Juniper needles turning yellow

[benbonsai]

Can anyone tell me what is causing this my juniper's needles to turn yellow?
It has been getting quite a lot of sun over the last 2 weeks and I have been watering once daily.

Is it leaf burn or over watering?


Thanks

[shibui]

There is a whole host of reasons for juniper needles turning yellow.
1. starvation - lack of nitrogen can make leaves yellow- make sure you are feeding your trees properly.
2. old age - leaves all have a finite lifespan. Eventually they get too old to work properly and the plant shuts them down and they die (in the meantime new ones have grown at the tips). Juniper needles probably live 2-3 years before dying off.
3. pests - some growers have reported mites on junipers that can damage the needles and make them yellow - use a miticide to get rid of the pest.
4. damage to roots - can be from root rot, or poisoning (salinity, fert burn, etc) or root pruning and usually shows up several months after the event that caused it - and hope it recovers
5. leaf burn - herbicide?, lack of water (usually shows up several weeks later rather than immediately) - see 4 above.

Looking at your pictures I think 1 or 2 above are more likely.
If you have not been feeding you should start straight away. A good soluble fert should change the colour in a week or two.
You cannot stop leaf drop from old age. Proper pruning and pinching ensures there are new shoots and new needles coming on to replace the older ones that die each year.

[Firecat]

There is a whole host of reasons for juniper needles turning yellow.
1. starvation - lack of nitrogen can make leaves yellow- make sure you are feeding your trees properly.
2. old age - leaves all have a finite lifespan. Eventually they get too old to work properly and the plant shuts them down and they die (in the meantime new ones have grown at the tips). Juniper needles probably live 2-3 years before dying off.


Looking at your pictures I think 1 or 2 above are more likely.
If you have not been feeding you should start straight away. A good soluble fert should change the colour in a week or two.
You cannot stop leaf drop from old age. Proper pruning and pinching ensures there are new shoots and new needles coming on to replace the older ones that die each year.

Ben..I'm going with shibui here.
Get your self a quality pair of tweezers and pluck out 'every' dry or discoloured needle.
Delicately pluck out dying tips and with branch needles simply grab the the tip of the needle with tweezers and pull back along the branch or trunk.
Pulling back tends for a clean removal.
If you pull forward the needles break and makes for double or even triple handling of 'one' needle and may damage smaller branches and twigs.
Plus it's a big tedious job to remove aged needles anyway so you don't want to be left with broken needles that will need to be removed again and again.

Steve.

[benbonsai]

Thanks for the replies and sorry for the late reply.
Just an update.

The needles that were yellow are now brittle and snapping off. This is also happening on other parts of the tree.
Is the tree dying/dead?

Also I repotted it as the soil I bought it in was holding too much moisture (the soil at the bottom of the pot was like mud).
When I repotted I noticed some sort of grey mould in some parts.
I trimmed what I could and used some proper bonsai potting mix.

Have I killed this plant with too much watering and can it be saved?

[Firecat]

Looks like quite a few smaller branches may be either 'cracked' or 'strangled' by cross wiring.
Wiring is a crucial part and with Squatts as I'm assuming this one is they take hammering but 'strangulation' by wires being to tight or cross overs do them in.
Steve.

[Daluke]

Green needles is a good sign it's alive.

You have created some problems - with a repot you shouldn't fertilise for a few weeks to help the tree recover and get settled in its new soil.

Don't trim anything or pluck any needles including the dead ones as it will shock the plant more. The dead needles will drop off - why risk tearing the branch??

If you can, if be putting it in the ground - let it grow wild and hopefully it turns into a masterpiece.

To me, it looks like the interior needles died from lack of light AND the tree hadn't enough fertilising through the year to help push more growth.

Also, as has been said, the wiring shouldn't be like a choker.

Keep us posted and good luck.

[benbonsai]

Thanks for the advice.
It feels good to hear someone say it's alive haha.

I have faith in this plant.

And I know the wiring looks pretty messy, but I made sure it wasn't heaps tight.

Will keep you guys posted with its progress.

[shibui]

Have I killed this plant with too much watering and can it be saved?

You won't know for sure for a few weeks, possibly months. Junipers are one of those frustrating plants that can actually be dying but still have green needles, sometimes they actually grow new shoots using stored energy but the roots are dead. Eventually the top follows when the stored energy runs out.
that is not the case with yours. You have done everything you can so now it is just a waiting game to see how it turns out.

[benbonsai]

I wish I took a photo of what the roots looked like when I repotted.

To be honest, they looked healthy (I think)

They were are brownish red colour and smelt fresh.
I read that dead roots can smell like mushrooms? haha

If some photos of healthy and dead roots could be posted that would be handy.
Ill be able to tell then if they were dead.

See attached image (they looked similar)

[benbonsai]

Update.

Things seem to have gotten worse since the last post, but have slowed.
I don't think its dead.
It seems to be getting some new growth.

Will this shoot back on the old wood where some smaller branches have died?

[Pearcy001]

When you repotted it did you completely bare root it? Or did you leave the root ball as undisturbed at possible? I'm guessing it was reported at the start of October? Alao when did you last wire or trim the tree?

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

[benbonsai]

When you repotted it did you completely bare root it? Or did you leave the root ball as undisturbed at possible? I'm guessing it was reported at the start of October? Alao when did you last wire or trim the tree?

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

I trimmed and wired it a while ago, probably 3 months ago.
And then started to notice it was turning yellow after a lot of rain and probably some overwatering. That's when I repotted and I trimmed the small black roots and left the root ball pretty much as it was. The repotting was mainly to replace the soil it was in, it retained to much water.

Could have just been stressed or was it root rot?

[benbonsai]

[wal]

I've read over this a few times and can't help but wonder did she survive? I really hope so

Regards
Wal

[bonsaeen]

yes Wal doctor said there is hope :p but we need your prayers