Help please: I purchased my Juniper in May and followed water, light and fertilizing instructions gathered from internet sources. However, conflicting instructions can be confusing. My tree did really well until about the last two weeks, when I noticed the inner part of the needles, near the branches, were developing a brown tinge. Now, while there is still green and some light green tips, needles fall off at a touch--the deep green hue and fullness are gone and the tree looks sparse, stressed. I'm in Ontario and it was hot in late July, early August: I had the blind drawn several days at a time--the tree got less light (it's a few feet from a big Eastern window). I skipped the month-end fertilization (July end), because I read a source that said not to feed in the hot summer months. Less light, no feeding--in two weeks it dwindled. I watered every third or fourth day and misted daily. I can't see any sign of infestation, though at one watering in June, I saw a tiny bug running up and down the trunk. It disappeared after watering. Yesterday, I fed it. And I've been putting it in the window for two half-hour intervals, when it won't get scorched. I just saw Rima's replies to the woman with a Juniper in Mexico (Dec. 2006?) about Junipers need to be outside and watering from above, etc., Will I be able to save my tree?
tiny worms in moss of juniper: what to do? I haven't had any replies to my August 19 post. I'm new to caring for Bonsai and find watering and lighting instructions vary a great deal. Obviously, I was ignorant when I first brought "littletree" home. I think my tree is still alive, for there remains some soft, supple green foliage amid the brown dry stressed foliage. Today I could see tiny worms moving in the moss, like threads emerging. Should I mist with a soapy solution? Is there any other remedy I can apply to a stressed tree? I'm doing "palliative care"--watching soil and watering before it gets really dry; removing pebbles and watering slowly from above; indirect daylight all day long, but direct light for an hour to begin with. Not willing to give up . . .
Re: tiny worms in moss of juniper: what to do? I always thought that worms were good for soil provided you keep the food up to them, maybe not for bonsai though,could it be something else stressing the plant? Ed
Thank you, edleigh7! I did use a soapy mist just once. And I've been putting the Juniper in the window several hours per day and monitoring soil for better watering. I believe I'm seeing improvement--a return to a green look, soft and supple needles. The emerging green hue is subtle, but real; however, the tree is still stressed. I'm going to keep on trying; it seems I'm getting somewhere. We have a Bonsai society here; their show is Sept 8-9. I'll go with my questions and hope that I can strengthen this tree until then.
Hello Little Tree, I'm sorry I didn't join this forum earlier as we would of had a better chance of saving your tree if we did. What you are explaining is Juniper root rot. I have been in the business of bonsai for years and I can tell you 100% that when the needles turn brown at the base it is due to rot. When a tree is indoors it does not photosynthesis as much as it would outside in the sun and therefore it uses much less water. When you keep it wet and the plant is not using the water you get root rot. If it's not dead yet I would recommend putting it outside and letting it completely dry out. When you said there were worms in the soil I new that this was the problem as the soil soil should not be moist enough to harbor worms. I hope this helps.
Thank you so much for your post of Sept., writer from Gainesville, Florida, USA. I am very grateful! I've printed off your remarks and suggestion. I'll put little tree outside tomorrow to dry out a bit. I know now my original mistake was not giving it enough light during the hot July weather when I closed the blinds to keep out heat. Nevertheless, I can't understand my tree. It seems weak, thinned out, yet it's developing new needles, which are a light green and still flat to the bough, while other needles are green, yet at the base browning, fragile and sometimes fall off at a touch. There's new growth side by side with weakness and frailty, as though it is dying. I haven't fertilized it since mid-August, since all the internet sources seem to agree not to fertilize a weak or dry tree. Our Ottawa Bonsai Society didn't or couldn't answer my email requesting info, but their annual show is Sunday the 9th Sept. I'll go and bring the tree to ask whether I can save it and how to care for it and, possibly, future trees. In the meantime, I'll dry it outside for a day and see how it goes. The worms are gone now after I used a soapy mist.
Hello writer from Gainesville, Florida. I guess after I dry it out a bit, I reduce watering frequency for now, is that so? The tree began to get weak in July: I know that it was light deprived, and then also, it was really dry between waterings for about 12 days, when I watered every 3 or 4 days and it blew big bubbles. Now I must be over watering (every 2nd day) for what it can process. But it's getting lots of light. In August, I removed all pebbles and began watering slowly from above. I put my finger in the tray holes to feel the soil at bottom. When it was beginning to get dry I watered it. Maybe it needs to be slightly drier now to correct this problem.
Hi, a BIG mistake by most people is putting there bonsai indoors as only plants from tropical countries really want to be indoors in our climate, also over watering is as bad as not watering enough. George.
From your description, your juniper seems to be dead. Juniper has this ability to hide for several months that it is dead already. Junipers should receive full sun! In fact all plants with leaves like that should have full sun. Never ever believe those who said that juniper is an indoor plant, it is not. I want to show you my juniper that was able to survive the long dry spell this year. I pruned it and after a month new leaves appear.
Thank you george nesfield of East Yorkshire and everlasting from Manilla. I lost "little tree," as of the last few days it was definitely gone. I know that I over watered for about a week, or maybe more than that. I found it difficult to get the watering right. It seemed to be doing well in the sunlight, until I increased the watering schedule. Also, I understand now that some are outdoor trees. (The person who sold it to me told me to keep it out of direct sun. I thought I was doing the right things.) I took little tree to the Ottawa Bonsai Show, and a member said that it had recently been sprouting new needles (the light tufts at branch ends), but was now dead. He thought that it was also possible that the tree may have been recently re-potted and the roots didn't take. I'll join the Bonsai Society here and learn more about caring for them. They had so many beautiful trees at their show that I was amazed.
