Many people do not realize that most bonsai plants are outdoor plants. To properly cultivate and maintain most bonsai trees they should not be kept inside but should be outside year round.

There are a group of what are called indoor bonsai trees. These are from warmer climates and are usually non-traditional species such as palm trees. Because they are from a warmer climate they do need to be kept indoors in most locales.

However if you are keeping traditional native bonsai trees in the US then chances are that tree needs to be outside. Most people do not realize how important it is for these trees to be wintered outside in a natural climate. For your tree to have a healthy and natural growing cycle it is critical for it to have this period of winter dormancy.

To give your plant this necessary period you will need to winter it someplace outside. The best way to accomplish this is to remove the tree from it’s container and plant it in your yard.

In most native trees the roots are the part of the tree that is most sensitive to the cold. Most plants will start experiencing root damage at about 23 degrees Fahrenheit. To help avoid root damage you will need to take the plant out of its container and then bury it in the yard or garden.

If you bury the plant so that the bottom branches are just barely exposed this should help keep the roots below the frost line. You should bury it in a shaded area. During the winter days the sun can cause the plant to lose it’s water and the frozen roots will not be able to replenish it.

If you do not have a yard to plant the tree in for the winter you can use a large container. A large container about the size of a vegetable crate should be sufficient.

You bury the plant in the container just like you would in the yard. And set it somewhere outside where will be exposed to natural elements. If you use a container it is very important that you monitor the soil moisture closely and do not allow it to dry out.

You can also winter your tree in an attic or garage as long as it is not heated and has windows. Be sure to place the plant where it is exposed to the light from the windows. You will still need to water the plant almost daily if you choose this method. If you plant is a conifer you will want to rotate it about once a week to so that all sides of the plant will be exposed to the sunlight.

You can prepare your tree for it’s winter storage as soon as the last leaves have fallen off. At that time the plant is dormant and ready to be moved.

In the spring you can remove it from the yard and place it back in a container as soon as you see the first buds appear. If you allow your plant to winter indoors they will bud early. When they bud early the days will still be too short for proper growth and the leaves will have long gaps between them.

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I’ve loved tie dying ever since I dipped tightly rubber banded t-shirts into tubs of Rit Dye in elementary school. The colors and patterns were magical, but the fun part was wearing my creation!

Several years later and I was in The Brightside Tie Dye Emporium in Brattleboro, VT. Upon checking out with a bag of goodies, I noticed a small sign that announced that the owner was running a class in tie dying. I signed up immediately and soon learned the mysteries of making eye catching, non-fading t-shirts in myriads of colors and patterns. Beyond using the information to create pieces to sell at local farmer’s markets, I also used it in school and summer camp so that kids could make delightful pieces of their own. The pride they showed when wearing shirts they made themselves was justified. They were truly gorgeous.

I’m about to describe the method I used with the groups of kids. I’m sure there are different and better ways, but this worked great for me. The dyes to use are Procion Fiber Reactive Dyes. I always bought mine as a dry powder so that the dye would have a much longer shelf life. If you want to do this on a limited scale, try buying three or so colors. Remember, the colors can be mixed! Dyes, chemicals, and squirt bottles can be bought from the source given at the bottom of the article, though there are several other purveyors, too. Pro just happened to be the company I used. They also sell small booklets detailing how to create certain designs are are well worth the few dollars they cost. Any other materials may be purchased at the local Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or grocery store. The key is that I wanted the shirts to be non-fading and last a long, long, long time. If fading is not an issue, Rit Dyes are far less expensive and much easier to use. If you want to create something that will be regularly worn and still stunning three years from now, here’s the deal…

Here is our method for group tie dying. It’s a lot of work, so roll up those sleeves and enlist the parent volunteers!

1) Buy the shirts on sale. We get Large and Xlarge for sixth graders. I do not take pride into account when we do shirts. No one that I’ve met wants a shirt that looks like Spandex! I put several mothers in 4XL, and though they said they would use them for sleep shirts, they sure looked comfortable!

2) You will now need to wash the shirts to remove any grease that was left on the threads from processing. Wash shirts in HOT water with ¼ cup of washing soda or Pro-Dye Activator and ¼ cup of Synthrapol. Rinse on COLD. Dry shirts

3) Put a different number on the tag of each shirt in permanent marker.

4) Make a solution of 5 gallons of tap water to 3 cups of soda ash or Pro-Dye Activator. You will need four or five batches of this in one tub. I use my large sink for this. Add the shirts; up to 18 at a time, and let sit in the solution for 15 minutes. Wearing rubber gloves, squeeze out and put in washer. Set washer to final spin, and spin with no water coming into tub for rinse. Place shirts in a garbage bag to prevent them from drying.

5) Mix dyes with distilled water up to one week before dying. To one quart of distilled water in an old blender, add the following:

¼ cup of dye

Fuschia
Bright Orange
Golden Yellow
Deep Purple
Raspberry (reddish purple)

½ cup of dye

Turquoise (FOAMS!)
Kelly Green
Cobalt Blue (FOAMS!)

1 cup of dye

Better Black

6) Store the dyes in squirt bottles and clean milk jugs.

7) Keep folded shirts on a “grid table” when dying.

Wrap shirts in seran wrap. Get this from a kitchen / restaurant supply firm.

9) Let shirts sit wrapped for two days.

10) While filling washer (top loading only), take rubber bands off clothes (wear rubber gloves) and toss in washer (12 – 18). Wash and rinse on cold. Then wash on HOT with ¼ cup of synthrapol and rinse cold. Dry in drier.

11) Wash with dark clothes the first few times, but shirt will be colorfast.

Dyes and supplies are available from Pro Chemical and Dye Company of Somerset, MA.

Have fun!

Thomas Smith owns and operates Wonder Workshops, an online supply mecca of retro toys, puzzles, puppets, magic tricks, books, novelties, and DVDs, all based in science, math, and problem solving. Tom also presents hands-on, mind-on science workshops for teachers and parents around the country. To find out more about the workshops and store, be sure to visit wonderworkshops.com wonderworkshops.com You’ll be glad you did!