Juniper Yamadori Aftercare. Am I doing this right?

[pandacular]

Sure it's more expensive but I'd still buy it. I have nowhere for a cubic yard and did you factor shipping into that 30x?

This is a local landscape supply store. You can show up and scoop as much or as little as you like. No one in the PNW should buy pumice online.

 

[SandSquid]

This is a local landscape supply store. You can show up and scoop as much or as little as you like. No one in the PNW should buy pumice online.

I’m really only needing about 50 pounds worth. If I can just go in a scoop that, I’m all for it!

 

[Jphipps]

I’m really only needing about 50 pounds worth. If I can just go in a scoop that, I’m all for it!

You can. I've bought from them before. It was a couple years ago but they had bags available you could fill, or bring your own. Buy as little or as much as you want.

 

[Potawatomi13]

So bringing back an older thread for one question:

I have a ton of non-organic bonsai soil (pumice/lava mix - no organic material whatsoever). That should work as well, right? I'm having a hard time finding large bags of pure pumice in my area and I'm planning a yamadori trip in a week. Thanks!

No yard debris recycling facilities nearby? Ours have Pumice to buy in bag or bucket. You dig

 

[Japonicus]

This is a local landscape supply store. You can show up and scoop as much or as little as you like. No one in the PNW should buy pumice online.

Well that’s a no brainer. Good deal.

 

[PaulH]

I have a ton of non-organic bonsai soil (pumice/lava mix - no organic material whatsoever). That should work as well, right?

I don't see why not.

 

[PaulH]

"Absolutely no organic or fine soil." Why absolutely none?

Because they retain too much water, inhibiting new roots and rotting the ones you have. Oxygen space in the soil is very important.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

To Paul's point, if you are very dilligent about checking your soil about the need to water, its not as big of an issue, but if you water everything the same and not on a per plant basis, then its safer to go fully inorganic. I have had good results with integrating organics into my grow out mixture, but its definitely not for everyone. You need to be comfortable with your substrate. My grow mix is 1/3 perlite, 1/3 pea gravel, 1/3 greenwaste compost. Drains well, retains moisture, is very airy, and cheap. The compost element adds nutrients and gently fertilizes. I just dont water until the soil needs to be watered.

 

[SandSquid]

You can. I've bought from them before. It was a couple years ago but they had bags available you could fill, or bring your own. Buy as little or as much as you want.

I called Sky Nursery, which is close to where I am, and they have 1CF bags of ready-to-go (washed and sifted) for 21 bucks. so, a couple of those will do me just fine. But, I also called a couple of landscape supply places north of me and can get bulk amounts for cheap as well, so looks like I'm covered!

 

[IllinoisSam]

Howd this tree do over the summer?

Very sad to report, it didn't make it. I wish I could say why, but I guess it was just too much stress. It would have been so cool.

 

[IllinoisSam]

So you pulled it out of the current situation, completely washed the roots and then put it in pumice? If this tree was just collected recently, doing a complete re-pot and bare root one month after digging it up in the first place, in my opinion, is a death sentence. I think you should’ve just left it as it was, and adjusted how you watered it and misted it. Hopefully I’m wrong, but we shall see.

You weren't wrong.

 

[Hartinez]

You weren't wrong.

These things happen. Paul’s advice on newly collected juniper is sound. Problem was ignoring the status of YOUR tree and still suggesting his method. Not everyone has a setup similar to his either, so adjusting advice based on what people have is also better I’d say.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Here's my proven method for juniper aftercare. I've been collecting for over 25 years and now I get close to 100% survival.
1. Don't obsess over getting a lot of roots. Feeder roots are good but thicker structure roots can go.
2. Wash field soil off the roots with a hose nozzle and remove any dead roots
3. Pot in the smallest pet or box in which it will fit. If the container is too big it will retain moisture and rot the roots .\
4. Plant in 100% pumice sifted to larger than 1/4" size. Absolutely no organic or fine soil.
5. Keep the tree in a cool greenhouse or equivalent with filtered sun.
6. Mist the foliage a minimum of every 4 hours. If you can't manage it yourself set up a timed misting system.
7. Cover the soil surface with something to keep misting water out. You want the soil (pumice) slightly moist but never wet.
8. When new growth begins gradually move the tree to full sun. New growth means actual elongating shoots.

I've tried other methods and killed a lot of junipers before learning this.
Good luck. I hope this one survives but I think the odds are against it unless you start over with it.

I followed this method very closely on two collected trees this past spring. Happy to say, they both pushed all summer, and are thriving. Only change I made was not molesting the original root ball, and cleaning out all the natural soil. It was already quite sandy. I gambled, and got lucky. Thanks for the tips @PaulH