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so, from what I'm reading, keep 'em watered! (dormancy)

Ridetsu

Gamer
howdy everyone... long time no see! i had to take a break from the interwebs and liufe to move ahead in my workplace, but i have not forgotten about you all or my plants!

Today though, i had a pretty big freak-out. I woke up, got ready for work, turned my car on, and realized there was a blanket of ice on my windshield. My reaction was humorous at first "Well boy do i just LOVE scraping ice off my car without gloves."

But then it turned to concern. After scraping ice off my car, i went to check on my CPs. Their water dishes had become frozen solid from the top to the bottom, and the soil was harder than a rock.
Now, my green thumb told me "Don't do anything rash like pour hot water on them" and "Don't break the ice or you could send shockwaves that might rupture the plant."
So i did what i knew was best, and left them alone. Eight hours later, (and about an hour ago), i came home and checked on my plants. The top had thawed out, and about 20% of the ice had melted along the bottom of their water dishes. The soil was still rock hard about an inch down though.
I carefully chipped the ice away and have some water de-chlorinating/cooling down outside right now which i will fill the empty dishes with.

I am concerned now though, since it is frozen like that. For about the next two months (here in Eugene, Oregon), i will wake every morning to a layer of frost sitting on the ground, and any standing water frozen over. The past three nights have dropped down to mid-twenties, and thats not going to change for quite a while.

Should i be worried about the soil being constantly frozen? They are all in individual pots (not a bog garden yet. ahh, dreams)about 4 inches wide by 8 inches deep, and each has its own water dish about three inches deep and about 10 inches wide. I can, without a doubt, guarantee you that for the next two months all the water will turn to ice over night, and a layer of frost will develop by morning. It happens every year (been living here for 7 years), and this year is turning out to be no different than the others.

Should i just leave them out and try not to worry? Should i pull them into my storage room (it has an east facing window, and never gets above 45 degrees)? Should i try to fridge them (i really don't like that idea at all)?
From what I've read, just letting them stay out is a suitable solution... but the frost and constant icing over for two straight months has me very worried.
 
durring dormancy, if its in the fridge, keep the soil moist

if you plan to have it go through dormancy outside, it will need some sun and night temps cant continously drop below 0 C.

you dont want it just sitting in a lot of water, the main thing is to keep it cold and damp, not soaked
 
durring dormancy, if its in the fridge, keep the soil moist

if you plan to have it go through dormancy outside, it will need some sun and night temps cant continously drop below 0 C.

you dont want it just sitting in a lot of water, the main thing is to keep it cold and damp, not soaked

What if the nights are mid 60's and days are high 80's?should i stick it in the fridge? :banana2:
 
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