Hello all, I purchased a bonsai about 4 months ago as well did my brother. I don't know the type but I keep it indoors and I have been faithful and taken the best care of it to the best of my abilities, my problem is that I don't know much about these beautiful trees and I may be doing more harm than good. It has been steadially loosing all of it's needles and turning really brown. I did repot the tree and put it into miracle grow soil. It seemed to get somewhat greener after a couple days. But now it's looking really pathetic. I don't water it directly, I have a spray bottle that I mist it with several times a day. It just donsn't seem to retain any water. My brother is doing the same process to his tree and it is in much better shape than mine. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Dusty
Dusty,
First of all I am guessing by your description [needles] that this is a juniper.
A picture would really help here.
If that is true you should be aware that they are outdoor trees and they require a dormancy period.
You havne't mentioned if both trees are the same variety.
To see if your tree is still clinging to life, Scratch the bark and see if you see green underneath it.
Green=alive, Not green=...ex juniper. A juniper can remain green for weeks and even months after it's demise and I hate to tell you this but four months without getting watered [and your description] is almost an assured death sentance. I have a feeling your tree is no more
Also MG potting mix is a sub-standard soil [At best] for bonsai.
Read these links, And post a picture of both trees please.
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaip.htm
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaibe.htm
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/soils.htm
https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Watering.html
https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Soils.html
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/dormancy.htm
Good luck
ynot
First of all I am guessing by your description [needles] that this is a juniper.
A picture would really help here.
If that is true you should be aware that they are outdoor trees and they require a dormancy period.
You havne't mentioned if both trees are the same variety.
To see if your tree is still clinging to life, Scratch the bark and see if you see green underneath it.
Green=alive, Not green=...ex juniper. A juniper can remain green for weeks and even months after it's demise and I hate to tell you this but four months without getting watered [and your description] is almost an assured death sentance. I have a feeling your tree is no more
Also MG potting mix is a sub-standard soil [At best] for bonsai.
Read these links, And post a picture of both trees please.
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaip.htm
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaibe.htm
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/soils.htm
https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Watering.html
https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Soils.html
https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/dormancy.htm
Good luck
ynot
itlbtu2 wrote: It has been steadially loosing all of it's needles and turning really brown. I did repot the tree and put it into miracle grow soil. It seemed to get somewhat greener after a couple days. But now it's looking really pathetic. I don't water it directly, I have a spray bottle that I mist it with several times a day. It just donsn't seem to retain any water. My brother is doing the same process to his tree and it is in much better shape than mine. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Dusty
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Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
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Dusty,
Without knowing the species some of this is conjecture but here goes. Growing this tree indoors, (junipers have needles and are often sold to the unknowing as indoor trees), is probably not appropriate. Miracle grow is never appropriate.
You say that you don't water it directly and then state that it does not retain water. Does not sound to me that you are getting it thoroughly wetted in the first place. This type of soil is high in peat which is hard to wet when dry and is slow to dry once wet, a horrrible combinatio for bonsai.
Sorry to say it but there is a good chance that this tree, (if in fact it is a Juniper), is already dead. Evergreens can appear to be alive for weeeks even after they are in fact dead, think of your christmas tree.
Look on Google for Juniper bonsai. In the meantime if the soil is truly dry water it with a watering can thoroughly, wait 5 minutes and repeat. If it is wet, (check below the surface), wait until it dries more before watering as above. Good luck.
Norm
Without knowing the species some of this is conjecture but here goes. Growing this tree indoors, (junipers have needles and are often sold to the unknowing as indoor trees), is probably not appropriate. Miracle grow is never appropriate.
You say that you don't water it directly and then state that it does not retain water. Does not sound to me that you are getting it thoroughly wetted in the first place. This type of soil is high in peat which is hard to wet when dry and is slow to dry once wet, a horrrible combinatio for bonsai.
Sorry to say it but there is a good chance that this tree, (if in fact it is a Juniper), is already dead. Evergreens can appear to be alive for weeeks even after they are in fact dead, think of your christmas tree.
Look on Google for Juniper bonsai. In the meantime if the soil is truly dry water it with a watering can thoroughly, wait 5 minutes and repeat. If it is wet, (check below the surface), wait until it dries more before watering as above. Good luck.
Norm
Well, I done the scratch test......it's brown but after reading, It turns out I don't deserve one of these trees. I have just always wanted one and now we see how that worked out.
I guess I misrepresented the watering.....It was watered very frequently but it was just done with a spray bottle on the whole tree. That is how I was told to water it by the guy I bought it from.
This sucks!! I feel like a failure.
thank you all for your time though to answer and help me with my post
but after reading, It turns out I don't deserve one of these trees. I have just always wanted one and now we see how that worked out. I guess I misrepresented the watering.....It was watered very frequently but it was just done with a spray bottle on the whole tree. That is how I was told to water it by the guy I bought it from.
This sucks!! I feel like a failure.
thank you all for your time though to answer and help me with my post
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Flowerpots
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An hour is FAR FAR far far too long to soak IMO.Flowerpots wrote:If ,ime dry out too much I soak then for an hour in the kitchen sink and then let drain, a reg. fertilize always helps, monthly would be okies half strenght seawee fert. or a slow release one would be okay as well.
If it takes an hour to saturate your soil, You need new soil.
Anyway that juniper is dead.
Ferts do not allways help. Not in this case for example.
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Flowerpots
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Well mine are doing fine, I no have transferred with into the glasshouse which gets watered daily douring summer.
Best to get down to the nursery and buy yourseld another plant and start again, sorry I was regerring to a very large one I have, I call it my forrest, will post a pic, the one up the top in the middle. I have killed a few or should I say dehyrated them
[img]https://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Cheryl1960/IMG_0263.jpg[/img]
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Best to get down to the nursery and buy yourseld another plant and start again, sorry I was regerring to a very large one I have, I call it my forrest, will post a pic, the one up the top in the middle. I have killed a few or should I say dehyrated them
[img]https://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Cheryl1960/IMG_0263.jpg[/img]
[/img]
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Flowerpots
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- Location: Melbourne, Australia
[/img]-
Flowerpots
- Full Member
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:07 am
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Flowerpots
- Full Member
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:07 am
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Flowerpots
- Full Member
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:07 am
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Flowerpots
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- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:07 am
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Gnome
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- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
Dusty,
You wrote:
You are being much too hard on yourself. I can't tell you how many trees that I have killed, and I mean tha literally, I don't even know how many. We all lose trees, especiall in the beginning, it is an unfortunate fact of bonsai culture which has a very steep learning curve.
Do some reading about soils an watering in particular. Ficus is the usual reccomendation for an indoor beginners tree. If you want an outdoor (temperate species) wait until next Spring and know that they belong outside. If you decide to stay with it check back in and let us know how it goes.
Norm
You wrote:
It turns out I don't deserve one of these trees. I have just always wanted one and now we see how that worked out.
This sucks!! I feel like a failure.
You are being much too hard on yourself. I can't tell you how many trees that I have killed, and I mean tha literally, I don't even know how many. We all lose trees, especiall in the beginning, it is an unfortunate fact of bonsai culture which has a very steep learning curve.
Do some reading about soils an watering in particular. Ficus is the usual reccomendation for an indoor beginners tree. If you want an outdoor (temperate species) wait until next Spring and know that they belong outside. If you decide to stay with it check back in and let us know how it goes.
Norm
This goes for me also, And I am not ashamed. I cannot honestly say I learned something from each one either [especially at the beginning]Gnome wrote: I can't tell you how many trees that I have killed, and I mean tha literally, I don't even know how many.
.. but eventually it sinks in a bit.
Good advice from Gnome, On reading and relaxing.
'If at first you don't succeed, You must have some bonsai.'