I'm new here, and have been into bonsai for a couple of months. I recently purchased a few plants, one an Arboricola and this past week I bought a Juniper with the hope of making something out of it (semi-cascade seems most logical). I also bought a side-of-the-road stick Juniper and have planted it in a larger pot to let the trunk thicken up.
Anyway, my newest Juniper looked fine when I bought it from a reputable plant nursery in Houston, but upon closer inspection I have found some small patches of brown needles, with some needles practically grey/white and dead to the touch. The plant has been kept outdoors and is not a mallsai per se(I.e. no rocks glued to the soil, decent sized). I haven't watered it yet, just because the soil feels moist to the touch. It's planted in a terra cotta Chinese cascade style pot, about 10 inches tall if that helps (the pot, not the plant).
I tried to self-diagnose the problem but have seen conflicting problems. At first I thought it could be spider mites but I don't think it is. I don't think it's dead (yet) because I've pinched back quite a few buds today. The slight browning isn't consuming the plant, and I've seen dead Junipers before so I have a little experience with that (I got a mallsai years ago and made all the basic mistakes like keeping it indoors and overwatering it).
I tried scraping the bark to see a green layer, but have not seen much green (also, it seems people disagree on whether or not this is a valid test to see whether a Juniper is still alive). I've already cut off the branch that was most affected, but there are a few small brown patches remaining.
I can post pics later if that helps.
-
Victrinia Ridgeway
- Senior Member
- Posts: 264
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:46 am
- Location: Bremerton, WA
Junipers do get some dieback in areas where there isn't enough light (usually inner foliage)... so seeing photos and knowing where the dieback is located would indeed be helpful.
I was a bit alarmed by the "I haven't watered it yet"... I'd like to know how long it's been, and how much rain the tree has gotten. Surface mositure is not a good measure of water readiness. That's why one should use a chopstick while they are learning proper care for trees, so you can get deeper into the pot where the roots are. Morning dew has fooled many an enthusiast into thinking the trees were moist enough. Not so... so please check.
As to scratch tests with junipers... if you scratch the skin of the bark what you'll likely see is actually more brilliant red than green, and it's very thin... so it would be easy to pass through it and be to a very moist bright white that is below that.
If the bark resists scratching, and has any dryness under the bark, it's likely dead in that area. But just keep checking down lower... they will draw back from an area, and since they can back bud they may not be entirely lost.
Also did you buy it in the pot, or did you put it in the pot? If you did... when did you do it?
Welcome to the forum....
Victrinia
I was a bit alarmed by the "I haven't watered it yet"... I'd like to know how long it's been, and how much rain the tree has gotten. Surface mositure is not a good measure of water readiness. That's why one should use a chopstick while they are learning proper care for trees, so you can get deeper into the pot where the roots are. Morning dew has fooled many an enthusiast into thinking the trees were moist enough. Not so... so please check.
As to scratch tests with junipers... if you scratch the skin of the bark what you'll likely see is actually more brilliant red than green, and it's very thin... so it would be easy to pass through it and be to a very moist bright white that is below that.
If the bark resists scratching, and has any dryness under the bark, it's likely dead in that area. But just keep checking down lower... they will draw back from an area, and since they can back bud they may not be entirely lost.
Also did you buy it in the pot, or did you put it in the pot? If you did... when did you do it?
Welcome to the forum....
Victrinia
Thanks for the reply Victrina.
I'll get on the chopstick and check the root and soil moisture deeper, I didn't know that but will do it right away. It's only been two days since I bought the plant, which has been outside and there have been a couple days of light rain in Houston but I'll check regardless.
The bark doesn't seem dry or dead to me, no signs of shriveling or falling apart.
The brown/grey tips were in the back of the main foliage pad, and a bit on the one large branch coming off one side, which is an attempt at the semi-cascade style. They were on the top of the foliage, not deep in it.
Also, I bought it in the pot and have not taken to repotting it.
I checked the plant last night and then again this morning, no significant changes for the worse.
Do you guys (or gals) have any tips for pruning Juniper branches? I've tried to read the most I can online, but a lot of sources are really vague.
I'll get on the chopstick and check the root and soil moisture deeper, I didn't know that but will do it right away. It's only been two days since I bought the plant, which has been outside and there have been a couple days of light rain in Houston but I'll check regardless.
The bark doesn't seem dry or dead to me, no signs of shriveling or falling apart.
The brown/grey tips were in the back of the main foliage pad, and a bit on the one large branch coming off one side, which is an attempt at the semi-cascade style. They were on the top of the foliage, not deep in it.
Also, I bought it in the pot and have not taken to repotting it.
I checked the plant last night and then again this morning, no significant changes for the worse.
Do you guys (or gals) have any tips for pruning Juniper branches? I've tried to read the most I can online, but a lot of sources are really vague.
-
Victrinia Ridgeway
- Senior Member
- Posts: 264
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:46 am
- Location: Bremerton, WA
Junipers are easy to handle when they are young... you'll read a lot about not using scissors on them as it'll turn the cut parts brown, but frankly when you have a lot of work to do to grow it out, it's not a big deal... because you'll grow past that point. However if it matters to you, just make sure that the parts where you are cutting is actually the brown bark covered parts of the branchlets... and not green... because anywhere that it's green is where it'll brown. Some people report that using ceramic scissors doesn't cause browning, but I've never bothered to try. If you are shaping the green foliage tips then pinching is best as it won't cause the browning. However pinching foliage pads is reserved for more advanced trees really.
Thinning out the foliage is good to let light in to help prevent the die back I was talking about. And I imagine that whatever is happening to the tree was happening before you got it, and you must not have noticed, as it takes some time for Junipers to show stress and damage.... hence the notion that if it is browning and dieing, that it likely actually sustained the damage months ago, and has been dead for some time.
Photos would still be helpful...
Victrinia
Thinning out the foliage is good to let light in to help prevent the die back I was talking about. And I imagine that whatever is happening to the tree was happening before you got it, and you must not have noticed, as it takes some time for Junipers to show stress and damage.... hence the notion that if it is browning and dieing, that it likely actually sustained the damage months ago, and has been dead for some time.
Photos would still be helpful...
Victrinia
OK, finally got around to taking some pics, this is the plant as I bought it from the nursery, no styling or wiring done yet:
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juniperfull.jpg[/img]
Some closeups of dead looking needles:
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juiper2.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juniper5.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juniper4.jpg[/img]
The trunk, for reference:
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juniper1.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juniperfull.jpg[/img]
Some closeups of dead looking needles:
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juiper2.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juniper5.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juniper4.jpg[/img]
The trunk, for reference:
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/Space_Lord/juniper1.jpg[/img]
If the white areas can be scarped off it may be a type of parasite. I had a similar problem but I cannot remember if we treated it with fungicide or insecticide...
That white does not look like die back and there is something to be addressed. If anyone knows the official condition that would greatly help!
Sorry I don't have the right advice but we'll find it!
That white does not look like die back and there is something to be addressed. If anyone knows the official condition that would greatly help!
Sorry I don't have the right advice but we'll find it!