What is the coldest your Bonsai have experienced?

[Grant Bowie]

Hi Everyone,

In Canberra on 11th June we had a minus 5 or 6 degrees celcius. The following day ranged from 0 degrees to 3 and a bit.

At the NBPCA we sustained light frost damage to one tree (a Banksia aemula ;Swamp banksia) which survived OK last year but with a mild start to winter then a good freeze this year it was probably not totally hardened off this year. It will recover no problems as only some recent new growth was affected and this can be trimmed off in a month or two.

I know of some colder temps here in Canberra in other years but how about elsewhere?

[Bretts]

I think we have not gotten down to our normal low temps here this year. I had Tridents in full leaf and still growing only a week ago. I think we have gotten as low as 0 once this year but we usually get a fair share below 0.

[Grant Bowie]

I was speaking to one of our volunteers and he remembers a minus 9 degrees in Canberra. That sort of cold could do some damage. But he has lived here over fifty years so I suppose it is going to happen every so often.

I read that Japanese maples can die at around minus 12 in nursery pots so I hope we never get that cold.

[kcpoole]

Coldest ever for me is -2.3

This year only down to +5 or so yet

[Grant Bowie]

Coldest ever for me is -2.3

This year only down to +5 or so yet

Luxury

[kcpoole]

Coldest ever for me is -2.3

This year only down to +5 or so yet

Luxury

There was a bloke on Bonsaitalk a few years ago from Cairns that used to laugh at me when I told him I ride Motorbike in winter with temps down to zero a few times a year. Thoughe it was a great joke when he said he was cold when it got to the low 20's on a winters morning

RIP Taipan

Ken

[scott]

We get pretty similar lows to Canberra here in Orange. So much depends on micro-climate though as I'm sure you've found too Grant. Get something in a sunny spot with a big thermal mass like a brick wall behind it and your growing options vastly increase! I left a fig outside in a sheltered spot against a wall all last winter and although it was looking a little second hand by the end it came through ok.

[Grant Bowie]

In Orange you get snow most years I believe as you are at around 1,000 mtrs altitude. That would be very pretty.

In Canberra I grow my figs inside for about 6 months so there is no possibility of damage to the figs. From Anzac day to sometime in October, although some say Anzac Day to Remembrance Day; ie late April till early November.

[aaron_tas]

i've had a minus three in my backyard this year, and i think it's gonna be a freak cold one...

[Scott Roxburgh]

Minus 7 at mine just outside of canberra! I hope it doesn't get any colder!

In a side note I had to walk across the tarmac at the Canberra Airport that morning...the only time I've been colder was in Canada!!!

As I said, I hope it doesn't get any colder both for the trees and us!

[scott]

We usually get at least 1 reasonable fall of snow each winter. One day I'll try and get a photo of my trees with a dusting of snow, would make a great pic!

One thing that hasn't been mentioned in this thread are techniques for "cold proofing" your trees. I've been told by a couple of different people that watering with seasol in the lead up to winter gives them some protection from frost damage. Possibly the salts it contains?

[Ash]

Probably 14 or 15 degrees C here in tropical Queensland. When it gets that cold I go and look for my one and only jacket before I water in the morning, but usually I can't find it because it is packed away somewhere.

[aaron_tas]

good work ash

[stymie]

We are in the highest temperatures of the year just now in the UK. We got up to a sweltering 22C yesterday. Our winters are usually wet as well as cold. -4C to -6C is about the coldest that we've had in recent years. My F. benjamina, Crassula, Caffea and Schefflera stay in an East facing window all year. F. retusa is outside and will need to come in out of the cold by September. I'll look for a snowy shot from last winter to include for you.

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That is on a flat roof of my property. No, it isn't a castle before you ask, just an extension of a villa.

[Grant Bowie]

Thanks for the photos.

Looks like you win the prettiest post so far, even if not the outright coldest.

Do you ever get any damage on those left out all winter? and do you do anything special to winter profo them?