New Juniper in cold climate.
Hey everyone I am a new proud owner of a baby Juniper living in Toronto Canada.. Well I think its a baby. Maybe you guys can help me out. My first priority is the health of the bonsai. I bought the tree about a week ago and found out that its an out door tree afterwards. I am reading up on dormancy periods and that the tree needs to prepare its self for harsh winters. What I am doing is, since I got my bonsai in early February and the tree is not used to the the weather we are having. I have put my tree in an unheated room in my basement. The temperature in that room is constant 40'f or 4'c with no sunlight what so ever. This worries me, so at mid day I take it outside where it can get some sunlight. At that time the temperature outside is about 0'c-to -10'c. At night when I bring the tree inside, the temperature outside its -20'c or colder. Deep in my heart I know that my bonsai can stand this harsh, intense winter, but without gradual weather change and my bonsai's self preparation stages I don't think it would stand a chance. Please let me know if this method will work for this winter. I am very attached to it in the 4 days its been in my care.
Age of a tree is not really important. How ancient it appears because of the styling is the true goal. Your pictured tree is very young, probably J. procumbens "nana" grown from a cutting or seed, and no more than a few years old. This species of Juniperus grows mostly horizontally, so vertical growth would have to be style. Honestly, if you take a trip to any nursery that carries landscaping plants, you'll find the same "bonsai trees" in quart, half-gallon, gallon, etc. pots, just a little fuller, thicker, possibly older, for a fraction of the price.
As to dormancy, I'd say it's way too late in the season now. I'd move the tree outside as soon as serious threat of frost passes in a month or so. In the meantime, get it into a well draining, inorganic soil, in a window with a lot of light, and provide a lot of humidity. Watering AND misting once or twice per day may actually be required just to keep it alive until spring.
As to dormancy, I'd say it's way too late in the season now. I'd move the tree outside as soon as serious threat of frost passes in a month or so. In the meantime, get it into a well draining, inorganic soil, in a window with a lot of light, and provide a lot of humidity. Watering AND misting once or twice per day may actually be required just to keep it alive until spring.
Thank you sir for the reply. You said with styling the plant, I can make it grow upright. Can you please explain to me how to style it so that it looks like this Juniper Pro. Nana.
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Wow, that would be a lot of explaining. You'll need to know the basics of wiring and pruning, and once you understand them, how to shape will become pretty evident. I'd recommend picking up a good general book on bonsai care and the art of bonsai, as the information I would need to offer would, in itself, consume a book.
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Rick,
Earlier you wrote:
There is a well known saying that, 'Small bonsai don't grow up to be big bonsai.' In other words once a tree is in a bonsai pot development slows greatly and the refinement stage begins. Most bonsai don't ever get potted until they are well into their journey.
Norm
Earlier you wrote:
Then kdodds wrote:Can you please explain to me how to style it so that it looks like this Juniper Pro. Nana.
Not to mention more than a few years. If you would like a Juniper with a more mature appearance I would take note of what kdodds wrote here:Wow, that would be a lot of explaining.
Putting aside the question of price I would suggest that you will also cut years, or perhaps even decades, from development time by acquiring a tree that is older to begin with.Honestly, if you take a trip to any nursery that carries landscaping plants, you'll find the same "bonsai trees" in quart, half-gallon, gallon, etc. pots, just a little fuller, thicker, possibly older, for a fraction of the price.
There is a well known saying that, 'Small bonsai don't grow up to be big bonsai.' In other words once a tree is in a bonsai pot development slows greatly and the refinement stage begins. Most bonsai don't ever get potted until they are well into their journey.
Norm
Ditto on the potting. Very few of my current trees are actually in bonsai pots. Most are in "training pots", plastic, "bonsai style" containers that are usually deeper, longer, and wider that the ultimate pot will be. Some of my "trainers" are at least 4 or 5 years old. Some of these will be going into bonsai pots this spring, but most will not. Some I'll be even be "giving up on" as they're not growing in a fashion that will be aesthetically pleasing. I would say, as a rough "guesstimate" that maybe 1 in a dozen trees, being conservative, might be developed into a "master" bonsai. Most would probably say that, from seed, this number is wildly generous and maybe 1 in 100 or so would be suitable.