Bart Thomas(deceased)

I was re-reading Nick Lenz's book on Rocky Mountain Junipers, and note that, in addition to the forementioned humidity, acid rain is also a problem to the point where he recommends adding ground limestone to the soil after a "heavy bout of acid rain". (Nick is writing from Massachusetts.)

He goes on to say:

"In the evening of a dessicating day when I water the larch or white cedar or apples, I make repeated passes to saturate the soil. With pitch pine, I make a single pass. With established Rocky Mountain Junipers, I water the grass beneath them and let them smell the resulting humidity."

He also points out that they "will never settle down to the original dense mature foliage of the dry mountains, but their juvenile foliage is tiny-needled and quite attractive. The growth is somewhat awkward for classical bonsai training, but can be manipulated."

I'd urge anyone considering trying to grow these in the East to read the 4 pages of Nick's book that discuss them.

As for California Junipers in the Northeast, that's a non-issue. It's too cold as well.