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New Juniper
Greetings. I recently was given a 9 year old juniper as a gift. I've done some internet research but would like to consult the local experts. I will try to get some photos posted in the near future. I currently am keeping the tree about 6" from a Eastern facing window in a second floor bedroom. The pot is on an over sized humidity tray filled with pebbles that I have been keeping wet. I did place some moss on the soil of the pot.
Will I be able to keep the tree indoors or will it need to be outside? How often should I be watering? Should I completely soak it and let the soil nearly dry out? Also do I need to fertilize it? Should I be worried about trimming/pinching off new growth yet? Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I give this little tree the care it deserves.
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To be honest, it looks dead.
Try bending a few smaller branches at a 45 degree angle and see if it snaps off.
The branch to the right looks like it has a prune-like bark texture, which makes me think it is dead.
You can also scrape a small area of bark with your finger nail.
If it is green, it is still alive and may come back.
Do you see any new growth on the tips?
Well I moved the tree outside a few weeks ago. I did move it on a few cold nights. It's not looking so hot. Will it bounce back? How much light should I be giving it? Full sun for a few hours a day?
The only time you should worry about subfreezing nights in the spring is on deciduous trees with new delicate growth or tropicals.
Junipers are rugged trees and are definitely hardy in Ohio.
They do not have new growth yet, so the frost will not hurt them.
I wouldn't worry about moving a juniper back into protection until November.
You can always play it safe though.
Thanks for the response. I'll keep it on a covered porch for a week or so to acclimate it to the sun. With all of the over cast days we are having, I doubt I'll have any issues. I assume I should move it back in for the night if we get some more sub freezing temps?
Yes, I would move your juniper outdoors now. If you don't see too many roots on the edged of the root ball, it probably doesn't need repotted. You can go ahead and wire branches and prune branches if needed.
After reading some other post I am wondering if I should gradually start moving my tree outdoors? Is it necessary for me to repot it? Could I use the same pot? I am currently able to remove the entire tree and soil in a single chunk from the pot. I don't see any roots that have grown to the edge of the soil, touching the inside of the pot. Should I wire or prune my tree now (not that it really needs anything done)?
Sorry for all the noobie questions. Thanks!
I would deifintely attend our Intro to Bonsai class at the Oakland Park Nursery (1156 Oakland Park Avenue location) on Saturday April 18th, at 11am.
You will learn more there than anything online.
It is much better to learn from an instructor than from writing.
We will be teaching how to pick out potential bonsai material from your garden center.
You can get much higher quality bonsai from your garden center, for a much lower price, than from everyday retail stores.
We call these overpriced, poor examples of bonsai "mallsai".
The following day (Sunday), we hold our regular meeting at the Franklin Park Convervatory at 2pm.
Come to it as well to see what we're all about.
The Saturday nursery visit is more of a field trip for our club, and we are also holding the Intro to Bonsai class to get more people interested.
Great! Thanks for the direction. I look forward to learning more. Would attending this month's meeting, "intro to bonsai" give me a good base to start from? Are there any books that you would recommend?
Junipers are the most common type of bonsai. Unfortunately, they do not grow well indoors. It is very common for retailers to sell junipers with a care guide saying to water them and they will survive indoors. This is a far stretch of the truth.
There are some people who have kept them indoors, but generally, it is a bad idea.
Main problems that the indoors pose:
1. Lack of light
2. Lack of humidity
3. Lack of air circulation
4. Lack of seasons
There are many resources online that explain these topics better.
Our advice would be to move your tree outdoors (after tomorrow, because it is extra cold today and tomorrow). This winter, move it into your unheated garage until April. They don't need light when dormant.
Watering: Yes, soak the soil completely, then let it almost dry out before watering again.
Feeding: Use a simple plant fertilizer such as Miracle Gro, as directed on the bottle.
Pruning: This can be done anytime as desired.