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offcolorwriting

Winter care/watering for Juniper

offcolorwriting
17 years ago

I live in Wisconsin and have a juniper that's about 3 years old. About 2 months ago, I moved it to an in-closed, but unheated porch for the winter.

My question has to do with watering during the winter. Should it be watered during this time? Also, will I have to worry about the soil expanding and breaking the pot that it's in?

Any help would be great, thanks!

Comments (15)

  • lucy
    17 years ago

    Hi, two months ago? It's better to allow them to go through a couple of light frosts at least - junipers can take anything down to 15-20 Fahr., and need to get cold to go dormant... which I hope you haven't prevented. In any case, once the soil freezes, don't water. Do water only if it thaws enough to dry out. Do pile snow on it to allow nature to water it naturally (when it warms up a bit and melts in - not the same as you're pouring water on it). If you have a cheap, low-fired pot, it may crack - impossible to predict. The thing to do, however, is sink your pot into a much larger one (and now would be the time) that has it's own drain holes, and stuff mulch in between the pots and put l" on the soil.

  • pineslayer
    17 years ago

    Just to add...

    The soil should not have been so saturated with water that freezing and expansion would break a pot. Back when I lived in Chicago I overwintered plenty of bonsai in an unheated garage and never lost a single pot to freezing. The key is to have open, pebbly soil.

    Alex
    www.bonsainut.com

  • cookrn
    17 years ago

    my juniper has been outside for a few weeks now and I think is doing a little better. I am still a little unsure on watering and therefore have not been doing it too much. it got really cold here overnight and the soil is now frozen completely. any specific things that i should do to it other than leave it alone?

  • lucy
    17 years ago

    Nope.

  • raycoselli_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    Hey there my question is where would be the best place to put my Juniper Bonsai during the winter months. I started to leave it outside on my patio and it has been getting about 4-5 hours sun in the moring and shade the whole rest of the day. Does that sounds like a good location? Thank you so much, I am trying to learn all I can!

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    13 years ago

    It's not possible to advise you, except in a very lengthy reply that covers all the bases, w/o knowing where you live.

    Al

  • raycoselli_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    I live on Houston, Texas. It is our winter here and it's about 37-40 at night, 55-65 during the day. I have been keeping my juniper bonsai indoors because I thought It was bad for the tree to get cold. Buy now I think I'm wrong, the tree us starting to brown just a tad on a few leaves. But have put it outside after reading these posts and it is getting a little better.

  • raycoselli_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    And also during winter here in Texas do I leave it outside during day and bring it in at night? Or should I just leave it outside over night Antigone the day just leave it alone?

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    13 years ago

    Leave it outdoors all year long. It will appreciate the cold rest it gets during your winter.

    Al

  • ronnherr_hotmail_com
    13 years ago

    Hi, I have just bought a 16 year old shinpaku juniper. I live in Vancouver Canada. I have a couple of questions. 1. How often do I water the juniper and how much if it's inside...or if outside, do I have to water it all or only we the soil dries? how often do I feed it during the winter months and what? 2. Can I wire this plant and try to shape it or is it too old for proper shaping? I tried to just bend the trunk a little but it felt like it was going o break. I kno I need to wire it I the winter months when its dormant, but is it too old? Do I have trim it in the winter?

  • larke
    13 years ago

    Hi - you really should start a new thread here... this one's way out of date and not many will click on it, but... your tree should live outside for life where you are, but will need some protection from all the rain you get, even in the proper grit mix it should be in. Until it's in that mix water only when just about all of it's dry, though use a bit of care at midday in July! You can learn more about mixes from bonsaisite.com/forums and go to the subforum on Soil. But if your tree is really 16, I'd be curious to know what it is potted in (vs the 3-5 yr old 'clones' in peaty potting soil (covered with a layer of glued on pebbles!) in e.g. Wal-Mart, as someone has obviously been doing something right. Where did you get it and who told you it was 16? You don't feed it in winter and you don't repot now, though once it's dormant (I must assume it is at this time) you can if it's important, take off a branch or two now. It doesn't make a lot of sense to wire it now though... wait til spring. Can you post a picture in the gallery here and leave a note on this forum to let us know? BTW, you don't HAVE to do anything at any time except that if you want it to do well, should follow 'the rules' when it comes to horticultural needs.

  • CTLuv012713
    11 years ago

    Hi everyone I am having a hard time with my Juniper bonsai i read your post but i was wondering if its OK to have it outside in winter i live in IL and we get really cold weather and lately we have had weather in 15 to 40 degrees F with some days having snow on the ground is it OK for it to be out than. The needles are turning brown and falling off but it looks like there is new growth. We did re-pot it and the roots looked dark brown but when i was cleaning it under the brown it looked white and some areas it also had a purplish tint in some spots. Also it did smell sweet. When should i water it if any in the winter. Please help. Thanks

  • CTLuv012713
    11 years ago

    Hi everyone I am having a hard time with my Juniper bonsai i read your post but i was wondering if its OK to have it outside in winter i live in IL and we get really cold weather and lately we have had weather in 15 to 40 degrees F with some days having snow on the ground is it OK for it to be out than. The needles are turning brown and falling off but it looks like there is new growth. We did re-pot it and the roots looked dark brown but when i was cleaning it under the brown it looked white and some areas it also had a purplish tint in some spots. Also it did smell sweet. When should i water it if any in the winter. Please help. Thanks

  • CTLuv012713
    11 years ago

    Hi everyone I am having a hard time with my Juniper bonsai i read your post but i was wondering if its OK to have it outside in winter i live in IL and we get really cold weather and lately we have had weather in 15 to 40 degrees F with some days having snow on the ground is it OK for it to be out than. The needles are turning brown and falling off but it looks like there is new growth. We did re-pot it and the roots looked dark brown but when i was cleaning it under the brown it looked white and some areas it also had a purplish tint in some spots. Also it did smell sweet. When should i water it if any in the winter. Please help. Thanks

  • louis_6254
    11 years ago

    i bought a juniper bonsai today and don't know where to put it. i live in ny and it is 35*. can someone please help and tell me where to put it. i dont have a garage because i live in apartment.
    HELP

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