Hi everyone, I'm new to bonsai; my only experience is growing a few deciduous trees collected from around the area. Ha maybe I should say, at this point they are trees growing in pots, that someday might be a bonsai.

Anyways with little experience in this art, I was given a juniper as a Christmas present.

Now I live in New England mind you, in Massachusetts to exact; and it's below freezing out.

Guessing I'd have to say the juniper has been inside for at least a month, if not longer.

So my question is, I thought junipers had to winter over outdoors? If this is true, should I just go from 65-17 degrees , and chuck it out on the porch.
Or should I leave it in the hall for a night (where it is much cooler) and then move it outside in the morning sun. And let it settle down that way, or just do nothing at all and leave on the windowsill?

Hey, I'm new to this forum as well and am not a seasoned bonsai veteran but just in case nobody else replies to you, I've heard from others its good to wrap the pot in bubble wrap or some other type of insulator if you're going to leave it out in the cold. You definitely don't want the dirt and root system to freeze. If you can transition it back to the cold I'm sure it wouldn't hurt it.

chbrja wrote: Hey, I'm new to this forum as well and am not a seasoned bonsai veteran

I've heard from others

:dry:

its good to wrap the pot in bubble wrap or some other type of insulator if you're going to leave it out in the cold. You definitely don't want the dirt and root system to freeze. If you can transition it back to the cold I'm sure it wouldn't hurt it.

Wrapping it in bubble wrap or some other type of insulator will NOT prevent the dirt and root system to freeze.
However, Junipers are outdoor plants. Mine are outside, unprotected. Many trees have evolved to withstand freezing temperatures.
This doesn't mean you shouldn't protect the plant, if it gets REALLY cold, an unheated area would work.

Putting it outside now will be tricky. It is not accustomed to low temperatures. Soyou are better off putting it ins a light, well lit cool place untill frost abates. It should have been outside all the time.

Ignore comments on roots not being allowed to be frozen. All my junipers have faced -10C this week, and are now covered in snow & ice after a front passed through overnight. They love it and will come back to growth in Spring.