Brand new to bonsai -- help!!

[tinania]

Hi everyone,

I received a very young Juniper bonsai for Christmas. Because I was in the middle of moving at the time, I totally forgot about it, and it stayed in its box until this week. Yes, I know, horrible! I forgot about it for almost two months. Fortunately, I guess that counts as "dormancy" and it was well-insulated, so it appears to be in very good condition despite (or perhaps because of) my negligence. Moving forward, though, I would like to be a more attentive and informed caretaker!

I have just a few questions:

1. It is so warm this winter (East Coast) that I'm wondering if the dormancy period should be over. Today it was 70 F. Should I start treating bonsai under spring conditions?

2. Can anyone identify the type of Juniper? Got it in this starter kit, and they don't identify species: http://www.easternleaf.com/Juniper-...Nr_ue6fke_ATPXvdzINiqMy1aLLs90vhbkaAsJa8P8HAQ

3. Is it awful to keep Juniper indoors? I would get to look at it a lot more. From the online reading I've done, looks like they are better outdoors but can be managed indoors?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Victorim]

Hi everyone,

I received a very young Juniper bonsai for Christmas. Because I was in the middle of moving at the time, I totally forgot about it, and it stayed in its box until this week. Yes, I know, horrible! I forgot about it for almost two months. Fortunately, I guess that counts as "dormancy" and it was well-insulated, so it appears to be in very good condition despite (or perhaps because of) my negligence. Moving forward, though, I would like to be a more attentive and informed caretaker!

I have just a few questions:

1. It is so warm this winter (East Coast) that I'm wondering if the dormancy period should be over. Today it was 70 F. Should I start treating bonsai under spring conditions?

2. Can anyone identify the type of Juniper? Got it in this starter kit, and they don't identify species: http://www.easternleaf.com/Juniper-...Nr_ue6fke_ATPXvdzINiqMy1aLLs90vhbkaAsJa8P8HAQ

3. Is it awful to keep Juniper indoors? I would get to look at it a lot more. From the online reading I've done, looks like they are better outdoors but can be managed indoors?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Awww poor little fella.. no worries, give him a good water and put him outside.

And yes junipers are strictly outdoors. No ifs no buts.. indoors is a death sentence.

So water and put him outside, hopefully he'll be ok.

Oh and.. put him outside . Welcome by the way.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Do you have a photo of your tree? I am hoping that it is ok, but dead junipers can often look a lot like live junipers...

 

[vaibatron]

Is it a real tree???

 

[Relknes]

Hate to tell you this, but it is probably not going to make it. I assume that, if it was in the box, it was indoors that whole time. Even if the box was really well insulated, there is no way it stayed cool enough for the juniper to stay in dormancy that whole time, especially if the person who gave it to you had it under the tree or in a closet for a few weeks before christmas.
Having said that, I hope he makes it. Junipers are pretty tough, and if he gets out into the sun and open air for a while he might be ok... just prepare yourself for the alternative.
It is a junipers procumbens, by the way (assuming the picture is accurate). It is probably the "nana" variety. It is a good tree to learn on, and one of my personal favorites (though I am a bit quirky in that I actually like the immature needle foliage on junipers just as much as I like the mature scale foliage).
Good luck. If it doesn't make it, don't be too discouraged. We all make mistakes, and a new procumbens from a nursery isn't all that expensive. Don't be afraid to try again.
Welcome to the forums!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Welcome to Bonsai. Personal concern is that soil dried out in elapsed time. If so no tree is that durable.

 

[Tieball]

Do you have a photo of your tree? I am hoping that it is ok, but dead junipers can often look a lot like live junipers...

This is very true....especially when kept in a box indoors for two months...with the dry heat of a furnace. Hmmmm...I wouldn't call staying in that box indoors as dormancy.

 

[M. Frary]

I actually like the immature needle foliage on junipers just as much as I like the mature scale foliage)

I like it on procumbens nana but others like San Jose and parsons is too large and stringy.