I really need to know my hardiness zone. Of course the situation is different on my balcony, because it's a balcony, but still, I really need to know my hardiness zone. Now you might think I'm in zone 0a, seeing as I already said that, but it's nonsense. Almost nothing grows in zone 0a, and clearly that's not the case here. So where exactly are we?
Hmmmm...
Well, I know the chokecherry, Prunus virginiana, does very well here, though maybe it doesn't get as tall as in other places. Therefore whatever P. virginiana is rated for, that's what I'll call my zone. And according to my sources, it's zone 2. Ha! In your face!
Of course you need to know whether that's a USDA or Canadian zone rating, but since I find the same rating from US sources and from the University of Manitoba, I'll just say I'm in zone 2.
Now the thing is, how are my other trees rated?
Is that all I have for trees?
Oh good. Only six species. There is a limit to this insanity after all. Ok, so the thing is, the least hardy ones are actually the easiest ones for me, because they don't require frost, therefore they can just spend the winter inside. Not ideal, but good enough. So that takes care of the lemons and baobabs. The chokecherries, being very cold-hardy, can probably stay outside, as long as I find a way to insulate the pots enough. The difficulty is in the half-way trees, which can't take -40C, but need a certain amount of cold weather to get dormant. Though no one ever tells you how much "a certain amount" is.
I'm thinking the solution might be to insulate the pots and leave them out until Christmas, and then bring them in. They might not like the sudden transition from cold to hot, but December temperatures here are probably within their comfort zone, and after Christmas the light increases so it's probably ok if they come out of dormancy. In any case I can't do it the other way, as in keep them inside until April and then kick them out early, because that would obviously kill them.
Now I just need to figure out the R-values of snow and dirt so I can build adequate hot boxes for everyone, and we're all set. Or... something.
Hmmmm...
Well, I know the chokecherry, Prunus virginiana, does very well here, though maybe it doesn't get as tall as in other places. Therefore whatever P. virginiana is rated for, that's what I'll call my zone. And according to my sources, it's zone 2. Ha! In your face!
Of course you need to know whether that's a USDA or Canadian zone rating, but since I find the same rating from US sources and from the University of Manitoba, I'll just say I'm in zone 2.
Now the thing is, how are my other trees rated?
- Chokecherry: zone 2-6
- Apricot: zone 4-9
- Holly: zone 5-9
- Pear: zone 5-9
- Lemon: zone 8-11
- Baobab: zone 10
Is that all I have for trees?
Oh good. Only six species. There is a limit to this insanity after all. Ok, so the thing is, the least hardy ones are actually the easiest ones for me, because they don't require frost, therefore they can just spend the winter inside. Not ideal, but good enough. So that takes care of the lemons and baobabs. The chokecherries, being very cold-hardy, can probably stay outside, as long as I find a way to insulate the pots enough. The difficulty is in the half-way trees, which can't take -40C, but need a certain amount of cold weather to get dormant. Though no one ever tells you how much "a certain amount" is.
I'm thinking the solution might be to insulate the pots and leave them out until Christmas, and then bring them in. They might not like the sudden transition from cold to hot, but December temperatures here are probably within their comfort zone, and after Christmas the light increases so it's probably ok if they come out of dormancy. In any case I can't do it the other way, as in keep them inside until April and then kick them out early, because that would obviously kill them.
Now I just need to figure out the R-values of snow and dirt so I can build adequate hot boxes for everyone, and we're all set. Or... something.
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