My Juniper Bonsais are turning brown! Help!

[KellyB]

Hi. I have several Juniper bonsais. I have one that is approximately 2 years old. For about the first year, it was kept indoors in my apartment on a ledge where it got plenty of sun. When I moved, it was kept on a shaded porch for about 6 months and was fine both places. I recently moved into a loft and placed the bonsais outdoors on my patio. 2 of them started turning brown and losing lots of foliage. My concern was that there was no shade and that the hot Atlanta sun was cooking them all day! So I bought s huge umbrella for my patio to provide them shade, esp from the afternoon sun - but the problem has not improved. They are getting plenty of water and I lightly sprayed them with a gentle insecticide to prevent spider mites. Can anyone help???

[Gnome]

Kelly,

Hello and welcome. I don't have whole lot of time right now but don't want you fell left out either.

Two things come to mind off the top of my head.

They are getting plenty of water

Is it possible that they are being over-watered? Perhaps the soil has become compacted over time thereby retaining more moisture. Also if you could post some pictures of the plant/s and soil it could not hurt.

I lightly sprayed them with a gentle insecticide to prevent spider mites.

Certain species are sensitive to certain insecticides. Did this problem arise shortly after the application?

Norm

[ynot]

Hi. I have several Juniper bonsais. I have one that is approximately 2 years old. For about the first year, it was kept indoors in my apartment on a ledge where it got plenty of sun. When I moved, it was kept on a shaded porch for about 6 months and was fine both places. I recently moved into a loft and placed the bonsais outdoors on my patio. 2 of them started turning brown and losing lots of foliage. My concern was that there was no shade and that the hot Atlanta sun was cooking them all day! So I bought s huge umbrella for my patio to provide them shade, esp from the afternoon sun - but the problem has not improved. Can anyone help???

Welcome Kelly,

Pictures would be most beneficial, Is that a possibility?

you should know that indoors is not an appropriate environment for a juniper [And I imagine the year indoors was quite hard on them.]
Read this: https://www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Juniperus.html
Take note of the section on 'Position'.

Brown is not a natural color at all for a healthy juniper. And you should be aware that often by the time they are brown they have been dead for weeks already.
Test yours by scratching the bark down to the cambium layer in an unobtrusive spot. If you see a pale green color it is still alive. ANY other color: IE Tan, Brown...etc... Indicates that you have an ex-tree...

Is it crispy and overall or substantially brown? Just the tips? Certain branches? Details please.

They are getting plenty of water and I lightly sprayed them with a gentle insecticide to prevent spider mites.

Did you actually have spider mites? If not.. Why risk the pesticide? Was this browning a problem before you sprayed them?

Can you tell us a bit about your version of 'plenty of water'.

Do you water as they require it or by some other system?

Have you read the stickys at the top of the forum? Is your soil appropriate?

We may have more questions for you than you have for us...lol

ynot

[KellyB]

Thanks so much for everyone's help! I had conflicting advice RE: watering my junipers. When I had them indoors, I only watered them when the soil felt dry. When I started having problems with these trees outside, I was advised to water them every morning - since they were out in the heat all day. Since joining your forum, I think that I have realized that I was ill-advised. I lightly misted them to prevent spider mites because I had a juniper die because of spider mites some time ago when it was outside. I misted them several weeks ago and haven't noticed a significant difference in the decline of their health. I am beginning to think that perhaps they were just over-watered. I haven't been watering them for about 5 days now and am hoping that allowing them to dry out may improve their health. Am going to try to attach 2 pics of the trees that I am having trouble with. Again, thanks so much for your help!

[ynot]

Kelly thanks for the pictures

Thanks so much for everyone's help!

Your welcome
There are a bunch of articles you should check out at: https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics.html {Many will be helpful, But Soil, & Watering should take priority for the moment.}

I had conflicting advice RE: watering my junipers. When I had them indoors, I only watered them when the soil felt dry. When I started having problems with these trees outside, I was advised to water them every morning - since they were out in the heat all day. Since joining your forum, I think that I have realized that I was ill-advised.

This is a good system, Watering when they needed it [I hope you checked at depth & not just the surface.].

I am happy to hear that you recognize that you received errant advice.
No schedule is effective when it comes to watering as it does not address the fundamental question of: "Does the tree require water?"l

I lightly misted them to prevent spider mites because I had a juniper die because of spider mites some time ago when it was outside. I misted them several weeks ago and haven't noticed a significant difference in the decline of their health.

OK, Let's hope it is not a factor.

I am beginning to think that perhaps they were just over-watered. I haven't been watering them for about 5 days now and am hoping that allowing them to dry out may improve their health.

Don't overdo it [It's a common mistake to overcompensate.] They still need to be moist. [Not soaking mind you..]

Am going to try to attach 2 pics of the trees that I am having trouble with.

Would it be possible to resize them and replace the ones that are posted to eliminate the side scrolling.

This is a link to a free program that will allow you to resize them if you have no program to do it: https://irfanview.com/

Have you pruned these recently? Did you use scissors? [url=https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Pruning3.html]Read the bottom of this page about 'pinching'.[/url]

Check out this thread for inspiring bonsai: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3343

ynot

[KellyB]

Thanks for the d/l link. I resized the images and am including them, below. I actually did prune them about a month ago using scissors - until I read that this causes the foliage to turn brown. Since then, I have been pinching off the brown spots.
Again, thank you SO much for your help! It has been so hard to find anyone to advise me (properly) on this!
[img]https://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h142/kbrowne_photos/bonsai002-1.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h142/kbrowne_photos/bonsai001-1.jpg[/img]

[ynot]

Kelly,

Your welcome , No problem whatsoever. I am sure you will have more questions after you have done some reading also.

Do be sure to check out the stickys at the top of the forum as well as the 'inspirational thread' I linked to before.

Here are a few [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3557]photo tips[/url]to help you take the best shots of your trees.

[Just one more thing about the pictures....

See, The thing is... We still have to scroll due to the size of the original pictures you posted until you change/delete them.
If you could click on the 'edit' button in the corner of your first post it will give you an editing format where you can either replace them with the new versions or simply delete the pictures out of that post...

Either way... No more scrolling - .]

Be sure to keep us posted and ask any questions you may have.

ynot

[Gnome]

[Just one more thing about the pictures....

See, The thing is... We still have to scroll due to the size of the original pictures you posted until you change/delete them.
If you could click on the 'edit' button in the corner of your first post it will give you an editing format where you can either replace them with the new versions or simply delete the pictures out of that post...

I have deleted them.

Norm

[ynot]

[Just one more thing about the pictures....

See, The thing is... We still have to scroll due to the size of the original pictures you posted until you change/delete them.
If you could click on the 'edit' button in the corner of your first post it will give you an editing format where you can either replace them with the new versions or simply delete the pictures out of that post...

I have deleted them.

Norm

Thank You Gnome .

ynot