Japanese Juniper in trouble or worse...

Giant_Bonsai

Hi! This is my first post, and unfortunately it had to be here. I have a Japanese Juniper (the box said 3 years old) from a trip I went on. This is the first plant, let alone bonsai, that I have taken care of.
So I suppose you all want to know location. I'm keeping it by a window. The window is partially open at times. I do know when to water it and do my best to keep it watered properly. The temperature is dropping to about the 50's during night, so I don't really know if that's good for it or not.
Now, the symptoms. What is concerning me is the fact that the tips are turning a brownish white. My question, I suppose, is what am I doing wrong and what am I doing right?

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Dav4

I can't comment on the health of your juniper without seeing pictures of the foliage, soil, and pot. However, I can tell you that your juniper should be outside all year long, and that it may be suffering from issues related to it being kept inside without enough sun and probably too much water. Knowing where in the USA you are can help with more specific advice.


Dave

Vance Wood

Brownish-white usually means crispy and falling off as well, which usually means dead as a door nail. This is the sad truth of a lot of Junipers purchased as bonsai from less than reputable dealers that will tell you anything just to get your money knowing that the price is not so high as incur your vengeance if the tree fails. In other words they can get away with it.

__________________
The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa

Giant_Bonsai

Well, the thing is that the tips are brownish-white, but the part close to the branch is still green. What does that mean? Still dead? Oh and for location, I'm around Chicago.

treebeard55

From what you've said, I suspect damage from environmental factors, and/or mechanical damage. Can you post a pic or two? That would help us offer advice without making fools of ourselves.

That the inner foliage is healthy is a good sign, I believe.

I'm in your same zone -- 5. Best to find your juniper a cold place to overwinter: it needs, repeat needs, the cold dormancy. Find a spot where your tree will be out of the wind and direct sun; some indirect light won't hurt. Make sure water won't pond there. Then tuck it in until spring.

You might check out this URL: <www.midwestbonsai.org>.

Best of luck!

__________________
Treebeard 55

"To do bunjin is easy. However, to do a bunjin masterpiece is difficult." -- Susumu Nakamura, at MBS '07

fwhou

Unfortunately Treebeard is correct. A juniper will start dying, and you won't know til maybe 3 months later, when the foliage turns to toast.
Flex / 4 Men and a Tree

Giant_Bonsai

Actually, I think I've gotten to it in time... the green seems to be coming back a lot more... I'm not really sure what I did, but I did stick it closer to the window. Just a quick check: the cold won't hurt my bonsai?

About the pictures: I cannot take a decent photo to save my life.

Dav4

Junipers need cold...keeping it inside will do it much more harm then exposing it to sub freezing temps. You really need to search this site for info regarding the growing and maintaining of hardy trees such as junipers. Keeping your little tree inside will only weaken it further, and it will eventually die.


Dave

Giant_Bonsai

Ah! That's music to my ears... I did not know that and naturally assumed that the cold would just kill it. Well, sweet action! It's getting its green back now... so I will assume that was the problem.