Wilting Juniper

secoh2000

I have a Juniper (or at least I think it's a Juniper), which isn't dying... but at a fragile stage.

I purchased this Juniper at Japan in Epcot. I have had it since I was in 10th grade, and that was 7 years ago. I believe the bonsai was listed as being 3/4years old, at the time I bought it. So I'd say it's probably about 10yrs of age now. It is my first bonsai, and has amazingly survived for so long. This Bonsai has always lived indoors, but has a large window, providing sunlight (from about 10/11:00am-4/5:00pm).

It is beginning to wilt, mostly due to my lack of watering. I usually water it every other day, but for the last couple of months I have neglected it. It has sometimes gone without water for three days... most likely causing the poor thing to turn discolor. I took it to my local florist, who is also a proffesional bonsai grower, and he recommened it be transplanted to a larger pot. It was three years since I last transplanted it, and he informed me that the shallow pot I used before was not retaining the water long enough, and that the pot was to small for the tree now.

We found a larger and deeper pot, and left it with the florist for the week, as he likes to tenderly take care of the bonsai's after repotting. I let him repot them, as I have no experience in transplanting bonsai's.

The bonsai looked a little better, when I picked it up last week, and conditions hasn't changed for the worse. There appears to be new sprouts forming, and it looks like it may be on its way to recovery. I'm still unsure about the plant. I now worry that I may be over watering it. I recently purchased a bonsai book, and it recommends daily watering, but I am unsure about it. I check the soil before each watering (gently check it with my pinky finger) and each day the soil is quite moist. What would you recommend? The plant is looking yellow and week in some spots, and I am not sure If watering it daily is good or bad for it. I realize to much water is a bad thing, and so I'm just looking for some advice.

I have included images, and on a side note, the bonsai has never been properly trimmed and pruned as should be. When/If the tree recovers... I plan on shaping the tree/properly pruning it, if it is still possible.

Thanks In Advance,
Secoh

Attached Images

	Bonsai.jpg (67.2 KB, 54 views)
	Bonsai3.jpg (69.1 KB, 27 views)
	Bonsai2.jpg (67.5 KB, 33 views)

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Ralph

Junipers are outdoor trees, year round. I am amazed that you have kept it going for so long inside a low humidity building. If you insist on keeping in in that window, the luck will run out on it sooner or later. You need to be repotting and pruning/pinching this little guy on a regular basis, and in the right season. The repotting, brings fresh minerals and nutrients. The pruning and pinching, is going to bring light, and air flow to all the needles. If you allow it to grow wild, you will begin to note that the needles inside and on the bottom of the foliage pads will yellow and die from lack of light.
Of course it is up to you, if you wish to expand your knowledge and skills into the art of bonsai, and learn to properly shape your bonsai. It is a very rewarding endeavor to keep a tree in top notch condition. Good luck with it.

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Emerging from winter slumber
Bonsai trees burst buds anew
Spring is upon us!


-Paul S.

slordaz

we leave ours out on an enclosed porch but about march start feeding it about every 2 weeks with liquid azealea food, about the time you start seeing new growth, and they seem to do really well with that but mabey you need to let them get a little bigt drier before watering alot depends on where you located ours take watering about once a week unless it gets really hot and if it's weakend don't put it in the direct sunlight

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