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| I recently purchased a juniper bonsai from a nursery. It came in a 4-inch pot with holes in the bottom for drainage. There is some loose gravel rock on top and underneath that appears to be potting soil. Despite misting daily and watering from the top occasionally, it seems to be dying. Except for one branch with soft, fresh green growth, the rest is dry and brittle and breaks easily. I have this in a shady spot in my kitchen--should I move it to our unheated garage? Should this be repotted? Please help me save my little tree! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Hi, it really would have been a very good idea to write sooner. Junipers do need to be outside, in full sun all day long, not watered until a good part of the soil (at least the top layer+ is dry and not misted (at least under the other circumstances it's been in). They're just not house plants, and watering anything for that matter on a daily basis unless it's in very fast draining soil (mostly grit and gravel vs peaty potting soil) is a mistake - plants should be watered when it's needed, and not otherwise, because rot sets in quickly. I'm afraid your tree is probably gone, but as you said there was one good branch, take the whole thing out of the pot, dig it into your garden somewhere that's sandy, gritty, raised - for drainage, no deeper than it's potted now, with no amendments, and just leave it alone til May. Either it will live or it won't and anything else you do now will only stress it further regardless. If it does live, leave it alone for another year, and by then you will have read more about bonsai, and junipers than you ever thought was out there (it's a very big subject!) and know what to do then. |
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- Posted by bonsai_audge Ottawa, ONT (My Page) on Mon, Nov 20, 06 at 9:04
| I would probably also advise against the daily misting. -Audric |
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- Posted by pineslayer (My Page) on Fri, Dec 1, 06 at 11:20
| If a juniper looks dead, it is probably already long dead :( Just like the way cut evergreen branches stay fresh a long time, juniper branches will often stay green long after the trunk/roots are dead. If you bought the tree recently, there is a good chance it could have already been dead/dying when you bought it. I know I will have people who disagree with me, but junipers are for the most part outdoor trees. They should stay outdoors for the entire year with the exception of bringing them in now and then to display. It is difficult to offer junipers the infrequent heavy watering, bright lighting, air movement and general humidity inside your home. With all of this said; you need to make sure that a small bonsai does not dry out when kept inside. When you water ensure that ALL of the soil gets soaked and then drains freely - the best way to water is to submerge the tree in a tray of water and let the soil become completely saturated before lifting it out. Junipers do not need misting, but they DO need bright light. Place your juniper in a south-facing window and water whenever the top of the soil is dry - but make sure the soil drains REALLY well so the roots don't rot. Alex |
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