort of where my loose
definition of indoor and outdoor seems to get a little clearer, at least
in general.

Thanks Jeff....
wmcorcor

== From: Isom, Jeff (EM, PTL) ]
== I have a few different
== varieties
== of Ficus, some Serrisa, Fukien Tea,etc. and they were all doing
great
== under
== the lights at about 60% humidity (putting on new growth, nice and
== green...).
== So I started thinking all this stuff about having trees inside was
== simply
== preference or exageration. Then, I put my "indoor trees" outside in
== late
== spring...there is simply no comparison. They are growing so fast I
can
== hardly keep up with them. My conclusion? Having trees indoors
during

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

I think the one item we need to at least remind everyone (especially
bonsai beginners) as part of this thread is the concept of dormancy.
Most of what we consider outdoor plants and even some of what we
consider indoor plants do need a period of dormancy each year. It
varies by plant and region. As Jeff said plants can live inside and
usually thrive outside in summer but only certain plants should be kept
in a warm indoor area for winter. Others will not be happy campers if
they need a winter cool dormancy period and are instead moved into a
warm indoor area for winter. Again this is sort of where my loose
definition of indoor and outdoor seems to get a little clearer, at least
in general.

Thanks Jeff....
wmcorcor

== From: Isom, Jeff (EM, PTL) ]
== I have a few different
== varieties
== of Ficus, some Serrisa, Fukien Tea,etc. and they were all doing
great
== under
== the lights at about 60% humidity (putting on new growth, nice and
== green...).
== So I started thinking all this stuff about having trees inside was
== simply
== preference or exageration. Then, I put my "indoor trees" outside in
== late
== spring...there is simply no comparison. They are growing so fast I
can
== hardly keep up with them. My conclusion? Having trees indoors
during

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

"Corcoran. Bil" wrote:

I think the one item we need to at least remind everyone (especially
bonsai beginners) as part of this thread is the concept of dormancy.
Most of what we consider outdoor plants and even some of what we
consider indoor plants do need a period of dormancy each year. It
varies by plant and region. As Jeff said plants can live inside and
usually thrive outside in summer but only certain plants should be kept
in a warm indoor area for winter. snip

Thanks Jeff....
wmcorcor

Thanks Bill. I would draw the distinction there too. I bring my tropicals and
sub-tropicals inside so they'll survive, not because I want to grow them indoors
year-round. Like Jeff, the moment it's warm enough at night, they're outside. An
example is my S. African Puzzle Bush (Ehretia rigida). It is a very fast growing
tree and requires a lot of water. Watering issues become a little more complicated
in the winter as we know, so it defoliates at least once during the winter, which
obviously slows down growth. Right now, though, it is putting on girth on the
trunk and growing branches and leaves right and left. It's outside in full sun. I
doubt I could reproduce those conditions indoors economically. My tropicals do
well under fluorescent lights, but it isn't outdoors. Then, there are ventilation
issues.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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