AusBonsai

I have struggled to keep Silver Birches alive in Sydney, but I couldnt resist these two fat little bottoms! I had a conversation at Ray Nesci's place about putting iceblocks around cherry trees over winter to give them the chill they need to produce fruit, and another comment on my Instagram feed - @thymetraveller_ if you want to check it out - suggested keeping the birches in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 weeks over the winter. The suggestion being that it isn't the heat of summer that kills them, but rather the lack of properly cold dormancy.

Does anyone have any experience with these methods?
These two are certainly small enough to hibernate in my fridge for the winter, and if I can keep them alive, they have the makings of lovely little shohin trees!

Cheers
TT

No experience with hardwood/trees, but I did manage to freeze and kill an orchid by using the same method and giving it some Winter in the fridge.

First couple of nights in the fridge were fine.

I think the problem was that I watered it before putting it in for the third night. Seems that the water was pulled up into the leaves, the edges of which them froze and the innards of which were not happy either.


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If these are Silver Birch, then I'd be giving it a go too! This was from Luis Vallejo's farcebook page...

That picture looks like Carpinus (hornbeam) or leaves could also be beech but beech usually have smooth bark.

Not sure of the need for winter chill for birch. They are from colder climates so it is possible. Not sure about the practicality of ice on the soil. It would melt pretty quick so I'm not sure how effective that would be. Fridge may be possible. We do that for seed treatment. The trees will be dormant at that stage so there's no problem with it being dark in the fridge. Maybe they will think they are north of the arctic circle?
I have discussed the fridge with others for autumn colour but at that time they still have leaves and need sunlight as part of the process so need to go in at night and back outside for the day. One person tried it but gave up after a couple of days so I still don't know if it works.

My biggest problem with birch is dieback after pruning. Entire branches die back to the trunk after anything more than pinching the tips. Recently say a post from USA saying don't prune in winter. Summer pruning while the tree is active reduces dieback.

I too have lost a branch or two of my birches from time to time.
One issue I have come across that I do my best to avoid is letting any buds break and start to gain momentum from branch crotches or near to the trunk.
This will apparently divert vigour and can cause die-back of branches.

Nup, nada - if my wife finds bonsai in the fridge that will be the end of everything - she humours my hobby now but a tree on the shelf next to the cheese and wine ... game over. I’m unsubscribing to this thread - too dangerous.


Bonsai teaches me patience.
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Lol very familiar story. Seeds galore stratifying in the fridge in manageable, but it ends there.

A bloke on a maple forum was growing a japanese maple in Qatar???!!
He was advised to put it in the fridge during qatars summer and take it out during their winter.

MJL wrote:Nup, nada - if my wife finds bonsai in the fridge that will be the end of everything - she humours my hobby now but a tree on the shelf next to the cheese and wine ... game over. I’m unsubscribing to this thread - too dangerous.


Bonsai teaches me patience.
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Mark you crack me up!

TimS wrote:

MJL wrote:Nup, nada - if my wife finds bonsai in the fridge that will be the end of everything - she humours my hobby now but a tree on the shelf next to the cheese and wine ... game over. I’m unsubscribing to this thread - too dangerous.


Bonsai teaches me patience.
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Mark you crack me up!

Cheers Tim. Important to find time to smile, laugh and reflect on the muse of Bonsai. And hey, there’s not much I can offer in terms of technical expertise ... glad I can offer something back to the forum every now and then. Life’s too serious to be serious all the time.
[WINKING FACE]


Bonsai teaches me patience.
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