Looks like what yoiu were given is very common, juniper pro nana, not really Bonsai at this stage but a large cutting in a pot. They are a hardy outdoor plant/tree which will die A. if kept indoors and B. with the care you are giving it. They like a well drained soil mix, a pot with good drainage holes, full sun, a dormant period in northern winters and need to be put through a wet-dry-wet watering cycle for good health.

If you Google the plant type you will get a wealth of information on care, soil mix, etc.

It may live for a few years indoors but it is gonna eventually go Tango Uniform on you no matter what you do for care.

bob

Hi - Junipers are certainly outdoor trees (well, everything is of course, but tropicals alone would need to be kept indoors in N. American winters - all others out for life. I have no idea what a wet-dry-wet cycle is - never heard of it in relation to bonsai (or anything else - nor Tango Uniform for that matter, tho' I could take a guess at that one), but what matters is that junipers need to be watered only when they need it, never to a schedule and most of the time that translates into allowing close to all of the mix getting dry between (decent) waterings from above, never by immersion. Water slowly so it sinks in and all roots get some, til it reaches the drain holes, but make sure you don't let the pot sit in drain water or roots will rot. Keep a chopstick in the mix (til you know better) between the pot and trunk, and use it like a dipstick to judge wetness. Your tree will need repotting into a mostly grit mix, never potting soil that's full of peat that never dries well. Go to www.bonsaisite.com's Soil forum for more information, but you'll have to depend on the chopstick til late fall or winter, because it's the wrong time of year to be changing the soil mix (or trimming roots). Once you have repotted though, watering will be easier as the mix will drain immediately, making it harder to overwater, because very little water will be left in the soil. You have to start thinking like a tree :-) rather than a house or garden plant!

Mu advice to you is to listen to whatever Larke says! His advice saved my trees!
Defenitely get it outside and water only when it is almost - but not completely- dry. I like that pot.

*Her* advice ;)

A wet-dry-wet cycle simply means watering, then allowing most of the soil to dry before watering again.

Bob will correct me if I've misinterpreted his post.

Josh

Yep, sorry thought it was pretty clear. They like to be dry then wet-up well, they do not like to sit in damp soil (have wet feet) at all. The soil should be open and porous and the pot should drain well, no water laying around in it. I also (sorry Larke) prefer a finger to check for moisture, you should get your hands dirty in this sport anyway. ;))

Tango Uniform = dead like my two 'firewood' water jasmine are now LOL. The brat keeps watering the one thinking it will come back to life, she has good intentions.

Bob

Yeow! Last time I suggested sticking a finger in (as I have) I got blasted by people telling me to use chopsticks. The wet-dry-wet makes sense, but my brain's melted today because it's been a damp 90 F. here... excuses, excuses.

Thanks for all the advice so far. I'm feeling a tad bit overwhelmed but I'll try my best. I do want to be a successful bonsai owner, so major major thanks to everyone who commented and will comment.

Follow up question: What kind of light is good for the tree?

I've gone hunting about the Internet and there seems to be some contradiction. Some places say full sunlight is best while others say partial or filtered sunlight is better. Also, are there any temperatures that are just TOO hot for the tree?

Full sunlight all day, and if it gets very hot, prop something reflective like a white tile against the pot itself to keep the roots cooler. It is a small pot, and while juniper can take 'the heat', you'll have to keep watch on watering at those times, might even do it daily or twice daily if necessary, but always check.