# Overwintering on balcony

**URL:** <https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/overwintering-on-balcony/10913>\
**Category:** Horticulture\
**Created:** [September 21, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/overwintering-on-balcony/10913 "2023-09-21T14:36:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![csal9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@csal9](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/csal9)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/overwintering-on-balcony/10913/1 "2023-09-21T14:36:37Z")

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Hello all,

I recently moved and am faced with implementing a new overwintering solution. Here’s a quick summary of my location and trees.

- Northern Illinois - Zone 5b
- Balcony is south facing
- No access to yard
- Garage is connected to home and in my opinion will get far too warm in the winter  
Trees: Japanese Maples, Japanese/American Larch, Redwoods, and (Mostly) Junipers and Pines

Current thought:  
Cold box on the balcony, add insulation to walls and bottom, wrap in burlap for heavy winds, mesh the top due to south facing sun? Should I pack the cold box with anything? Not sure how much protection is needed…

If anyone has gone through something similar any advice is greatly appreciated.

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**Author:** ![SoCalNative](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/socalnative/32/39999_2.png) [@SoCalNative](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/SoCalNative)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/overwintering-on-balcony/10913/2 "2023-09-23T19:46:35Z")

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I have a south facing balcony patio and an attached garage, however, I am in 9a. My lowest over night temps sustained in winter only dip between 32°-36° for a month or so.

Based on your tree list, the one I would be most concerned about is the redwood. Is there a place tucked back in a corner of the balcony protected from the wind and cold with an insulated base so it doesn’t free, or keep it in your garage close to the least insulated wall.

The others should go full dormant in the winter or take a significant break in metabolism that staying outside, I would think would be fine as long as they have had a fair lead up time and transition into winter. I would still protect from too much direct sun, and wind chill. Don’t over saturate and watch them during freezes. I’m sure others can chime in too with more over wintering tips

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**Author:** ![NEBeech](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/nebeech/32/37888_2.png) [@NEBeech](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/NEBeech)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 10:00am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/overwintering-on-balcony/10913/3 "2023-09-25T10:00:01Z")

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![PXL_20230923_144248043](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/3X/f/e/fe776a5335613943d96626954c234f37b6708799.jpeg)  
What about a heat bed?

One of the original threads

> [@Heat bed meduim? Pumice or bark " sawdust"](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/heat-bed-meduim-pumice-or-bark-sawdust/10304):
>
> Was curious if anyone could clarify. @Ira I know Ryan uses and talks about pumice as the heat conductive material at the bottom of heat beds ( depth being the key variable). But when Ryan and Randy discuss about post collection Yamadori recovery Randy explains that for a single year and for trees that require rapid root growth, he has seen bark " sawdust" give superior results. Why would you not utilize this at the bottom of a heat/recovery bed? Is the nuance dependant on the trees roots bein…