My juniper bonsai is turning brown!

The Helpful Gardener · Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:03 am

Well, in winter...

Seems unlikely that is the case here. Could just be a repot in the wrong season; root damage would look like that too...

scott40 · Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:06 am

I might have missed the dormancy, because I don't know how to tell. I've read up on it in a couple of books but can't seem to get any answers...Do you know how I can tell? I mean I'm living in south Florida (Boca Raton). We don't really ever have much of a winter. Right now it's about 65 degrees. That's average down here for this time of year.

scott40 · Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:17 am

Do you think the problem lies from where I purchased it? I have never re-potted it. It had a large enough pot. The plant is not huge, not extravagant...just in soil and moss. The pot size is probabaly about 4"x3". The plant had plenty of room to grow. Although, I must tell you, before the white fuzz appeared on the trunk, a long piece(compared to the plant) probably about 3 or 4 inches fell off the top of the tree. You see the tree trunk turns at a 90 degree angle. We were hoping to make the tree look wind swept. I guess we got our wish because it has lost a lot of its foliage.

The Helpful Gardener · Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:19 am

This would be your "dormant" period, such as it is. Tough to get a true dormancy at that temp; air-conditioning is too dry, refridgeration is too much space wasted...

Are your other trees tropicals?

Scott

scott40 · Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:22 am

Do you think we might have pruned it too fast? I mean, it wasn't completely pruned to where we wanted it but I've heard you must have patience with pruning. Is that true? What is the protocol in regards to pruning a juniper bonsai tree? We never wired it in any way, just twisted off a couple of pieces of foliage.

The Helpful Gardener · Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:27 am

After basic styling I do everything with finger tips on junipers (cutting can leave brown needles) Shouldn't shear foliage (like with hedge shears) cuz it creates too much damage and that can be attractive to disease (open wounds). Simply pinch off new shoots to keep shape and prompt new growth along the branch. Keeping a good flow of air and water through the branches can do a lot to ward off mites or fungus...

Scott

scott40 · Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:37 am

You have helped me so much..Thanks for all your help! I know if I have any questions in the future, I have someone to ask that knows.

Stephanie (Scott40's wife- you've been talking to me all along)

The Helpful Gardener · Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:12 am

Glad to help Steph...

Scott