Drying out problem.

Myrki

Myrki

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Hello, my juniper was showing signs of a branch drying within the last week, I figured I’d create Jin out of it no big deal as I thought it was just dropping a branch. But today I notice most of the foliage is drying. I keep it watered regularly, per the weather. I will say I treated within the last month for spider mites and copper fungicide as another of my trees dried up and died. Is it an under watering issue? Ugh afraid another one is gone.
The one photo is from a few weeks back when I brought it to the show for bonsais in training, the outdoor photo is today.
Thank you
 

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When was it last repotted? What's in the soil? How quickly does water drain? How did you treat for spider mites? Can we have a close up of the foliage? What similarities in care does this tree have with the one that dried up and died recently?
 
Soil is a bonsai soil, image attached. I repotted in February. I treated for mites with neem oil premix spray, and a “garden friendly” insecticide soap. The orher one showed signs of mites early, the little webs here and there, then I started treating and slowly branches kept dying on it. This one was more of a proactive treatment, where I started using the same treatment as the first in hopes of catching the problem before it was a problem. Fast draining soil yes, and I water thoroughly until it comes out the bottom. I use slow release granular fertilizer (for bonsais per Amazon), BUT I will say I did spray the foliage a couple weeks back with a liquid fertilizer and water mix. I don’t know if it’s mites (I see no webs, haven’t for a bit), or if it’s chemical burn or fertilizer burn, or just not enough water. I mean, now it’s warmer so I plan to water more often, but the last month has been 60s, maybe 70s, and a lot of rain.

Oh, I can show a closeup of foliage in the morning
 

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Junipers sometimes resent oils outside of dormancy. That might be a culprit. Did you also spray the previous tree w/ the fertilizer on the foliage? If so, I'd like to hear more about that fertilizer treatment. Is it possible that it wasn't diluted enough? Even so, that might burn off the existing foliage but I'd expect it to push again.

Mites are easy to check for. Get a white sheet of paper and tap the branches above that sheet of paper. Then wait to see if you see any specks start to move. You'll likely get a lot of detritus from stuff that's dried out and died already on this one. Focus on the tiniest specks that start to move. Give 'em 10-15 seconds after tapping to get their bearings and start moving around.

This doesn't look like spider mite damage to me. Mites will dull the tree LONG before the foliage dies.
 
Ok yea I am not entirely sure of mites, I just thought as an inexperienced hobbyist that maybe it was. I am wondering if it’s the fertilizer because yes I sprayed the other one too. The things is, I still have the other one potted and watering in case there is more life, but it’s well dried out. I hope that is the case that it does push new growth again. It is literally miracle grow that u mix with 1 gallon watering can, I put a small amount in a spray bottle, but by no means did I do a precise measurement
 
Commercial fertiliser has quite a bit of leeway in the dilution rates because the companies don't want you to kill plants with their product. Unless you made the fert really strong I doubt it would be the fert causing this.
Given the time of year and newbie with new soil I think under watering is much more likely. Junipers like well drained soil but do not tolerate being dry. It may be too late already as junipers tend to stay green until well after they are dead then gradually change colour but I always keep caring and hoping for at least a couple of months and have had occasional miraculous resurrections.
Not sure how your conditions compare to here but my junipers all get twice daily watering through most of summer.
 
I keep watering. When I scrape back the bark there is still the green layer, so I’m hoping for the best. My other tree has no green layer under the bark so clearly that’s done.
 
Myrki said:
I keep watering. When I scrape back the bark there is still the green layer, so I’m hoping for the best. My other tree has no green layer under the bark so clearly that’s done.
Click to expand...
How often do you water and what have the temperatures been like in your area the last month?
 
See the big honking ROCK?

rock.jpg
Originally intended to piss off the wind that blows trees off the bench :mad:

NOW.... it's for when I water. I turn the water BLAST on that rock and it drains FAST !!!

Balance of soil gets the normal easy flow and just wait for the drain. Just an expedience to getting that big pot watered. :cool:
 
RavensForest said:
My juniper is drying out too. I'm afraid it may be too late, but I'll check for mites. I water him like crazy, but the ends are brittle and crackling off.
Click to expand...
You'll be better served if you create your own thread and post good pics of the issues you're experiencing. :)
 
Paradox said:
How often do you water and what have the temperatures been like in your area the last month?
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Since the drying/discoloring I’ve been watering daily, past month it’s been about high 60s-70s, last week mid80s to 90s. Since it’s been so hot (relative), it stormed last night, but still watered today.
 
shohin_branches said:
Did you place it in the shade when you treated it for mites?
Click to expand...
No I did not. Probably a mistake. I have treated another one of my junipers with the same neem oil and soap insecticides and that one has been fine, same conditions except the other was a nana and the surviving is an itowigawa
 
Myrki said:
No I did not. Probably a mistake. I have treated another one of my junipers with the same neem oil and soap insecticides and that one has been fine, same conditions except the other was a nana and the surviving is an itowigawa
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Some insecticides can react in sunlight, deposit salts on the foliage, or make the tree more susceptible to scorching. I generally move plants being treated into dappled sun for a day to prevent foliage damage or apply on a cloudy day.
 
RavensForest said:
My juniper is drying out too. I'm afraid it may be too late, but I'll check for mites. I water him like crazy, but the ends are brittle and crackling off.
Click to expand...
I styled one in Spring, sprayed its root ball with Isopropyl Alcohol by mistake (I have one alcohol spray bottle and one water spray bottle in close proximity), quickly realized what I had done so flushed it out with water…

And it promptly died. 😅
 
Bonsai Forest said:
I styled one in Spring, sprayed its root ball with Isopropyl Alcohol by mistake (I have one alcohol spray bottle and one water spray bottle in close proximity), quickly realized what I had done so flushed it out with water…

And it promptly died.
Click to expand...

OOF! Time to spray paint the iso bottle red
 
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