Ml_work

I have a 5 yr old Koren Hornbeam I got in March, it did not have any leaves at that time. This is my first winter with it and I was reading about temps and protection. I know it must stay outside but I read to protect it from frost. We had an early frost last month, I see the leaves have turned a nice gold/yellow. I also read that the leaves stay on the Hornbeam throughout the winter. That is not the case with mine, they are coming off pretty fast. The fact it did not have any leave when I purchased it tells me that this type does lose its leaves. But I am asking could the frost have hurt it?

Thanks,
ML

Mattbonsai

Hi ML,

Hornbeam are like beech on the leaf factor, They will loose the dead leaves if they are sheltered and keep them if they're out in the open, with there being a lot of exceptions to the rule, for example you will see a hedge where most of it has dropped its leaves, but one plant in the hedge has kept it.

It's highly unlikely that the frost will of hurt it, normally with frost damage the damaged area goes black before dieing off completely.

-Matt-

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Ml_work

Matt......Thanks for the reply. I guess mine is an exception ....it is not sheltered..it is on the deck..but the leaves are all falling off. The don't look black, actually they are pretty nice. I wish they would stay throughout the winter.

Thanks
ML
How are things going since you moved?

Mattbonsai

Thats the main problem with beautiful autumn colours, they soon bugger off! even if the leaves stay on the tree like Fagus and Carpinus often do, they go boring and brown.

It's going great, Having a few withdrawal symptoms from all my trees, and tropical fish but otherwise its brill, hard work, with a few repetative essential tasks such as irrigation duty, but then lot's of laughs, and lot's of trees .

-Matt-

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bonsaidad

I do suppose that if you really are concerned about frost getting to it, then you could in fact bury the whole thing in the ground, and put some mulch around it.
I normally use straw, or better still grass cuttings for a mulch, and i have even used bark chips which has been mixed into the earth after the winter weather has passed.
But there are a number of other things that can be used for a mulch.



Best regards BD Paul

__________________
Old Chinese proverb says.
Go to bed with itchy bum.
Wake up with stinky finger.

Mattbonsai

Paul, I'd be cautious about using fresh grass clippings, I use fresh ones to kill off Nettles, Put a nice deep layer over the nettles and they weaken so much it's easy to pull em out, and that's if they don't die first.

But yeah a mulch over the pot is a great idea to protect yer trees, something that stays light and open such as bark, or leaf litter, something like cocoa fiber works well, although is becoming less readily available now.

-Matt-

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bonsaidad

Thanks Matt for the advice, and after that the grass clippings will be put into the compost bin.
I will probably buy a bag of bark chippings to put around the base of the trees, and rest the pots on the soil with bark chippings around them also.



Best regards BD Paul

__________________
Old Chinese proverb says.
Go to bed with itchy bum.
Wake up with stinky finger.

Ml_work

At this time I do not have too many trees. All of my "purchased" trees can come inside for a night or 2 if needed. The hornbeam will go in the car port for the winter after all leaves fall off.
Thanks,
ML

Mattbonsai

That's probably the best thing to do, All of my decids are going into an unheated greenhouse, with the door and vents left wide open (partially because the shed I normally use is getting torn down, and partially because I hate seeing good greenhouse space go un used)

-Matt-

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bonsaidad

I have a very small green house for the want of a better description, which is just two feet six wide, by two feet deep, by about five feet high, which is plenty of space for the time being.
My smaller trees will be going into there when the cold weather sets in, and rest there over the winter.
I will eventually scale up to a walk in type soon, but until then, this will do.



Best regards BD Paul

__________________
Old Chinese proverb says.
Go to bed with itchy bum.
Wake up with stinky finger.