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Mon, Jun 4, 07 at 20:07
| Hello, I have posted several times on my juniper bonsai tree that I recently moved outdoors. I had received the tree as a Christmas gift from my girlfriend who ordered it from joebonsai.com. I kept it indoors from about mid-December '06 to early May '07. Now it is outside on my girlfriend's deck, but after several weeks of being outside it seems to still be having problems. For the majority of the time that I kept it indoors it seemed like it was very green and happy. Just recently I noticed that some of its needles would just fall off if you bumped them. It was at that point I decided I needed to move it outdoors. Now it seems as if it is getting more and more brown spots. Hopefully it's not to late to help it. It seems like it is getting ample sun and water... I think I may replant the tree in fresh soil and start fertilizing it. Anyone have suggestions on how to best care for it and get it healthy again? Thanks a lot!
(The images are posted in the "gallery" section but I have also included a link to one of the images as part of this post) -Lars |
Here is a link that might be useful: Picture of the Tree
Follow-Up Postings:
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| It's probably overwatered. I don't know if it's wise to start fertilizing a stressed tree. Mine is outside yearround now because I tried one indoors and it died. They like the full spectrum of seasons (within reason of course). They also don't like wet feet. Mine is on my porch so that I control the water (we've been getting a lot of rain). It just started getting into the 90's here, so I may have to start watering more often, but I've only been watering ever 3rd day. I have used a water meter to determine when it is dry. Is yours still in the same soil it came in? Probably too much peat. My book may be wrong, as I have learned it often is, but it says to use a 60/40 ratio of aggregate to organic. I used decomposing granite sifted to 3/16" and rotting pine bark fines. It seems to be very happy. There are others who know much more than I, but this has been my experience. |
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| It needs to be in a proper fast draining bonsai mix, which means mostly grit, with some 1/16" pieces of conifer bark, because the soil those 'bonsai' usually come in is potting soil with too much peat that holds water forever. If you know how to repot, do it quickly, because you only have a short time to 'get away with it' seasonally. If you don't know how, try to find a local bonsai club and they will help. Watering too often is the single biggest killer of newbie's junipers, and half that problem is just bad soil that the trees are planted in even before you buy them. |
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| Should have had a chance to chill a bit over the winter, no? |
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| "Never try to grow Junipers indoors, though they may seem to tolerate indoor cultivation at first, poor humidity, lack of light and dormancy will eventually kill them. Do not trust a vendor, seller, book or website that claims Junipers can be grown successfully indoors! Dead Junipers can continue to display normal foliage colour for weeks or even months after they have effectively died. " |
Here is a link that might be useful: Juniper culture
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