Chihiro
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Is this normal for Japanese juniper bonsai?

Well, you see I just got one of the "mallsais" however I made sure it was a good, strong plant. When I got the plant I noticed all the spikes were brown along the branch! However there are green, vibrant buds at the tips of each branch. I water when the soil is dry, the rocks are loose with no glue. The soil is the specific bonsai soil the local nursery recommends, and of course the plant remains outside. However, there is still the issue of the brown needles, and I have had this plant for bout two weeks; is my plant dead, or is it just "dying" because I have the buds at the end of each branch?
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imafan26
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There can be a number of things that cause juniper needles to brown from fungal disease, watering issues, to pests. It is one of the reasons why junipers are not indoor plants. They need light, air and watering at the right time.

Since this plant was in a mall and you have only had it a couple of weeks, it may be an acclimation problem. All plants that have been indoors even for a few days need to be gradually reintroduced outside or they will burn.

https://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/p ... c2056.html

Chihiro
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imafan26 wrote:There can be a number of things that cause juniper needles to brown from fungal disease, watering issues, to pests. It is one of the reasons why junipers are not indoor plants. They need light, air and watering at the right time.

Since this plant was in a mall and you have only had it a couple of weeks, it may be an acclimation problem. All plants that have been indoors even for a few days need to be gradually reintroduced outside or they will burn.

https://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/p ... c2056.html
I can understand these causes, and I would like to thank you for the response.

tomc
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Juniper do not give hints of stress very well. They tend to die from the inside out. And are often passed by the time they show stress. I regret to say we may be trying to save the horse after the barn has burned down.

I would do all of the following without delay. 1, If those rocks are (hot) glued on, please remove them even it it means using a chisel. 2, Read up in the research forum here on how to use a chop-stick to test for the water needs of your tree. 3, put your juniper in shade outdoors before moving it into more sun after (or if) it starts greening up.

Juniper are extreemly hearty. However they often have very small root systems because they are propagated. It is that very small root size that makes them not a good candidate for the too-dry environment indoors. They wither in the drouth. Made only worse by glued on rock creating a barrier to water.

tomc
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OK that earlier post is about as nice as my meager nature permits me to be. If you really want to take up bonsai training as a hobby-art form you will have to push out in front of a reactive-passive nature and become much more pro-active.

You must pick up and handle your tree every single day for the next several years. And you will also have to start to research every wrinkle of its bark untill you know your tree to its smallest part.

Not every tree gives good foreshadowing of how its feeling. Its going to be on you if your going to find out what that next thing is, and "if" it is important to the health of your tree.

Based on reading bonsai forums for the mast fifteen years, nearly every one who waits for their tree to talk to them gets out of the hobby. They quit because too many of their trees die. Too often.

And good bad or indiferent, dead trees are the price of admission to bonsai.

Chihiro
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Which is fine to me, I can live with dead trees I just like knowing the cause why such things occur so I know what I can do better for the next tree down the road.

tomc
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I want you killing the minimum number of trees. In that I hope it will get you to keep on with caring for them.

Read everywhere, read everything. Once you 'think' your seeing a training method that might look good on your tree, talk about that here or on one of the other bonsai forums.

My adverse advice is pick out a rugged plant (I like ivy) read up on how to train it as bonsai. It may be a bit more forgiving. You need a living stock to work on. And Ivy will take grooming just about monthly. All of which should make you pick it up more . ;)

Chihiro
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That advice is quite sound, I had originally grabbed the bonsai because I wanted to put it in my Japanese stone garden but then I realized it was a plant that wouldn't thrive well in such a rocky area so it's residing on my windowsill at the moment and it's quickly getting new leaves! This makes me hopeful that it's still thriving, and of course that being said I got a glass bulb to water it when I'm at work (so when the soil tends to get dry). I am rather reluctant with some things I've read like how bonsais need liquid food, why doesn't sun, water, and soil work? (Please reread and note that I use organic soil that the nursery recommended!) It's quite confusing, but I have done quite a lot of research before I got the plant so I'm fully prepared to take care of it. I've found a spot in my herb garden where it will grow with plenty of room, I have mint water to keep the flies and spider mites away. The only bad thing was the Browning leaves which after research seems to be caused my the new leaves growing because the old leaves were juvenile! Thank you for all your help though.

imafan26
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I am glad your juniper seems to be recovering. If the nursery person did not grow the plant and just sells it, be aware that they may not know that bonsai soil is different from what you would use on other potted plants.

Junipers usually don't get a lot of brown leaves unless there is a problem. Old needles fall off. Widespread browning from the tip or the base upwards usually mean something is not right. Tom is right, junipers are slow to disclose what is stressing them. By the time you recognize something is wrong the plant is on its way out.

Bonsai are not that hard to take care of really, if you have the right plant in the right place. But bonsai are potted plants and as such are totally dependent on you for all of their needs for water, light, nutrients, and soil. Most trees are outside plants and are usually only brought in to display. Bonsai trees are planted in a free draining gravelly mix of akadama, grit and a small amount of compost and fertilizer. Bonsai pots have very small drain holes so being free draining is a must. Because of the low volume of soil and shallow pot, bonsai need to be repotted fairly frequently, depending on the rate of growth of your particular plant that may be every six month to a year. Trees need to be topworked and root pruned to stay in a small pot. That is another skill.

Many of the mallsai as you call them are very stressed from not being in a good environment and being cared for by staff that are only told to water them. If you are going to buy bonsai, get a good one from a bonsai club sale or someone who actually knows how to grow and care for them.

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rainbowgardener
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RE: bonsais need liquid food[fertilizer], why doesn't sun, water, and soil work?

Because the tree is being maintained in a tiny little pot with maybe less than one cup of soil. That small an amount of soil has very little nutrients to start with. Then in order to be able to maintain it in a tiny pot and not have the roots rot, the soil needs to be very inorganic, so even less nutrients. And then it needs to be watered frequently, which flushes what ever nutrients there are out the bottom of the pot.

Sun, water, and soil works for a tree in the ground. You are trying to maintain a tree in an extremely limiting and artificial situation. Since you have separated it from all natural nutrients, you MUST provide them.

In the ground, junipers grow big, stout, deep taproots and an extensive shallower lateral root system as well. This lets it draw water and nutrients from a very large volume of soil.

Now does it make sense that you will have to add nutrients for your tree in a tiny pot?

Chihiro
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Yes sorry. :\

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rainbowgardener
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No apology needed and I didn't mean to sound like it was....

Just explaining...

Artisans
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Whats all the long, drawn out explanations from everybody here for??? What you have is a procumbens nana (formally called a Prostrata J. Squamata).

IT'S A JUNIPER... IT CANNOT BE KEPT INSIDE AT ALL (as your picture shows)! There is no "acclamation" no "burning" you bought a mallsai my friend, not a bonsai. It's in a glazed pot, which the first sign that the maker HAS NO BONSAI EXPERIENCE AT ALL.

Another good sign of lack of bonsai experience is the "white rocks" and the "panda"! No self respecting bonsai artisan would do ANY OF THIS. Junipers should ALWAYS be in an unglazed pot. It's probably in DIRT also, right?

It's DYING and will not live! Junipers need a minimum of 5 to 6 hours of full sun to live and thrive. Junipers will "look" alive and stay green for about 4 weeks even though they are already dead.

REMEMBER: Use good draining bonsai soil (junipers don't like "wet feet"). FULL SUN (junipers ARE NOT indoor plants, don't believe me, ask ANY nurseryman).

Throw it away and learn the right way. just because it a bonsai (which is an art, not a specific species) does not mean it changes the growing habits of the plant material used. Want to learn about junipers and other species? Buy Tropical Green Sheets 1 & 2 from Martha Goff. EVERYTHING you need to know about junipers and more.
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