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sacampbell97

Juniper help!

sacampbell97
9 years ago

So I just got this juniper today and repotted it and all that good stuff. But it arrived and is a light green and has some dead growth towards the bottom. Do you all think this is a healthy tree or is it going to die?

Comments (13)

  • sacampbell97
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Just a top view

  • sacampbell97
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    And last picture, and a question... The bark on this area seems to be white, is there a particular reason for this or is it normal for this plant?

  • moochinka
    9 years ago

    The first wrong thing was repotting midsummer - a definite no-no. The second was leaving it in full sun right after repotting. The third? What's it potted in - potting soil? How about watering... did you give it a lot? And did you prune it and/or roots?

  • sacampbell97
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I got this from an online retailer and did not actually 'repot' it. It was in a small black nursery pot and all I did was transfer it to a bonsai training pot, I didn't prune the roots and left the rootball intact and left the old soil on it. It is not in full sun it's under a screened in porch where it does not receive direct sunlight. I just had it in light for a few seconds while I took the pictures so it could be easily seen. It's not potting soil, it's a mixture of grit, perlite, and sphagnum. And it was quite dry so I did water it until water drained through the drainage holes. And I did no pruning whatsoever as I think that would be too much stress on the tree.

  • moochinka
    9 years ago

    Oh, excellent, so now you just have to wait. It may have already been doing badly before you got it (evergreens stay green for ages even after demise), but it doesn't look dead, just scraggly and sad... so let it recover if it can - it may take quite a while to look different, but keeping it alive is the goal, so next spring it can take off.

  • spaceman13
    9 years ago

    And don't fertilize it for at least a few weeks. Then start with a weak (1/4) solution, then work back up to normal dosage.

  • moochinka
    9 years ago

    Actually, I disagree about not fertilizing and I think it's counterproductive to not do it, especially with that sad specimen. Ask any nurseryman/woman what they do with such trees and the first thing they say is to fertilize regardless of when or how it was potted, etc.

  • sacampbell97
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I agree with moochinka, back in the spring when I repotted my fukien tea I fertilized soon after and the tree thrived. Now I do agree the solution has to be diluted so it doesn't burn the roots but fertilizing from my experience has only helped.

  • moochinka
    9 years ago

    Uh.. that stuff about 'burning' the roots is also an old w's tale... it can sometimes affect a plant depending on what the plant is, what the fertilizer is and how much is given, but it doesn't burn the roots.

  • spaceman13
    9 years ago

    Sacampbell97, I'll assume your fukien tea wasn't dehydrated, repotted in 90 degree midsummer heat and stuck out in full sun. I would not have given you the same advice.

    While the fertilizer does not "Burn" the roots, excess mineral salts damage a tree by pulling water from the plant tissues, i.e. dehydration. The OP's tree is dehydrated and the risk of over fertilization would further exacerbate that condition.

    IMHO, the tree needs water. It can pull whatever minor amounts of nutrients iw will need from the soil for a few weeks.

  • sacampbell97
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I agree with you but your incorrect in a few things. First off, my juniper was not stuck out in full sun at all and second it's not hot here this summer, it's been upper 70's and low 80's just about all summer long and doesn't put much stress on the tree.

  • Jonathan29
    9 years ago

    I have a suggestion to solve monkeys squabling use organic water soluble fertilizer normally used in hydroponics. No salt build up, and your plants will thank you. My recomendation is Age old Grow sold in hydrponics stores most anyways. I use it on my camellia sinensis and other ortimentals and they love it!

  • spaceman13
    9 years ago

    SaCampbell, I apparently got the "full sun" info from another post. It's your decision to make. I'm not saying it can't be done, just it's not a good idea, IMHO. I feel I could pull it off, but most posters here aren't very good at keeping plants in containers. The basic nature your OP led me to that conclusion that you fit into this category. If I arrived at that conclusion in error, I apologize for that.

    Johnathan29, all fertilizers are mineral salts, irregardless of whether they're organic or man made.
    Too much organic fertilizer will dehydrate and kill a plant just the same as a man made fertilizer.

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