Adopted Bonsai From the Trash

cubby666

Hi,
I haven't gardened or cared for Bonsais previously, so you can assume I know next to nothing. Some renters moved out of the building that I am living in, and the Bonsai from their place was left outside. I looked at it and saw that it wasn't doing very well, and decided to see what I could do with it. This was yesterday, so:


1. What kind of bonsai do you have and how long have you had it? - Two days, but it's been in the building for at least a year.

2. Where did you get it, and what was its condition at the time you acquired it? - The back step of my building, it looks pretty bad. A large portion of the leaves are greyish green instead of healthy looking, there was some sort of webbing over the grey leaves. See attached pictures.

3. When did you notice the problem? - Two days ago.

4. How have you been watering it and how frequently? - I watered it twice when I brought it in yesterday, until the water ran out the bottom hole. Today I watered it the same way in the morning, then having read a little elsewhere I immersed it in water for a few minutes, since I figured it hadn't been watered in quite a while. I also sprinkled some water over the branches & leaves, and tried to brush off the webs, but without knocking out too many of the little stems.

5. What region are you located geographically and where are you keeping your tree, indoors or out, full sun, part sun, shade? - Dallas, TX. Right now I'm keeping it inside in full sun, since it seems in pretty shabby shape.

6. Does the soil have any unpleasant odor? - The soil actually smells pretty nice...

7. When was the tree last repotted? - Don't know, but probably never.

8. Is there any discoloration of the foliage? Would you describe it as turgid and green, dry and brown, wilting, mottled or partially eaten? If you brush the foliage with a fingertip, does it fall off? - Turgid and green? not eaten, not real brown, but maybe a little yellowish closer to the branches, and yes the foliage falls off (but not everywhere) very easily.

9. Is there evidence of pests, like ants or aphids? - Little webs were all over it, but I didn't see any bugs.

10. Can you post a picture of your tree to the forum? - Yes!

Attached Images

	DSCN0294.JPG (37.3 KB, 95 views)
	DSCN0295.JPG (36.3 KB, 48 views)
	DSCN0296.JPG (38.7 KB, 82 views)

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zenwarrior

Well Im certainly no expert but that tree looks like its gone to the big bonsai bench in the sky.

If it was kept inside the whole year, this probably caused it's death, among other things depending on how often they watered it. Everyone will tell you Junipers will not survive inside. The color and foliage falling off tells me it is dead, as Junipers usually are deceiving in the opposite way you would hope for at this point, in that they tend to stay green for quite some time even after they've died.

This tree may not be able to be rescued but there are plenty of other potential bonsai out there just waiting to be given a home by a caring individual such as yourself. Welcome to the hobby (if in fact you are new to it) and welcome to the forum. There is much to be learned right here at bonsaiTalk.

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Aaron_K

I wouldn't be too hopeful about this tree surviving either. By the time a juniper has gone brown, its usually too late to save them. It's probably why they left it behind.

If nothing else, you have a free training pot .

All the best,

Aaron

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