Just bought my first Bonsai. A little juniper from Lowes. I know, but I wanted to start small and

[Craftygramz]

A little juniper from Lowes. I know, but I wanted to start small and learn before I spent too much money. I just found this site and am very green!

I thought this would be a good inside bonsai. Summers here are as high as 120+.

I think it may be too hot outside. I am guessing that I should remove the glued down rocks? Doesn't seem like the roots could get any air with them.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to where to start?

Thanks in advance. I will be reading all I can tonight and start caring for him tomorrow.

 

[Eric Group]

Juniper cannot live indoors. It is probably already dead from bing indoors too long at Lowes under a layer of glued on rocks that won't allow water to penetrate the soil.
They can stay green for months even after being dead. Take it back, get your money back, go to the garden center, buy a "green Mound Juniper/ Japanese Garden juniper/ Juniper Procumbens Nana" (it is the same exact type of tree, just likely NOT dead, probably much bigger/ more mature/ better specimen..) in a 1 gallon nursery pot, take that home. Learn how to care for it, learn how to keep it alive and get it really healthy, then you can start working on it and actually learn how to make a Bonsai from it... it will be a healthier tree with a chance at life. You will learn more and find it to be a much more rewarding experience.

Juniper are fine in heat as long as you keep them watered.

Good luck.

 

[ant888]

Juniper cannot live indoors. It is probably already dead from bing indoors too long at Lowes under a layer of glued on rocks that won't allow water to penetrate the soil.
They can stay green for months even after being dead. Take it back, get your money back, go to the garden center, buy a "green Mound Juniper/ Japanese Garden juniper/ Juniper Procumbens Nana" (it is the same exact type of tree, just likely NOT dead, probably much bigger/ more mature/ better specimen..) in a 1 gallon nursery pot, take that home. Learn how to care for it, learn how to keep it alive and get it really healthy, then you can start working on it and actually learn how to make a Bonsai from it... it will be a healthier tree with a chance at life. You will learn more and find it to be a much more rewarding experience.

Juniper are fine in heat as long as you keep them watered.

Good luck.

Second this, nice post.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Welcome to the site!

Junipers can take the heat, as long as their roots never dry out. Let's face it - California junipers live just fine in the Mojave desert. However the big question is how healthy is your tree right now? How good is the soil, how healthy are the roots, and is your tree ready for summer? Do you have the ability to share photos?

It also helps if you put your location in your user profile.

 

[Craftygramz]

Sounds like good advice. After spending most of the day reading up on bonsai it seems like making my own will be more satisfying. I didn't like the idea of the "glued down rocks anyway. Thanks for the info. Will come back and let you know how it goes in a couple of months.

 

[GGB]

@Craftygramz starting out in this hobby can be very defeating. Read all you can and spend money wisely. Only after three years am I finally now breaking into it. I'm not destined for greatness but I'm certainly not hopeless. It seems like a lot of folks quit early, but its beyond awesome when everything starts coming together

 

[Cadillactaste]

Welcome Craftygramz

So good that you found our site.

Bonsai can be a lot of fun...I didn't read above did anyone suggest you fill out your profile of location so ones can better help you?

Do you like gardening? I find that having experience in landscape it at least gave one a heads up on other aspects of horticulture end of the hobby.

 

[Stickroot]

A little juniper from Lowes. I know, but I wanted to start small and learn before I spent too much money. I just found this site and am very green!

I thought this would be a good inside bonsai. Summers here are as high as 120+.

I think it may be too hot outside. I am guessing that I should remove the glued down rocks? Doesn't seem like the roots could get any air with them.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to where to start?

Thanks in advance. I will be reading all I can tonight and start caring for him tomorrow.

Welcome!
Just kill it real fast and move on
Bonsai...
Water a lot
Prune a lot
Kill a lot
When you are done killing you have learned your first lesson.

 

[Eric Group]

Welcome!
Just kill it real fast and move on
Bonsai...
Water a lot
Prune a lot
Kill a lot
When you are done killing you have learned your first lesson.

I was going to mention this- EVERYONE kills trees. Everyone.
It is not intentional, but it is part of the process.
A master gardener quote for you: "you do not truly know a plant until you have killed it at least three times" or was it seven times? Regardless... the point is the same- learn from mistakes, get better, don't give up just because you have a casualty or two.

 

[milehigh_7]

A little juniper from Lowes. I know, but I wanted to start small and learn before I spent too much money. I just found this site and am very green!

I thought this would be a good inside bonsai. Summers here are as high as 120+.

I think it may be too hot outside. I am guessing that I should remove the glued down rocks? Doesn't seem like the roots could get any air with them.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to where to start?

Thanks in advance. I will be reading all I can tonight and start caring for him tomorrow.

First off, welcome to the NUT HOUSE @Craftygramz and your new life. Sorry it's like the Hotel California, you can check out any time you like but you can never leave.

Now that we have the greetings out of the way, we encourage the members to put their location in their profile so we can give specific help. As it stands, it sounds like you are in the desert somewhere. So, let's talk, I'm in Vegas and have been growing trees in pots outside here for about 15 years and about 3 years before that in Phoenix. Come on back, I'll be glad to help any way I can.

 

[Craftygramz]

Thanks to all for the great support! I added my zone 9b-10a to my profile. Bullhead City Arizona. I am going to return this little guy to Lowes and exchange it for a regular juniper. I will trim it into a bonsai shape myself. I found lots of info. on youtube today. I have always been a plant fanatic and yes Eric Group, I have killed many plants. The hot dry climate here is difficult but I have found many plants that thrive for me.
Milehigh_7 you are only about 100 miles from here and almost as hot and dry. What bonsai plants work best for you?

 

[milehigh_7]

You should be able to grow olive, pomegranate, bougainvillea, vitex agnus-castus, texas ebony valentine emu bush is pretty bullet proof, and several others pretty well. However, everything will need afternoon shade. This is going to be key for you. For us, if we can find a place with Sun only till about 10-11 AM in the summer it is ideal. Reflected heat from block walls, sidewalks, other houses is lethal. You will want very good drainage and water often. On the hottest driest days bunch your trees together as close as possible. It can make all the difference.

There are gobs more tips but for now, figure out the exposure. You can accomplish this with shade cloth if you need to. Growing in the desert is rather like creating a micro-climate for your plants.

I'm kind of getting sleepy but you can hit me with questions anytime.

 

[milehigh_7]

Also, http://www.phoenixbonsai.com has tons of info on species and care.

 

[Cypress187]

We should start an "Outside Juniper Foundation" with t-shirts and demonstrations on the street, welcome to the forum!

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy Craftygramz!

@milehigh_7 is Your ticket to success!
Great experience in that hot...and he should have some decent plants for you too!

I am an advocate for destroying the "dead already bonsai" industry.
I look at them everytime I go to the Depot....
Just to make sure they are dead !

Your decision to return it makes me proud....
If you were to....say....
Lob it back into the garden yard from the parking lot, lit on fire preferably....
I'd put up the bail if they nabbed you!

IMO...there are easier Junipers than Procumbins Nana...

Don't wait 2 long to update!

Sorce