Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
savemyplant33

Help with indoor plant. No experience!

savemyplant33
9 years ago

So I received a potted bonsai as a gift and after two months I'm pretty sure it's dying. I don't know what type of bonsai it is but it came with instructions: If it's kept outside, water 3x a week. If it's kept inside, water 2x a week and take outside for sunlight once a week.

So if you can tell in my picture, the middle of the plant looks like it's dying. The leaves are very pale and sometimes brown. The outer sides of the plant are a very pretty green and look lush.

Anyone have any ideas or tips? How can I tell it's not getting enough sunlight, water or both? Should I be watering whenever the soil is dry? If I keep it inside, should I make sure it's still getting sunlight?

Thank you!

Comments (5)

  • Benny1200
    9 years ago

    I keep my nana juniper inside. It looks like you have a nana as well. You need to get it to a window and get a spot light fluorescent t8 cool white tubes and place it over your bonsai. Leave it on the bonsai 16 hours a day and put it on a timer that shuts off automatically and comes on when it has to. Remember get the light a few inches from the top of the canopy about 6 inches will do. Do not fertilize it as it seems sick at the moment. Prune the dead browning branches away and leave the green growth alone. Once you see new buds or growth then fertilize it once again with a low fish emulsion fertilizer every two weeks as this fertilizer is low and will not burn the roots. I have a nana and has done well going on 11 years. Also get a small fan to circulate the air around it as well, and not on a high speed low is good. Also place it on a bed of pebbles for humidity as they need high light and humidity all year round. Replace the water over the pebbles to keep humidity constant. I wish all the best and luck.

  • moochinka
    9 years ago

    Your tree must live outdoors 24/7, 365, or won't live at all - Bennie got very lucky with one tree, and some knowledge, but yours has been watered too often and is in the wrong soil mix so isn't drying out between waterings. Your only hope now (if it isn't already dead - it may be because these trees continue to look green for ages even after dying) is to put it in the ground - no pot at all - for a year or so til it recovers. It should get sun all the time (that 'care' tag maybe was for an African violet or something!!) but if there's a place where it will get a little shade for a few hrs at midday (don't know if you're in Socal or not) that would be best. Don't know how often it rains there either, so water when you first plant it, and then maybe once a week (a decent amount as it will drain away quickly) except less often in winter. All of this presumes you have where to put it in the ground of course... and if you don't, you need more help than I can give in this box. The worst thing people can do is 'Gift' bonsai, because unless the giftee knows or cares about what to do next, the trees almost always don't make it. Call it a learning experience if you want... but if you think you want to pursue bonsai properly, then get hold of some books (not just one because the wrong 'one' is worse than none, just like stupid care tags produced on a one size fits all basis) and find a local club to join - they're the best places to learn hands-on. I suppose you could take your tree to a local club and let them show you how to repot into the right kind of mix, etc. etc. Good luck!

    This post was edited by moochinka on Sun, Aug 17, 14 at 6:38

  • cooperdr_gw
    9 years ago

    You might be able to root one of the live parts with rooting-hormone but when mine looked like that I just tossed it. When I was in the hobby I got most of mine from greenhouses and never had any luck. This time I'm just going to start indoors from a cutting. Not sure if that's cheating or not.

  • moochinka
    9 years ago

    What it is is the wrong time of year - spring would be the right time, and outdoors would be the place (if you're talking about junipers).

  • cooperdr_gw
    9 years ago

    I suppose you're right. Planting outdoors may help- maybe.