Here at my farm, it's a clear sign cold weather is on the way when plants and various ornamental vessels are covered in burlap. I've been covering my boxwood and ornamental planters for years, but my bonsai trees that live outside also require winter protection.
During the cold season, most bonsai enter dormancy, a state of reduced metabolic activity that helps conserve energy and water while protecting the tree from frost and low light conditions. Yesterday, the pots of my deciduous Stewartia bonsai and my evergreen juniper bonsai were both insulated and covered with burlap to further prevent heat loss and protect shallow roots.
Enjoy these photos and easy how-to instructions.
These bonsai trees sit on a table outside my Winter House where they are protected from harsh winds. To prepare them for the cold season, they are first insulated with hay, which I grow right here at the farm.
Pete places a generous two to three inches of hay on the soil of the pot. Roots in pots can freeze faster than in-ground trees because the vessel conducts cold from all sides.
Here’s Pete doing the same thing with my Stewartia bonsai tree. A bonsai tree is a full-sized tree species grown in a small container and carefully shaped to create the appearance of a mature tree in miniature. This Stewartia has done so excellently over the years.
Pete cuts a piece of burlap to drape over the pot. Burlap is available in giant rolls of 40-inches or 60-inches wide. Also called hessian, burlap is made in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India from jute, a tall, grass-like plant grown for its strong fibrous stalks.
To sew burlap, the crew uses jute twine. It is all natural and the same color as the burlap. Five-inch long needles specially designed for sewing this material have large eyes and bent tips. Every member of my outdoor grounds crew has a needle. Pete stitches the top of the fabric together pulling the burlap snug.
Pete makes a slit down the center of the burlap piece to accommodate the base of the tree.
And then Pete wraps it around the base of the juniper’s trunk, where the tree meets the soil.
Pete closes the burlap neatly in place, so it is snug all the way around the tree and container.
And then he begins to sew the slip closed.
Pete also sews around the trunk, so the base of the juniper is completely protected.
To secure the sides of the burlap, Pete anchors the twine under the feet of the planter.
While sewing, he also tucks in the ends, so they are neat, tidy and snug around the pot.
Here, Pete secures the end of the jute twine and makes a knot.
Meanwhile, Fernando uses my battery powered handheld blower from STIHL to blow any leaves from the area.
Pete covers and sews the potted Stewartia bonsai. Everyone on my crew knows how to sew very well because of the burlap work we do around the farm.
The burlap covers the hay on top of the pot completely and then gets tucked under and sewn tight.
Here is a closer look at the first stitches made at the edge of the pot. Using burlap still allows some water to penetrate the root ball while providing good aeration and circulation for the roots.
Because this pot does not have feet, Pete ties jute twine around the vessel, so supporting pieces of twine can be secured.
Here is the Stewartia bonsai all finished and protected for the season.
These bonsai trees will be monitored closely during the season. These precious plants are now protected from wind, snow, and freezing temperatures so they can rebound healthy and happy come spring.
Be sure to tune in to Gordon Ramsay’s "Hell’s Kitchen" tonight at 8/7c on FOX as the popular culinary competition celebrates its milestone 25th season.
Gordon launched the series in May 2005, and now he says this season is “one of the hungriest yet.” The contestants, all 25 or younger, have grown up watching Gordon and are eager to prove their culinary skills, compete for the grand prize, and earn a head chef position at his restaurant. This special season also looks back at former winners, unforgettable challenges, and some of the notable culinary experts who have appeared on the show over the years. Congratulations to Gordon and the entire Hell’s Kitchen team on 25 incredible seasons!
Enjoy these photos.
The show is filmed at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Gordon and I both have restaurants there – I hope you’ve visited. (Photo provided by FOX Entertainment)
Gordon hosts the unscripted show, putting the contestants through a series of cooking challenges. (Photo provided by FOX Entertainment)
The season started with two main teams – one team of women and one team of men, and all of them between 18 and 25 years old. (Photo provided by FOX Entertainment)
Key participants come from all over the US, one from Haiti, and one from Argentina. (Photo provided by FOX Entertainment)
The contestants also come from a wide range of backgrounds with different experiences. (Photo provided by FOX Entertainment)
Gordon says “Hell’s Kitchen” is about professional chefs, so he holds every contestant to the highest standards. His toughness is part of the show’s competitive format and appeal. (Photo provided by FOX Entertainment)
Every competing chef works hard showing their best culinary skills. (Photo provided by FOX Entertainment)
At the end of each show, one contestant is eliminated, narrowing the group each week until the winner is announced. It’s suspenseful until the end. (Photo provided by FOX Entertainment)
To celebrate this landmark 25th season, the show sent out cooking gift sets to various culinary celebrities.
The set includes elements to create one’s own fun and fiery dishes.
Here are three cooking ingredients – Krude Chilli Oil, Momofuku Chili Oil, and Mike’s Hot Honey.
There is also a roasting pan and rack.
Congratulations to my friend Gordon on his 25th season! And be sure to tune in tonight for another exciting episode! (Photo provided by FOX Entertainment)
Here at my farm, the trees continue to put on a spectacular display of fall color.
At this time of year, changes in temperature and daylight cause leaves to slow and eventually stop their food-making process. As the chlorophyll breaks down, the green color fades, revealing the beautiful hues of autumn - gorgeous shades of orange, yellow, brown, red, and evergreen.
Enjoy these photos.
Fall foliage has not quite hit full peak here at my farm, but the changing leaves are gorgeous.
There are leaves everywhere this time of year. Some trees change and drop early, others late – usually from mid-October to mid-November here in the Northeast.
Autumn leaf color is a phenomenon that affects the green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs. Deciduous refers to those specimens that lose their leaves every year.
This is always a popular viewpoint – in every season. It is the carriage road leading to my woodland and hay fields.
And what a difference a couple of weeks make. A short time ago, there was still a lot of green in the trees – now many have changed to shades of yellow, burnt orange, and red.
The colors change daily – warm, sunny days and cool nights produce the most spectacular hues.
At the edge of the back hayfield is the giant sycamore tree – the symbol of my farm. The foliage of American sycamore trees is a vast crown of large leaves. In autumn, sycamore tree leaves turn shades of yellow and brown.
Here is a look through the woodland – so beautiful with its changing color palette.
Linden tree leaves turn a spectacular bright yellow color in fall. Lindens, Tilia, are also known as basswoods, and have sturdy, straight trunks and profuse foliage. This allée of lindens runs from the chicken coops up to my allée of boxwood and then again from the boxwood to my long pergola.
And I planted all these lindens. In fact, I’ve planted most of the trees on the property except the very tall towering trees that are original to the farm.
I extended this linden tree allée in 2017. When mature, lindens reach 50 to 80 feet in height with a spread of 35 to 50 feet. Every single one has developed so beautifully.
I’ve also planted many different types of trees in hopes that they would shade, provide climate control, and change color at different times, in different ways. Here is some of the autumn color seen across one of my paddocks.
I get many compliments on the fencing – it is antique spruce fencing I bought in Canada, and it surrounds all my paddocks for the horses, pony, and donkeys.
Just a week ago, this beautiful Nyssa sylvatica, or black tupelo, was still predominantly dark green, but now its foliage is turning bright red, purple, yellow, and orange – all colors that may appear on the same branch.
Here’s a closer look at some of the changing leaves.
The brooks and streams around the farm are also filled with falling foliage, but if one listens closely, one can hear the gentle, flowing babbling sounds.
I tour the farm several times a day when I am home. The best times to view the changing foliage is early morning when colors are softer and there is less sun glare, or later in the afternoon when the colors are rich and vibrant. Clear, calm days produce the brightest shades.
Here is one of my ginkgo trees. These trees show a dramatic change every fall when the bold green leaves turn golden bright yellow.
And do you know… it’s called fall after the older English phrase “fall of the leaf,” which refers to the season when the leaves drop. The word autumn comes from the Old French automne, from the Latin autumnus, and is used more in Britain.
Some of the best places to see the changing fall foliage include New England, Japan’s Kyoto and Hokkaido, Québec and Ontario in Canada, the Blue Ridge Parkway here in the US, Bavaria in Germany, and the Scottish Highlands. I hope you are able to enjoy some of these amazing autumn colors wherever you are.
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