Author Topic: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?  (Read 1861 times)

Vlad

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Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« on: May 25, 2019, 10:23:19 AM »
I am about to move to a new home and cannot take my greenhouse with me. I will have only a few areas with plenty of sun and so am considering overwintering them in the basement. However, the basement has few windows and so is rather dark.
Will I be able to successfully over winter them in semi-dark?
At what temperature?
« Last Edit: May 25, 2019, 10:25:43 AM by Vlad »

brian

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2019, 01:07:12 PM »
I recall there was a thread about this a year or so ago.  If I remember correctly the plants did fine for months but started to decline somewhat towards the end.  I don't know the final outcome.

I left all my trees in my dark basement for a month last winter when I was in India.  They did fine.  Temps were around 60F and I had my brother water them once or twice.

Laaz

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2019, 01:32:40 PM »
They can handle it for a period, but need very little water. Months, I would say you're risking it...

Millet

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2019, 03:39:51 PM »
The European castle of old that did not have greeneries, commonly just put their citrus trees in the castle basements in almost total darkness during the winter months.  A Google search would probably bring up accounts of this method.

Laaz

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2019, 08:23:43 AM »
I can tell you when I had those health issues, I left my trees in the dark garage for just over a month in the winter & they did start to drop a lot of leaves. They were watered well & left outside for a few days prior to putting them in the garage. My garage is very cool in the winter and has no windows.

Vlad

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2019, 09:15:02 AM »
Thank you all for your comments. I have been to the orangery at the Luxembourg gardens and saw that it has a lot of windows and therefore much light. It is the same for other orangeries I have seen online.
Looks like i will have to provide supplemental light. Any ideas about how I might achieve the right balance of light and temperature?

Laaz

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2019, 09:44:03 AM »
LED would probably be the most cost effective. I doubt you would have to supply heat unless it drops below freezing in the basement.

Marcin

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2019, 01:38:35 PM »
My citrus spent the winter in a dark basement. To give them some light, I installed a simple led flashlight and connected it with solar panel. Every day they received 1-2 hours of white light. Nearly no watering. No heating. The lowest temperature in the basement was about 0 °C, possibly -1 °C. The highest measured was about 6 °C. They spent three months underground.

Most of them did fine, except for the most frost sensitive like citron and lime. Satsumas, kumquats and ichangensis didn't lose a single leaf.



lebmung

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2019, 06:26:24 AM »
I overwintered with success at 4-8C semi dark basement, 100 lux for one month, more then that they will die. This doesn't apply to limes.

adriano2

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2019, 03:04:54 AM »
some of my citrus overwintered in semi dark (garage) without problems, but those placed on the balcony facing south (closed behind removable glass which is more often open than closed) lost most of the leaves.
This happens every year and i just do not know why. They have more air and light than those in garage and bigger pots. 

Sylvain

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2019, 06:00:40 AM »
WLD.
Even full dark is better than full sun.

adriano2

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Re: Can I over winter trees in semi-dark?
« Reply #11 on: May 29, 2019, 08:16:53 AM »
I tried to give them same conditions as to those in ground trees in Dalmatia, but no effect. I think the problem is in oversized pots. The moisture is filling the parts which are not rooted. The tree in smaller pot is doing better. Those in 100 liter terracota pots are not doing good.