Hello, I just received three small junipers (about 6" tall) from Bonsai Outlet. They seem happy on my porch right now, but I have a couple of questions.

It's the end of September and I would like to prepare them for winter. Is it safe to repot them in a new pot with new bonsai soil? They arrived in what looks like regular potting soil. What else can I do to help prepare them for winter? I don't plan to prune them until the spring. Is it safe to wire them before that?

Apologies for my ignorance. I'm quite new to this. Thanks in advance.

What to do and when really depends on local climate, which means temperature, temperature swings, wind, etc. The best thing to do is find somebody roughly near you who does bonsai and find out what they do.

Rough guidelines would be keep them outdoors, and before too long make them some kind of shelter to keep wind off of them. Maybe dig a hole and put them in the ground to moderate temperature swings on the roots. If you want to go all out, build a little cold frame.

Junipers are tough. and they do fine in cold weather. Don't decide to take pity on them and bring them into the living room to save them from the discomfort of cold weather. They love it. It gives them a chance to go dormant for a long time.

Repotting is normally done in late winter to early spring. Distributing the tree when it is preparing for winter is not helping it.

Thank you both. I'll leave them in their current pots and soil and sort out a way to keep them protected out front for the winter. A cold frame sounds like a good project. I'll have to look into that.

Thank you again!

Doesnt michigan get a lot of snow normally? If thats the case, the snow is the best protection from both drying winds as well as low temperatures. Just make sure it is under the snow at all times and it will have a winter just like a wild tree in nature.