problem with bonsai

MM2005 · Mon Jun 19, 2006 4:50 pm

I have a juniper bonsai and I live in the deep south. I have followed all of the directions on how to care for it and now the leaves are brown and brittle. Do I need to scratch the bark to see if it is still alive, and if it is do I need to prune off all of the dead pieces?

opabinia51 · Mon Jun 19, 2006 4:54 pm

What were the instructions that you followed?

You could try scratching the bark.

MM2005 · Mon Jun 19, 2006 4:59 pm

the instructions said to water it every 3 days by sitting it in something for the water to draw in underneath. said to fertilize once a month. grow outside. prune regularly. I live in the deep south where temps get at least 100 degrees. please help.

opabinia51 · Mon Jun 19, 2006 5:12 pm

Okay, first of all the watering regime for plant does not work on a schedule, you should water the plant when it needs to be watered, in the heat it may be that you have to water every day. But, the way to know when to water is to submerge a toothpick into the soil and pull it out again, if there is soil stuck to the toothpick, watering is not absolutely necessary. If there is no soil on the toothpick then, you definately need to water.

I'm guessing that the fertilizer that you are using is synthetic? If so, you may have burned your plant. You may not have killed the plant, and if the plant is still alive, it is savable.

I would use some organic fertilizer. Ask at you local nursery, they will most likely recommend liquid fish or liquid seaweed fertilizer. Can't burn your trees with this stuff. And I'm sure that there is stuff out there that I haven't heard of, so long as it is not synthetic you won't have any problems.

You should only prune your plant when you want to control or change it's shape.