Winter protection advice and what can I do during winter?

[sheepdawg]

Hello,

I have a couple ficus (not sure the species) that have lived under my patio for the past couple years, so they've been protected from the cold. I recently built a shade house for my plants and bonsai, mainly to give them some protection from the wind. It's approximately 2.5m x 2.5m with two sheds protecting it, one on the north-west side, another on the south-east side. Over this summer, I've also added a few other fig species (PJ fig, Hill's fig, MB fig, F. benjamina).
Do you think this will be adequate winter protection for my figs?

Also, what exactly can I do during winter? From general reading it seems that you mustn't touch your plants at all during winter. Can I still do maintenance pruning and re-potting (with little to no root disturbance, mainly up-potting with a little look around at surface roots)?

What about privet? As far as I understand they are much more tolerant of the cold, so can I do more work on these guys during winter? Nothing too major, I'm not talking about whole trunk chops, but maybe semi-major pruning and some root pruning.

Are there any species that steadily grow year round? And are there any that can be worked during winter? I've gotten really into bonsai this past summer and this autumn weather is starting to bum me out so I'm trying to get stuff together to keep myself busy with the hobby during the cooler months (I don't want to lose momentum and interest).

[sheepdawg]

Oh, btw coldest on record for toowoomba is -1.8c with an average annual low of 6.7c. I live north of toowoomba and it doesn't get as cold here. Just thought I'd provide some estimations on low temps

[shibui]

Sub tropicals are about the only trees you should avoid working on in winter. I prune and shape natives any time of year but avoid re-potting in cooler weather but, cooler part of the year can be the busiest time of year. As soon as the leaves are off the deciduous trees I will start to prune and thin and wire all the branches. Most temperate species can be re-potted from mid winter through to spring. You can prune and style and shape any conifers and deciduous trees in winter or summer.
-1.8 is too cold for ficus. I think benjamina is less tolerant than the others so give it extra protection. Most growers put them in a protected spot whenever forecast is for below 1 or 2 C. It gets a bit cooler down here so my figs stay in the unheated poly tunnel all year round.
The sheds might protect them from the wind but won't provide the heat that your house walls will. I think I'd put the figs back on the patio for winter. You could get some thermometers to monitor temps in both places to see just how cold the shadehouse gets compared to the patio.

If you only have figs then best to leave them alone over winter. Maybe you need to branch out and get some other species to give you something to do in winter

[sheepdawg]

Thanks shibiu. That's the record low, so I'm not too worried. I've lived here about 7 years and never experienced it coming close to freezing.

Any species recommendations? Preferably hardy plants because I am still new. I have a bald/swamp cypress that I love, are there any other plants like this?

And the privet? What can I do with that? Also any recommendations for a book on bonsai in Australia? All the stuff I've read has been targeted at the northern hemisphere where they get frigid winters. Thanks

[sheepdawg]

Oh yeah, figs also naturally grow around here and my local bonsai nursery (<5mins drive away) has figs too. So, it's not too cold for them, I'm just over thinking this since I moved them.

[kcpoole]

I live in western Sydney and we usually have a few nights that get down to 1 or 2.
The coldest I have seen is maybey -1 or 2,
I have quite a few large gum trees around which stop the frosts biting, so I leave all of my trees out where they are. nera the ground and fences they have not suffered as yet.

As for work, the only thing I do not do is repot tropicals thru winter.

Ken

[shibui]

Apart from figs which would have to be the hardiest species being used for bonsai and so quick to grow, some great bonsai species would be:
Trident maple - relatively hardy, easy to manage and quick to grow and a classic Japanese bonsai species. My favorite bonsai species and should suit the Toowoomba climate well.
Chinese juniper aka Shimpaku - hardy, easy to style and relatively low maintenance bonsai. Another Japanese classic species. Evergreen conifer with soft needles.
Chinese elm - Another classic bonsai species that is hardy and easy to grow and style.
Banksia - Aussie native. hardy and remarkably quick to produce thick trunks. Styling?
Others will have their own favorites and I have probably missed a couple of other easy ones as well but those above would be a great start for any beginner.
You mention you also have a swampy. They are hardy and easy to grow but I've found them frustrating to style into a believable tree shape.
Pines and Japanese maples are also bonsai favorites but far more demanding to maintain than the species above. I recommend leaving those ones until your skills and knowledge improve.

As far as the Privet goes they are horrible feral weeds in this area so I would not grow one as bonsai but they are pretty hardy and those who want to can dig up old, gnarled trunks and develop quite impressive bonsai from them. You should be able to prune and shape it any time of year though it is always easier to shape a tree without leaves so if it is a deciduous species, winter gives you a good look at the underlying structure so you can make better decisions as to shape and direction. I think the best re-potting time would be early spring but I suspect they would be hardy enough to root prune any time of year. Privet should be ok for most bonsai styles.

The only book I have specifically for Australia is Bonsai with Australian Native Plants by Dorothy and Vita Koreshoff. It only deals with Aussie native plants but is obviously specific to Aussie climate. It is a bit out of date now. More research and testing has led to changes in technique and timing with Aussie species. Not sure if it is still available but should turn up second hand.

Ficus Bonsai in the Temperate Climate - By Hoy Leong Kwong is also an Aussie produced book but only about ficus.
Ausbonsai is your most up to date reference especially for Aussie conditions. Just searching through different posts can give lots of info about bonsai growing in Aus. You should also check the attached Wiki - link on the menu above right. Some of our dedicated members have been busy trying to distil all there is to know about bonsai in Aus into easy to read pages.

[sheepdawg]

Thanks shibui!

I have a Japanese maple and just got a pine today

I'm going to look around for a Banksia

[sheepdawg]

Oh yeah, I know about privet because I'm an environmental management student. Wish I wasn't using it but I couldn't find anything else to collect after days of searching and my newbie fingers really wanted a thick trunk

[Jarad]

Leong also has a pine book, seeing as you now have one of those too.

And the Koreshoff books are a great start.