SZeppelin
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Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:43 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

MY FIRST JUNIPER BONSAI!!!!

Whats up?

I just got this Juniper and I'm totally new to Bonsai's. Can anyone give me some advise on watering, keeping it healthy, make it have strong roots, etc. Can anyone give me an estimated guess on how old this Bonsai is? Also, I know Junipers are suppose to be outdoor Bonsai's but, I think this is a perfect spot for it. It's indoors but, it's about 2ft away from the window...the window is constantly open and it gives it really nice cool air with a breeze and plentiful sunlight. Should I just keep it in this spot? I mist it everyday three times a day...Morning Mid-Afternoon and Night. Will it survive?


[img]https://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/SZeppelin/IMG_5642.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/SZeppelin/IMG_5644.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/SZeppelin/IMG_5646.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/SZeppelin/IMG_5654.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv213/SZeppelin/IMG_5648.jpg[/img]

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Gnome
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Posts: 5122
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A

SZeppelin,

Hello and welcome to the forum. I'm glad that you posted before you had this tree too long.
Also, I know Junipers are suppose to be outdoor Bonsai's but, I think this is a perfect spot for it. It's indoors but, it's about 2ft away from the window
Junipers are outdoor trees, in fact all trees are.

Some species are suitable for indoor culture if they are provided a proper environment, but Junipers are one of the worst species for this endeavor. Just look through the bonsai forum to see all of the members who [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/gsearch_result.php?cx=partner-pub-5070231769909047%3Aflz8arcctdh&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=juniper+dying#1243]have Junipers that are in distress[/url]. If you really want to grow inside there are other, more appropriate, species.

If those pebbles are glued in place they should be removed soon, that practice is not part of bonsai but an accommodation to the shipper/retailer.

Read [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1479]this[/url] for tips on watering.

Also have a look at this [url=https://www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Juniperus.html]care sheet[/url] from a respected bonsai professional in the UK.

Harry Harrington writes:
Never try to grow Junipers indoors...Do not trust a vendor, seller, book or website that claims Junipers can be grown successfully indoors!
Heed his words if you value your new bonsai.

Norm

SaturnsPattern
Full Member
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:15 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Your Juniper is beautiful :wink:

To be completely frank though, even though I'm also very new to Bonsai, I've never seen a post of someone successfully keeping their Juniper indoors (long-term, that is). As hard as it will be (because it's so nice), you really should put your plant outside if you wish for it to live.

kdodds
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Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

The guys above have you covered on the juniper keeping indoors (better not even to try if you want it to live). As to the age of the tree... there's a tree's age, and there's the number of years it's spent in training. These are two very different things that will effect the look of a bonsai tremendously. Your tree is a mass-produced juniper, they are grown in-ground for the first few years in massive rows in fields. Very little to no work is done on them. Since Juniperus procumbens "nana" grows pretty much in the growth pattern you see, little to no wiring or pruning is done. The trees are then dug up, placed in pots, and glued in place with pebbles. At some point during this preparation for sale, the roots are probbaly trimmed, and some minor pruning may be done. So, the answer to how old is probably no more than a few years, with almost none of that time spent "in training". To emphasize and prove this point, I would encourage you to visit a nursery where they sell these same plants, as landscape material, in gallon (or so) pots. A quick look should prove that, with a little trimming, you can produce a "bonsai" that looks very much like what you current;y have. This is not meant to be disparaging, only to illustrate, blatantly, the futility in "knowing" the age of a tree.

tinkerchick32
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Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 5:06 pm
Location: mill spring nc

I have a bonsai and it's turning brown I think it's a juniper its got sharp like needles leaves and a skinny trunck I don't want it 2 die I need help :(

kdodds
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Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

Sorry, there's really not much to be done for a juniper that's already browning and shedding needles. Is this a tree that has been kept indoors? If so, for how long? Where are you located?



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