# Bonsai shuffle vs waiting for the right temperatures

**URL:** <https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188>\
**Category:** Horticulture\
**Created:** [March 2, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188 "2020-03-02T16:07:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Emawman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3e96dc/32.png) [@Emawman](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Emawman)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/1 "2020-03-02T16:07:54Z")

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The temperatures here in 6a and many other places are sure to be warming up. The risk of freeze is considerable to say the least. An early shuffle could push the plants you have into Spring and you could get a head start with your plants in tune with the season.

Or, freezing temperatures consecutively would force your hand and your plants end up back in mulch, probably confused.

My question is for those of you who have long experienced temperate climates: Do you like to roll the dice and shuffle? Or: Do you like to wait it out?

I plan on bringing my conifers out. My deciduous I will wait another week or two.

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**Author:** ![WelshBarry](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/welshbarry/32/10567_2.png) [@WelshBarry](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/WelshBarry)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/2 "2020-03-02T17:09:11Z")

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Definitely starting to shuffle here in the UK daytimes temps are going upto 15c and still down to 2-3c with the odd frost at night, the conifers at creeping out slowly but out of the constant rain, I’m more worried about humidity with the deciduous repotted, Collected trees on the greenhouses. Im just waiting for a decent frost free 14 days forcast 👍

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**Author:** ![Silva\_Naturalis](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/silva_naturalis/32/11556_2.png) [@Silva\_Naturalis](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Silva_Naturalis)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/3 "2020-03-02T18:03:34Z")

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I’m already well into repotting in SW England, I don’t offer my trees any protection (mostly deciduous, but nothing too sensitive), but the continual rain has caused me some concern with a few Prunus I collected last month.  
I’ve never lost a tree to winter (lowest they’ve faced, is -10c)… it’s usually summer that finishes them off. That said, a sudden cold snap would cause me some anxiety.

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**Author:** ![Bonsai\_Bentley](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bentley/32/7792_2.png) [@Bonsai\_Bentley](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_Bentley)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/4 "2020-03-02T19:58:54Z")

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I’m keeping my tropicals indoors until after Easter. Everything else has been outside the entire time.

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**Author:** ![Emawman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3e96dc/32.png) [@Emawman](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Emawman)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 3:14am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/5 "2020-03-04T03:14:27Z")

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I ended up bringing em all out. I mostly work with natives. Good luck with your abundance of rain, hopefully that doesn’t throw off the balance too much. @WelshBarry Looks like you also have some rain you need to escape.

Thanks for the replies. I should bring it all out, but my persimmon (Diospyros). They can get shuffled if needed!

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**Author:** ![High-N-Dry](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/high-n-dry/32/148_2.png) [@High-N-Dry](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/High-N-Dry)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 3:28am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/6 "2020-03-04T03:28:35Z")

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Just curious, why are your conifers in, in the first place? Most conifer species in your climate should be outside on the ground all winter, unless you did late work on them last year.

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**Author:** ![Silva\_Naturalis](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/silva_naturalis/32/11556_2.png) [@Silva\_Naturalis](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Silva_Naturalis)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 7:24am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/7 "2020-03-06T07:24:57Z")

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Hhhmmm… 0C overnight, light frost… not ideal for my emerging maple buds on freshly potted Acer palmatum… minor anxiety intiated!

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**Author:** ![antelion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@antelion](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/antelion)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 10:51am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/8 "2020-03-06T10:51:22Z")

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one option is to use a sprayer to put a coating of water over the buds. this protects from the frost experienced in such lighter cold spells.

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**Author:** ![Michael\_P](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/michael_p/32/10657_2.png) [@Michael\_P](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Michael_P)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/9 "2020-03-06T21:30:17Z")

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Because the buds were already bursting, I had no choice and already repotted one Japanese maple and a crab apple. Tomorrow has 3 more Japanese maples and a second crab apple.The 7 days forecast is wet and warm… so it should be ok.

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**Author:** ![antelion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@antelion](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/antelion)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 10:56pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/bonsai-shuffle-vs-waiting-for-the-right-temperatures/5188/10 "2020-03-14T22:56:09Z")

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So, turns out you can not trust the weTher forecast. As they announced -2 yesterday early morning and 0 for tomorrow dawn I decided not to take chances and start the shuffle yesterday and also tonight.

Just to find frost already at 11pm.
