Another Dying Tree

Hello there all BonsaiTalkers.

I love Bonsai but I can't seem to get them to live. I had one very new tree several years ago, that for some weird reason ended up in possibly the worst place for a bonsai, the bathroom, and of course it died horribly. Poor little guy. Now I'm about ten years older and live in a nice house in the countryside, nice but hot weather outside, and my mother gives me another yearling for my birthday. Total failure. It lived outside for a good bit, but I think I and some other people here just forgot about it and it died too. That's two down and one to go before I just begin to belive I'm not a good enough person to pass the Bonsai test.

So here it is a couple of years later, I'm much more mature and can devote daily effort to care of these sublime trees. So I give it one last try. I've always wanted to buy one from Disney's Epcot, and this time I did, a nice little five year old Juniper that should be a bit more hardy and resistant to my black thumb. I worry over it for three days but get it back to my house just fine. Or did I? I know they dont show damage to quickly...

So determined not to dry this nice tree, I begin to water it every other day, just a bit in the evening when I bring it back in form outside. The first thing in the morning I take it outside for sun.

Then one day I notice that it's starting to turn yellow. Oh dear. I look on the net and decide I'm overwatering in response to past mistakes. Also the net advice makes me think that perhaps I should just leave it outside which I do. I start checking and water only when it's dry. The moss starts to die. The leaves that were yellow turn more brown and some fall off when touched. It gets good sunlight and some shade.


Now I decide that perhaps I am underwatering it, so more research and I start trying the immersion method with better checking. It gets a bit worse. So I decide that it's too hot outside (like 80 and sometimes 90 and this is just spring) So I finally decide to bring it back in and after some thought put it next to a window so it gets good sun during the day.

Now it seems to have stabilized but much of the tree is brownish, but they dont fall off. It's windswept and the ends of branches are still nice and green so I dont think it's too late...

Please tell me it's not too late and any advice would be appreciated. Should I prune away the brown leaves, so that the green parts are more nourished?

Sorry for the lenghth.

Dylan T. Kenny

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Adam

One thing Dylan keep the tree outside no matter what. Sounds like an iron defiency, but if the foliage is spikey and when touched falls off then most likely its gone Also does the bark looked shriveled if so its probaly dehydrated, but its too late. But if it is not spikey and the leaves just yellow turn brown then fall off then its probaly an iron defiency. If so get some chelated iron from your local garden center,or bonsai nursery.

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[Adam]
"Cass Bonsai Gardens"
"Bonsai Knowledge"
"DaGhostCrew"

Moni

I would check for mites or scale before you throw the tree out. If you are seeing fresh green growth on the tips of the branches, then it may not be a lost cause yet. Check for mites by holding a piece of white paper under the branches and give the branches a little shake. If black spots land on the paper, wipe them with your hand and if they leave red streaks, it is mites. Scales look like small bumps that can be anywhere from brown to white in color. If they rub off easily, it is scale.
It still could be a watering problem. I would gently remove the plant from the pot and check to see if the roots are nice and white. If they are brown and soggy, you have been overwatering.
But leave it outside. It is still nice in Florida and the plant hasn't had a chance to adapt to your outside yet.
Moni