Junipers are fairly easy to manage providing you are aware of their cultural requirements. Foremost, this species is not really suited for indoor culture. They may seem OK for a time but more than likely will gradually decline unless you are able to provide conditions that simulate their outdoor environment. Your home is simply too warm and too dry for Junipers to do well. They need a dormancy period in the winter to thrive.The fellow selling it said it was a good begginer tree, easy to take care of, etc.
Yes, in fact it is all but a requirement.Can this tree be left outside during the winter?
Junipers are very hardy and these temperatures are not usually a problem. The real issue is that if your tree is not acclimated to cold weather it may not be advisable to put it out now. Starting next spring it should begin its new life outside and remain there.I live in Maryland and the temperatures can get in the teens (F) during the coldest part of the winter.
By all means take advantage of it place the tree on the porch when temperatures permit. You are South of myself and even further South than Tony. A large box or bushel basket can be used to place the smaller pot in. Provide some insulation, leaves, packing peanuts, Etc. up to the rim of the smaller pot. This will probably be sufficient for all but the coldest days. Don't forget to monitor the moisture in the soil. It will not need watering all that frequently but should not be kept terribly dry either.I have a porch that faces South, so it gets full sun all day.
If the tree recently came from a decent nursery and has not been on truck and then on a store shelf for weeks it stands a much better chance of making it through the winter. By all means leave it out.The guy my wife purchased the tree from had bought it from a nursery in Virginia, so I am thinking the tree was outside, not in a store. Right now it is 48 in my porch, so I will probably leave the tree outside tonight. Do you think this will be long enough to acclimate it? Well, obviously not overnight but it is supposed to be "mild" for the next week, at least.
Thanks, and you as well.Hope you had a safe and happy holiday season.
Perhaps I was not clear in describing my situation. I purchased this tree this past spring a little too late to re-pot. It is simply over-wintering, out of the pot, in the garden. This saves me from worrying about the roots being damaged due to drying out or excessively cold temps. Even Junipers are more vulnerable to low temps if in a pot. I intend to re-pot it this Spring, removing all of the old nursery mix in the process. In fact I prepared my new mix tonight. Starting to get anxious already.In one of your posts you mentioned that you have your Bonsai planted.
That is a possibility but not a necessity. It depends on if you are satisfied with the overall size and development of the tree as it is now. One a tree is in its bonsai pot, rapid development is ended and you are essentially just refining and maintaining the tree. Young trees that are to be grown out more are often planted in the ground for years to thicken up. It depends on your vision for this particular tree. Do you see it as being in its refinement stage or still developing?Should I plant my Juniper in the Spring and take it up every so many years to trim the roots?
You are welcome.Thanks again and sorry for the barrage of questions.
The only way to thicken the trunk is to allow unrestricted growth, which means that you will essentially loose what you have now and start from scratch. Since this is your first tree why not simply work with what you already have and use it as a learning opportunity. Learn how to manage it properly and about soils by re-potting in the spring.In all honesty I do not know what I want. This is my first Bonzai so I do not have a clue. Right now the tree looks nice, but it would look "older" with a thicker trunk.
If the tree is to be re-potted into the same container some work will probably be necessary. Roots sometimes need to be cut simply because of space considerations. But there is another consideration. Only the root tips are able to absorb moisture and nutrients. By pruning away the older, woody portions of the roots you encourage a fibrous mass of roots that are able to feed the tree efficiently in the confines of a bonsai pot. Check out the thread here: [url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3423&sid=d1e7e756b65170f649116d69579aa359[/url]Should the root ball be trimmed out everytime it is repotted?