Cold weather + My juniper

[B.uneasy]

Hi, I left my juniper outside in it's 5 gallon bucket last night. I put my finger into the soil and it was hard as a rock and I could not penetrate it. So I am convinced the roots on my little juniper could have frozen. Do you think this juniper will survive, or its practically dead? I have taken very good care of it this far, it may just be me but I think the foliage may be a little harder as if damaged.

 

[_#1_]

Google search or search here with these exact words "how to winter juniper bonsai". You'll be mind blown they are not tropicals!!

If foliage changes to dull color, brittle and falling off. It could be already dead. You'll know for sure once foliage starts to turn brown.

Good luck!

 

[Dav4]

All my junipers were in frozen soil this morning and will likely be in it again tonight... Junipers don't mind staying in frozen soil for months on end... no biggie.

 

[Stan Kengai]

The only thing you have to worry about when the soil is frozen is keeping them out of heavy wind. Wind can desiccate the foliage when the roots can't replace the water/sap since they're frozen.

 

[B.uneasy]

Thank you so much!!! I am so happy to know my little juniper is not dead!

 

[B.uneasy]

Also, now that I am on the juniper subject, when i bought this juniper, I realized there were actually two inside the pot. I replanted them a couple months ago and now one of them are sickly green looking. They feel as they should, smell as they should when i took a cutting, but it just looks sick. How can i make this juniper beautiful blue like my other one?

 

[Dav4]

Also, now that I am on the juniper subject, when i bought this juniper, I realized there were actually two inside the pot. I replanted them a couple months ago and now one of them are sickly green looking. They feel as they should, smell as they should when i took a cutting, but it just looks sick. How can i make this juniper beautiful blue like my other one?

Ummm, hard to see from the pictures what's going on, but if you did root work on your juniper 2 months ago and it's "sickly green" now, it may be declining or already dead.... nothing to do but see what next spring brings.

 

[augustine]

Take care not to overwater the large can. Keep it out of rain

 

[leatherback]

note that juniper can bronze over winter. In spring they should return to normal colour. So just a loss of bright green is not per se a reason to worry in winter under frosty conditions

 

[B.uneasy]

You guys are saying not to over water. Once I brought it into the garage and the soil was rock frozen I poured about like a gallon and a half to thaw everything out. Now sticking my finger in the soil, it is still pretty wet. What Do you guys recommend on doing? Did I break its dormancy doing that? Are the roots damaged having water pored onto frozen roots?

 

[_#1_]

Did I break its dormancy doing that? Are the roots damaged having water pored onto frozen roots?

Get back to us in Spring and let us know how it did. I'm kinda curious to know.

In the meantime, toss it in your yard and forget about it.

 

[Dav4]

Get back to us in Spring and let us know how it did. I'm kinda curious to know.

In the meantime, toss it in your yard and forget about it.

This! Leave it alone and it has a shot at being alive next spring... keep messing around with it and it'll be browning before your Xmas tree.

 

[B.uneasy]

Alright guys, thanks. Does it need any light though? Can I put it in a garage, or actually just leave it outside.

 

[bonsaichile]

Alright guys, thanks. Does it need any light though? Can I put it in a garage, or actually just leave it outside.

just leave it outside. Mine spend the winter frozen solid and they are fine. Keep moving it or fiddling with it, and you will kill it. And never again try to forcibly thaw frozen roots!

 

[Japonicus]

Alright guys, thanks. Does it need any light though? Can I put it in a garage, or actually just leave it outside.

That's not a bad question knowing you worked on the roots recently.
Just heal that pot into the ground and mulch it in...on the North side of your house.
There's no reference to your details, which should be edited into your account settings
as to where you are nor your USDA grow zone...There'll be enough light to sustain it on the N side.
My junipers go under my sunroom with NO direct light all Winter + a couple waterings mulched in
on top of the ground.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

If I remember you had said you were in PA. Put that in your profile.

Junipers in our climate should stay outside for the winter just like they do in nature. Place your pots on the ground or, better yet, heel them into the ground surrounded with soil. North side of a structure is best to keep them out of sun or, if that is not possible, but a shade cloth/shelter up to prevent the sun from warming them up.

Think about the tree in it's natural range. Does it freeze? Does it experience the same weather you get in the winter? If so, leave it outside as if it were just in the ground like a normal tree.

 

[sorce]

I just moved about 6 nursery potted Juniper that were clanking like glasses they were so froze. Busted pots, exposed soil and roots.
Absolutely no fucks given.

They'll be fine in the spring.

Keep em outside on the ground.

Some bronze. Some purple. I'm sure there are other colors too. No worries.

My things have been thru a couple few freeze thaw cycles already. The idea is to keep that number down, it is harmful, so pouring water over them isn't good. Just let em be froze.

To witness root damage from freezing alone, you gotta take it from indoors straight to out and freezing, a tropical, or some other extreme.

Sorce