Bonsai Browning question...

[wolfmanjack]

Greetings! I am new to this forum, but I need some help. My girlfriend bought me a Juniper Bonsai tree a few years ago for my birthday. I have bought a few bonsai books but there aren't really a lot of groups around here at my university to seek help from. My tree has been growing and getting bigger, but I noticed a last week that he has a few brown branches and leaves. My girlfriend talked to a bonsai guy who says that this is normal because he (his name is alphonse) is growing and that the growth will eventually turn green. I was looking online for some more pictures of other junipers that had this "brown" on them to make sure that my little buddy was going to be okay, and a website mentioned that bonsai trees must be kept outside during winter months to go into "dormancy" so they can make food for the next summer. The weather in Ky is so random during the winter that we go from frigid weather to normal warm days. I didn't think that putting my lil tree outside was such a good idea this winter because I was afraid that he would freeze. My girlfriend and I live in a duplex apartment outside the university that we both attend, so we really don't have a lot of space to put him out in the yard. Not to mention our neighbors have dogs that would love to each him. I have thought about getting a window pottery type thing to hang from our 2nd story bedroom... but I was wondering if it is too late to do this to make him go dormant. I don't want him to die, I really want him to live and become full and healthy again... I just need some help. If I do put him outside on the window seal, I need any hints to keep him safe from frost and harsh weather in the upcoming months. Also what to do when there is snow in the forecast. I have some pictures so hopefully I can get help with a diagnosis of what I can do for my lil pal.

[rainbowgardener]

Your pictures didn't come through.

Look in New to Helpful Gardener? under Helpful Tips and Suggestions for New Members for detailed instructions on how to post pictures here. You can't upload them directly from your computer (for the time being until the new Forum update comes out), they have to be hosted on line.

.... Sigh. The real bonsai folks must get weary with all the people writing in because their juniper bonsai's died indoors. It is NOT an indoor tree. It must have cold dormancy. Junipers are extremely cold hardy, they grow in Canada. The cold you have would not hurt it. Staying warm and dry indoors kills it. I'm guessing if it is showing brown, it is (sorry...) likely dead already. Junipers tend to die in slow motion, by the time it starts showing brown it is likely to late to save it.

(Frost and harsh weather in the upcoming months? It's almost March. You won't have much more frost and harsh weather. Spring is coming! I had to look back at the date to see if maybe this was an old post or something..)

But I'm not an expert; perhaps someone will come along who can tell you better than I if it can be saved... especially if you post your pictures so they can see it.

Type juniper bonsai in the Search the Forum Keyword box to find lots written here about them.

[wolfmanjack]

Its not an old post, I promise. The weather in Ky is just incredibly wonky. We have had warm and rainy weather all winter up until a few weeks ago... when we randomly got a few inches of snow. It has since shifted back to warm... and back to snow... again. My birthday is in the first week of march.. and almost every year since my birth there has been some large snow fall and nasty weather in march. It doesn't actually start getting warm and staying warm here until April. I tried to upload the pictures, but I am not sure how to do that. I had posted on other forums where posted pictures was easier and some other people said that it seems to be okay. I am going to put him outside as soon as it gets warm and hopefully he will be okay. I am going to make sure to put hi outside on a window garden box where I can keep an eye on him this fall. I hope he will be okay... if not... I guess we live and learn.

[tomc]

Wolf,
I went to the site with your photos. *Sigh*, your tree may make it through this winter, but early in your spring he simply must go outdoors.

Juniper don't fully fire my afterburners, but he's stressed. The walk with a Juniper between stressed and dead is a short one.

Please start reading FAQs everywhere. You need to know the horticultural needs of the trees you support.

[wolfmanjack]

Sorry folks, I have no idea of how to get the pictures to show up on here. I am sorry if the other link doesn't work.. I don't know what else to do. IS there any way that I could gently acclimate him to cold and put him in dormancy for a month or so at least? I mean would putting him into dormancy now be too late? I know where a green house is where it isn't heated above 50 ish degrees. I wouldn't mind traveling every day to check on him... I just need to know what to do. I think this spring that I need to repot him and get him so new medium... so maybe that will be okay. I will make sure that next winter the little guy stays outside during the winter months. Anyone have any tips on fertilizing and "feeding" Junipers during the spring?

[TomM]

Junipers should be outdoors year-round, not just in Winter. They will die if kept indoors.

For indoors get a tropical tree.

[Intriguedbybonsai]

Sorry folks, I have no idea of how to get the pictures to show up on here.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724

Winter isn't over just yet. I mean it still gets pretty darn chilly at night here in southern Cali as of right now. As you've stated, go with a window box, or some sort of planter tray that can be attached to your outside window sill. As far as I know there's no way to winterize a juniper from indoors.

[wolfmanjack]

I would like to thank all of the members of this forum who have tried to hep me with this problem. I will be putting Alphonse outside in a window planter as soon as I can get ahold of one. I hope that it isn't to late for my little buddy, but if it is then I guess it just is. I will be looking for tips to take better care of him this upcoming year and hopefully he will get big and strong and continue to grow. For the members that are "pros" (TomM), I am sorry if I offended you by asking these questions, but I am trying to make things better... and I don't appreciate being responded to like I am stupid. If I didn't care I would simply watch Alphonse die... instead of trying to correct my mistakes.

[rainbowgardener]

Wolfman... not your fault... Just type juniper bonsai into the Search the Forum key word box and read through the results. I believe you are the NINTH person this year (2012!) to write in about their juniper bonsai dying indoors. It must get really frustrating for bonsai pros.

Tom has to keep telling people over and over, sorry but your juniper bonsai is probably dying or dead, because it was kept indoors. Can't be too fun. Don't shoot the messenger.

I think a lot of this is the fault of the sellers who apparently very often give purchasers no advice or very wrong advice about how to take care of their new bonsai. Anything to make a buck... sure you want an indoor bonsai, this little guy will make a great one!

[TomM]

Wolfman - I mean no offense. I really am trying to help. 'Tough Love' style.

If I come across as harsh or demeaning I apologize for that. I am not a bonsai pro - far from it. Just a hobbyist like you. Been doing bonsai less than 10 years and still have a lot of difficulty with certain trees. I've recently lost 2 very nice tropical (indoor) bonsai and haven't a clue what went wrong. Hey - it happens to everybody, .....everybody.

We are all just students. I try very hard to channel the passion we share towards those who know more about this than you or I. I encourage everyone to find a local bonsai club or someone in the community to look to for help, guidance or inspiration. In your area, or Eastern Tennessee actually, it could be Bjorn Bjornholm. (Google that name). He is the dude who is producing the Youtube videos that I refer to in my thread FREE BONSAI VIDEOS.

Please take some time to view his videos. Some may not inspire you. Totally irrelevant perhaps. Some might knock your socks off. Whatever. Take your inspiration wherever you find it.

Bonsai (and your interest in it) is a beautiful thing. Find a teacher who inspires you and who you truly respect and enjoy working with. BE THE KARATE KID! Find that passion like I have. BUT don't mutter and throw a tantrum because your tree dies or because someone says something that you take as a put down or is critical. Take it as a challenge - learn from it and become a bigger person.

Go do your homework - and THANK YOU for hanging in there.