New Bonsai owner...not doing so well!

[Snowcat]

Hello!
I am a new owner of a Bonsai tree and I'm afraid I'm not doing well with it. The tree is very sentimental to me as it was given to my family for my mother's funeral, only 2 months ago.

I water my tree regularly and it LOVES the submersion method and I sprinkle it with the sprayer in my kitchen sink. The last week or so, the limbs and leaves seem to be browning and drying. Why is this? I have seriously watered it regularly (at least every other day, submersion 1 time a week). There's still lots of green but I want to stop whatever is happening. Is there an emergency saving method I haven't read about yet? Please help! Advice is needed. I believe my tree is a juniper bonsai.

Thank you!
Snowcat in MN

[alisios]

You are giving it a lot of water - every other day in addition to submersion is drowning it. Juniper's like to be on the dry side. Also, they need to be outside in fresh air and sun.

Good luck.

[kdodds]

Ditto, it's an outdoor tree. Junipers inevitably do not make it if kept indoors. Even outside on a windowsill is better than indoors, if you're in an apartment. As long as it rains during the week, it will probably not need much (if any) additional watering. Try to avoid over-watering, but also avoid, for the time being, adding anything to the water like fertilizers or vitamin or hormone preparations. Get the tree outside and water only when the soil feels slightly dry to the touch IF it's not going to rain that day.