Juniper Browning

[nurvbonsai]

Afternoon,

I am not really liking how brown this juniper is starting to look. By my account I’m doing what I’m supposed to do in keeping it watered and maintain after repotting it this year from acquiring the nursery stock last year and going through initial styling.

Somewhere I read it’s natural for some of the tips to brown. There is overwhelmingly a lot of green still here but there felt enough cause for concern to warrant asking here.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Hartinez]

I hate to say it. But that tree is/looks dead. Browning tips is one thing, but the dull green appearance of all the foliage seems clear.

Tell us about your care routine and maybe we can help guide you down a better path on the next go round.

Lastly. Don’t be bummed if it’s dead. Has happened to every single one of us at some point in our journey.

 

[Japonicus]

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Looks like the branches were over worked when wired

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Has it been kept inside?

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Crispy. Would like to know environmental and recent care to help with success in the future.

 

[Shibui]

I note that the photo appears to be taken indoors. The single biggest killer of juniper bonsai is indoors.
If that is NOT the case, please give us as much info about what you do and when and we may be able to pick up some clues.
I agree with @Hartinez that there's very little hope for this juniper after getting to this stage. I've had a couple recover from similar but that's an exception rather than common.

 

[nurvbonsai]

The photo is not taken from indoors. I have a balcony which needs tree was outside. I watered it consistently is a matter of making sure that the soil was not, but not dry. Either the fact that the tree does not appear flush tree was concerning. I think there was a fellow comment from Way back when about the potential scale And so I used some needs oil recently.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Neem doesn't solve scale issues unfortunately, and it almost never does the plant dirty in the sense that it dies from scale infestations. But the juniper is dead now. Time to look forward
Next time I wouldn't apply any moss until there's decent recovery. It just gives you a better feel for the soil it's in.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

closer inspection of soil is necessary. If outside, did it freeze over winter?

 

[nurvbonsai]

closer inspection of soil is necessary. If outside, did it freeze over winter?

No, but I showed the picture to someone in person and they said spider mites are a potential. So I should use more neems oil for a couple of weeks. Like once a week?

 

[Orion_metalhead]

You shouldnt waste any resources on a dead tree.

I would say remove the moss and show us the soil it is in, then remove it from the pot and investigate the state of the roots. Juniper can hold color for months after they are dead.

 

[nurvbonsai]

You shouldnt waste any resources on a dead tree.

I would say remove the moss and show us the soil it is in, then remove it from the pot and investigate the state of the roots. Juniper can hold color for months after they are dead.

How’s this? Indication?

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Looks like it was overwatered and the roots died back or it never recovered from the repot. Try again!

 

[nurvbonsai]

Looks like it was overwatered and the roots died back or it never recovered from the repot. Try again!

I hear different accounts of people watering once a day or twice a day even in heat but I was careful to not try to overwater. Here is a shimpaku I also started.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

how much sun is it getting. Juniper gets full sun all day for me. Shimpaku should have very tight foliage.




2yr old cutting:

 

[nurvbonsai]

It’s getting at least half. This is something I worried about living in an apartment and on a 2nd floor balcony.

 

[nurvbonsai]

how much sun is it getting. Juniper gets full sun all day for me. Shimpaku should have very tight foliage.

View attachment 594359
View attachment 594360

2yr old cutting:
View attachment 594361

What do I do to increase tight foliage? It’s getting about half sun. Downside of living on 2nd floor apt / balcony. This is how the original styling happened.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Need to get it as much sun as possible.

 

[Japonicus]

I hear different accounts of people watering once a day or twice a day even in heat but I was careful to not try to overwater. Here is a shimpaku I also started.

Who wired the shimpaku?
Not great but not same person wired both these trees.
A lot working against the juniper in 1st pic now that we see the root system.
Good that you're keeping it outdoors, but the roots probably could not support the foliage without a ton of vigour above ground.
The wiring would then be a fatal blow.

 

[nurvbonsai]

Who wired the shimpaku?
Not great but not same person wired both these trees.
A lot working against the juniper in 1st pic now that we see the root system.
Good that you're keeping it outdoors, but the roots probably could not support the foliage without a ton of vigour above ground.
The wiring would then be a fatal blow.

What is wrong with wiring? Can you explain? The base of it was started by a teacher(s) and I did some of it on both trees.