Need Help Identifying Bonsai

[Evergreen_Bonsai]

I bought this bonsai from Byerly's but I have no idea what type of bonsai it is, or how to care for it properly. Sorry if I'm asking basic questions (and so many), I've never owned a bonsai before and got worried when a few needles started turning brown so I decided to go to you guys since you're the experts!

1. What type of tree is my Bonsai? They said it was some type of evergreen bonsai, but I didn't get an exact answer on what kind.
2. How much water does this Bonsai need and how many times per week? I have no idea how much water I should give it. I don't want to over water and kill it so I left it alone for two days until I noticed some needles dying.
3. Does the pot its in look good? When should I get it a bigger pot?
4. Does the soil and layout look good? Does it need any moss or more rocks.. What should the base around the Bonsai look like?
5. How much light does it need? Does it have to be full spectrum?
6. Is it more of an outdoor plant? I read some bonsai should be outside unless it's like a snowstorm.
7. How do your prune an evergreen bonsai?

Also I'm planning on keeping it in the kitchen (if it's an indoor) since my cockatiel isn't able to have plant soil near her because the fungus it may contain can kill her. So would the kitchen fumes harm the bonsai? Thanks guys!!











The lighter colored needle is what I assume to be a dying part.

[imafan26]

It looks like a juniper. The problem with the kitchen is not so much the fumes as the heat,at least it is in mine. The bonsai will need good light. Do you have a window in a room that the cockatiel can be safely away from.

Bonsai are kept in small pots by training the roots, but most bonsai trees would rather be outdoors rather than inside most of the time unless it is very cold.

Water the bonsai in a sink and let it drain and dry before putting it back in its' well lighted location. Indoors it will dry out slower than outside so do the finger test. Stick your finger or a popsicle stick, I use a chopstick into the soil. Water when the soil or stick feels almost dry. After a while you can tell when the plant is dry by lifting it when it is wet and feeling the difference in weight when the plant needs to be watered again.

Here's a link for you on caring for junipers. If you get into it you could consider going to a bonsai club meeting and bring your plant. Usually members are happy to give you some tips and you might decide to join.

http://www.shbonsai.com/care_juniper.html
http://www.absbonsai.org/

[tomc]

I bought this bonsai from Byerly's but I have no idea what type of bonsai it is, or how to care for it properly. Sorry if I'm asking basic questions (and so many), I've never owned a bonsai before and got worried when a few needles started turning brown so I decided to go to you guys since you're the experts!

1. What type of tree is my Bonsai? They said it was some type of evergreen bonsai, but I didn't get an exact answer on what kind.

Welcome!
Your new tree baby is a juniper

2. How much water does this Bonsai need and how many times per week? I have no idea how much water I should give it. I don't want to over water and kill it so I left it alone for two days until I noticed some needles dying.

You will need to go to the bonsai learning forum here and read understand and follow the chopstick method of testing when your tree needs water.

3. Does the pot its in look good? When should I get it a bigger pot?

You can start to collect soil (there is use specific soil for bonsai) and pots. Spring will be early enough to repot.

4. Does the soil and layout look good? Does it need any moss or more rocks.. What should the base around the Bonsai look like?

I would probe around with a chopstick or pen-knife to see if you have glued on gravel on top of soil. If you do, please remove it. it was glued on to ease shipping and is bad for the long term health of your tree.

5. How much light does it need? Does it have to be full spectrum?
6. Is it more of an outdoor plant? I read some bonsai should be outside unless it's like a snowstorm.

Juniper is an outdoors only tree. Unless you live well north of Bangor (ME), your juniper needs little additional winter protection in zones 7-8-9. A bit more in zones 5 & 6.

7. How do your prune an evergreen bonsai?

By pinching, but you are months to a year away from needing to do any.

Also I'm planning on keeping it in the kitchen (if it's an indoor) since my cockatiel isn't able to have plant soil near her because the fungus it may contain can kill her. So would the kitchen fumes harm the bonsai? Thanks guys!!

Your juniper will only die indoors, people space is too dry. You will mummify your little cutting indoors.

Fall is drawing near, amending your profile or signature line with a general location will help you to get seasonal advice you seek.

Imafan's post makes my point of where you live is determinate of how you care for your tree. In Hawaii one has only to open a window to catch a breeze. Here on the mainland encompasses climates as different as night and day. Air conditioning or heating remains too, too dry.

[Evergreen_Bonsai]

Thank you guys all so much! I love junipers! The first thing I did was water it properly and put it where it will get good lighting by the window. I think I'll keep the bigger rock if it doesn't have glue on it to use as the 'chopstick'.

I will check out more about bonsai winter care. I wonder how it would do outside in Minnesota winters as it is very snowy, windy, and cold all winter. We are in the straight line wind area so it can produce pretty strong winds. The air here can be very dry in the winter. I don't want to leave it in the kitchen because it would be very hot. Unfortunately my cockatiel will take off and sometimes crashes into items on my desks and windows when scared (there is a house being built near us). The aspergillus is a pretty deadly soil fungus to her since she gets respiratory infections so easily... So to protect both the bonsai and my cockatiel I'm going to most likely place it in the humid bathroom (in a spot it wont get knocked over in) where it will get great lighting as well. I'll look into keeping it outdoors asap.

The rocks were glued, I will try and take them out soon. Glue isn't healthy for any living thing to be near!

I'll look into those they seem fun! I'll be trying to get all the info I can for this little bonsai before Fall is over and the temperature drops to the 30's.

[tomc]

I will check out more about bonsai winter care. I wonder how it would do outside in Minnesota winters as it is very snowy, windy, and cold all winter. We are in the straight line wind area so it can produce pretty strong winds. The air here can be very dry in the winter. I don't want to leave it in the kitchen because it would be very hot. Unfortunately my cockatiel will take off and sometimes crashes into items on my desks and windows when scared (there is a house being built near us). The aspergillus is a pretty deadly soil fungus to her since she gets respiratory infections so easily... So to protect both the bonsai and my cockatiel I'm going to most likely place it in the humid bathroom (in a spot it wont get knocked over in) where it will get great lighting as well. I'll look into keeping it outdoors asap.

The rocks were glued, I will try and take them out soon. Glue isn't healthy for any living thing to be near!

I'll look into those they seem fun! I'll be trying to get all the info I can for this little bonsai before Fall is over and the temperature drops to the 30's.

When I lived in the Monadnock region of NH, I built a cold house for my hearty trees. Not so much to keep them warm, but to protect hearty trees from snow pack.

Its OK for your juniper to freeze, its not OK for it to dry out totally. A shallow box and some bark mulch (or) sawdust to nest around your tree while it slumbers in an unheated garage is protection enough.

It really must go outdoors.