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| Hi,
I have a baby blue spruce that I started growing from a little puff of needles in my flower bed this past summer. It's now a foot tall and I'm wondering whether it could be brought inside for the winter or does it need the cold to survive? I'm thinking about bonsai trees and that they must stay in the house but this isn't going to be a bonsai. Thank you very much.
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| It needs to be outside. Bringing it into your heated home will kill it. Most bonsai trees are left outdoors in the winter. Only tropical or semi-tropical species should be brought indoors for the winter. |
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| Brandon, out of curiosity why do you think it will die? |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Dec 10, 11 at 18:03
| if it had been properly tempered.. from warm to warm house.. it could have come in for the short xmas season .. 2 weeks max but last night i had 17 degrees in my z5.. and if i brought it in today to a 70 degree house.. it would go into shock .. besides the fact that mom implies she would have to dig it out of the garden ... and pot it.. so add transplant shock ... i suspect brandon was referring to her leaving it in the house all winter ... he can correct me if i am wrong .... and it is not a tropical based year around plant that grows.. but i dont know the science as to whether they have a requisite dormancy period ... so it would have to go back outside to have any real long term hope for life ... so my answer is.. it could have been done if the process started in sept .. potted then.. keep temperate in the garage.. brought into a very cool house.. with all heating ducts closed off in the room for the 2 weeks .. with added humidity if using a forced air furnace ... it would be a lot easier to go to wallyworld and buy one for $10 bucks and throw it out when it looks ratty .... ken |
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| "It's now a foot tall and I'm wondering whether it could be brought inside for the winter or does it need the cold to survive? " Yes, it does need the cold to survive. |
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| Cathy, though your blue spruce requires outdoor living, you will still have to provide some protection since it's in a container. You can't allow the roots to freeze solid for weeks and weeks. Perhaps next spring, you can select a place to plant it in your yard. As for bonsai, it is only those varieties that are made from houseplant (tropicals) that are kept inside. All others require cold storage. |
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