rasberryraindrop
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My sick bonsai. Help!

Hey there all. :?
I have a juniperus squamata, it was a gift I got 1 and a half years ago from my father. I think it was about 2 years old then. The tree seemed to be doing well until recently with the (australian) summer heat. We had a few weeks of scorching heat up to 40 degrees celsius (around 110 farenheight). The tree started turning yellow on the needles and jst got worse. The needles and small branches now fall off with the slightest of a bump. I thought it could be due to lack of water from the heat, but it hasnt seemed to have revived after around 6 weeks yet. ive watered it a few days ago, yet the dirt seems to be still damp, like it is not using any water at all, I'm not sure if I should water it again or not. Also when I do water it the water from the holes at the bottom seems to drain out yellow, whats with that..? Also on the weekend I noticed on the roots above the ground and inbetween them there seemed to be silver stringy bits (sorry this is my best decription I can give) almost like a snail had crawled across it or a spider web. I wiped these away, but noticed they were back the next day. Could it have some kind of creature living in it? And do you think repotting it might help? I have never repotted it and think it could be a bit stressful on the plant when its sick, what do u think? Sorry for the long decription but thought id give as much detail as possible. if any one has any ideas on how to save my poor tree id appreciate it. thanks for reading.

p.s. I might try an give some pictures if I can work out how to put them on here... if anyone thinks it might help.

Dr_Doogie_MD
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Wow okay I'm not going to say too much on this one as it's mostly over my head. I'll just add a couple points.

1. Ease off of watering. If the soil isn't dry, your tree isn't needing it. Like when a person is sick, they eat and drink less; the same goes for plants. Less water and less food.

2. The wierd strands you noticed in the soil might be a fungus. If that's the case that's most likely what is killing your plant, and is probably from overwatering. Get an expert opinion though, I'm just an amatuer.

opabinia51
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Just from reading about your heat, I would say move the tree into a sheltered area that is somewhat shaded. Potted trees get really hot, really quick so, you have to take care of them and keep them away from sources of direct heat or direct cold.


The stringy bits are probably just the mycelia (cells) of a fungus living in the soil with your tree. Most likely it will be some sort of symbiont and not harmful but, rather beneficial to your tree. I think it was the heat that did your tree in.

It sounds like you tree might be dead, we'll have to wait and here from Scott on that one.

I personally wouldn't repot the tree right now. Don't get to upset by the fungus living in the soil with your tree. If you're just seeing it come to the surface now, it's mostly been there for a while and is probably not doing your tree any harm. Some picture would be helpful because I would be able to identify the fungus.

Good Luck and hopefully we'll here from Scott soon.

The Helpful Gardener
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Location: Colchester, CT

:( :cry:

Sounds like a goner, mate. Junipers hate wet feet and those sound damp...slime trails are snails or slugs; look under the pot. Webs are spiders (common enough) or mites, which could account for your dead tree.

Read up on bonsai and try again (and get a Ficus this time; they're easier...)

[url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/bonsai/[/url]

HG

rasberryraindrop
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Hmmmm, well thanks for your advice everyone. well I'm not quite ready to give up on him yet, even if you may be right, hes a goner. ill let you know if he survives :wink:

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koiboy01
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Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:49 pm
Location: U K

Hi,
As you have been advised certainly place it somewhere out of the sun in the coolest place you can find and yes if the soil is damp DON'T water also as it is in a pot it could also be bad drainage. but give it the thumb nail test dig you thumb nail into the bark and lift a little if it is brown under neath it;s dead if it is green it is still in with a chance.let us know the outcome
George.

The Helpful Gardener
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Excellent advice George!

I understand your reluctance to throw in the towel, Raspberry, but brown crunchy junipers are usually dead a month; they are often still holding color when they pass and don't show it for a while. But George's test is certainly a good one...

HG

rasberryraindrop
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Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:27 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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hey again. well I did try the bark test so to call it over 2 weeks ago when it began to lose colour in its needles. it was greenish then, I tried again this evening an while its not a brown, it is more a white to very very light green colour. not exactly sure what that means, but is white a sign of it being dead? or should it be more brown? thanks again everyone.



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