Hi

I live in Norway and here we can get down to -15C or 5 fahrenheit during winter. I have some pine trees that I am training to be bonsais at different stages (seedlings and half mature trees). I keep them in pots and I am wondering what do do during winter. I know that most people say to put them into a greenhouse, but I dont have this luxury. I could however dig the pots into the ground for the winter if that helps. The trees would most likely get covered completely or almost by snow. Would they survive that?What would be the best way of doing that? Do I need to put a cover onto the trees?
I also have a basement, but thats probably not a good idea as they would get no sun there and we have long winter (snow from november/december and usually until May).

Any suggestions?

Cheers

I will also add that I have the Austrian pine and scots pine

Hej lillebror

Scott pine is absolutelly no problem outside. Just put it on the ground and let the snow do what the snow does in nature, cover and protect the tree. I would think austrian pine is the same, but no own experience with tha species.

Hälsningar från Sverige!

The best thing to do is to find a club close to you and talk with them. Find out what the people near you do, and do the same. In particular, find out what the ones with a lot of old trees do, since what they do works.

Ivan Mann wrote: The best thing to do is to find a club close to you and talk with them. Find out what the people near you do, and do the same. In particular, find out what the ones with a lot of old trees do, since what they do works.

Good advice. In general. Do not go by the advice from people whose trees you do not know. Talk is cheap.

Well. Looking for local advice is sure a good way to go. Excluding people that made it thrue several winters in your area with healthy trees because someone dont think the tree is up to their standards in terms of design is a terrible misstake.

If you are in southern Norway our climate is similar. Some people in the club keep pine trees frost free in heated greenhouse, some keep them in unheated greenhouse and some dont even take them off the benches. There are many years experience in all three overwintering methods and its not even a debate about it. All works and it is a matter of personal preferences. Last winter I moved my pines into the unheated greenhouse when it was below -14 and no snow. That is possibly the most stressful situation for a pine.