Juniper Dying?

McCoy

Good day all.

I am new to Bonsais. We recently had a company function and each of us received a bonsai as a gift. It's a Juniper (2006 juniperus p. nana). This bonsai seems to be doing well and seems healthy. 3 of my colleagues left their bonsais in the office when they went on leave and I brought them home with me to care for them. Two of them are really not doing well. They haven't had water for quite some time and I don't know what I can do to help these bonsais live (if they're not dead already).

They are not planted in soil and it's just little rocks in the pot. The water filters through very quickly and it doesn't seem as if the water is sucked up again after watering them. They are currently placed in a table inside the house in front of a window and gets sun most of the day. I was told to maybe start dropping some soil into the top of the pot when I water them. I am watering them daily. The instructions on the pots reads: Evergreeen, fulls un/semi shade, cold and frost hardy. Repot 3 years. Water daily. Exotic.

I am in South Africa and it is summer here now. If you want I can upload pics of the bonsais. I really don't know if they are sill alive.

PS: I also recently bought a wild olive and a baobab bonsai which are both probably 1 or 2 years old and I'll ask the questions about them in a different topic.

Thanks a lot in advance!
Ok, I've uploaded these photos. The two on the outsides are the problamatic ones. I am actually not too sure if I'm doing anything right at all, but the middle two seem fine

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CRZY_Canuck

Yes they could very well be dieing...

Perhaps to shocked when being transported around (nursury-office, office-home). Who knows how long they where sitting neglected...

As for the soil you described, in-organic (rocks and "stuff") soil is actually beneficial to bonsai growth. they do need to be fed (fertilizer, search forum for that), but bonsais don't actually need "earth" to survive.

The following is copied from this site:

Watering Ensure Junipers are not over watered as they suffer root rot easily, foliage should be misted frequently to help keep pores free of dust enabling them to breathe. In the case of trees that have been recently repotted or have root problems, misting is essential as conifers are able to absorb enough water through their leaf surface to maintain health until the roots are able to support the tree themselves. Misting also avoids excess transpiration and water loss on hot summer days.


More experienced members are bound for chime in and help... Check out the linked site, lots of species specific stuff there...

Merry Christmas, Adam

rockm

The two trees (junipers) on either side of the photo are dead. Junipers cannot be kept indoors and excessive watering (like every day) contributes to their problems indoors and accelerates their demise. Misting also contributes to their problems indoors, as it can foster fungal growth inside where there is little air movement.

Junipers need to be outside. Get them out as soon as possible into an place outside that gets about six hours of sun. Make sure they stay watered adequately, but not soggy. Watering requirements will vary day to day. Windy days with sun could require twice daily watering. On cloudy cooler days, they may not need water at all...

BonsaiMon

Hi McCoy.. Welcome to BTALK..
Nice lil beginner bonsai you have there. The two which are questionable are not doing so good.. the one on the right is most probably dead and the left is hard to say from the pic but it loks dead also ..
the other two are holding in there waiting to be outside in a shady spot during midday.. and full to partial sun morning and afternoon. Outdoors they will get real full sun not filtered through glass as they are getting indoors. Most Bonsai are grown outdoors. The soil is ok ..? Is is like what is visible throughout the entire pot? ..watering with this type of soil can be a bit tricky. A fine spray should saturate the entire soil surface till water runs out the bottom of the pot. Daily watering might be a bit much, since these trees are a little over potted.. but under normal conditions they will be fine. Stick your finger in the soil to check for moisture content .. if moist they are ok.
Your trees may have been recently potted and before they were out of shock they were moved and moved and ...
Get them outside and give them a few weeks.. hopefully they will be fine.

__________________
peace,
tom stoute

http://bonsaiinsights.spaces.live.com/

McCoy

Thank you so much for all the replies!

Is there no way I can keep the Junipers indoors? They are in a window sill of a window facing east. They get direct sun most of the day.

If I put them outside where should I put them? Under some shade net, a tree or in direct sun?

rockm

No, not really. Junipers are outdoor species. They require outdoor conditions, with high light, humidity and alot of air movement. Such conditions cannot be approximated adequately indoors.

Put them outside in a place that gets about six to eight hours of sun. Partially shaded for some of that time would be fine.

BonsaiMon

You seem a bit anxious to have them indoors.. " ..is there no way...?" With that statement a thread came to mind.
http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/f44/onc...s-no-16326.html
Check it out .. then, you tell me.. Can you grow a juniper indoors?

I agree with rockm, and feel mid-day is good time for shade.

__________________
peace,
tom stoute

http://bonsaiinsights.spaces.live.com/