juniper branchlets dying off ?

Share your success stories about defoliation, bare rooting and anything else relating to maintaining healthy bonsai.
User avatar
stocaz
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 224
Joined: February 5th, 2013, 8:24 pm
Favorite Species: JBP
Location: Melbourne

juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by stocaz »

Hi all,
This juni is powering on with fresh growth but there are 2 small branchlets that havn't put on any growth at all ??

Is there anything i should be looking out for pest wise ?
My concern is the whole branch dying off.

Thanks in advance

Ross
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by stocaz on September 19th, 2014, 8:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Boics
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 2189
Joined: September 27th, 2012, 6:16 pm
Favorite Species: Banksia, Syzygium, Cotoneaster. Leptospermum
Bonsai Age: 7
Location: Victoria Inner City Fringe
Has thanked: 28 times
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by Boics »

Id be ensuring the branches in question are well exposed to the sun and not shaded in any way.
One of the fabulous things about growing bonsai is as you get old and decrepit your trees get old and beautiful
User avatar
Ray M
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1403
Joined: November 5th, 2009, 3:36 pm
Favorite Species: Figs, Junipers, Maples, Elms, Pines, Banksias
Bonsai Age: 31
Bonsai Club: The School of Bonsai
Location: Winston Hills NSW
Been thanked: 15 times

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by Ray M »

Hi Ross,
Are you feeding the tree? If so, what fertilizer are you using? I also find that Junipers love foliage feeding.

What Boics has mentioned is important. This is one species I definitely find necessary to rotate to give good sun exposure to the whole tree.

Regards Ray
Last edited by Ray M on September 19th, 2014, 9:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
stocaz
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 224
Joined: February 5th, 2013, 8:24 pm
Favorite Species: JBP
Location: Melbourne

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by stocaz »

Thanks for the replies, I just moved it off the fence, the two branches are on the fence side so maybe not getting enough sun :lost:

I feed all my trees weekly 10ml seasol & 10ml powerfeed per 9ltr.

Everything is growing healthy and quickly at the moment including the rest of this tree.

not too sure if i have a problem as this has happened to a few of my other Junipers in the past and ive lost the branch completely :shake:
User avatar
stocaz
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 224
Joined: February 5th, 2013, 8:24 pm
Favorite Species: JBP
Location: Melbourne

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by stocaz »

I did a bit of Foliage feeding last season but not religiously...
Ill definitely give it a go, hopefully that helps to get some growth going.

Cheers Ross
User avatar
Ray M
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1403
Joined: November 5th, 2009, 3:36 pm
Favorite Species: Figs, Junipers, Maples, Elms, Pines, Banksias
Bonsai Age: 31
Bonsai Club: The School of Bonsai
Location: Winston Hills NSW
Been thanked: 15 times

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by Ray M »

stocaz wrote:Thanks for the replies, I just moved it off the fence, the two branches are on the fence side so maybe not getting enough sun :lost:

I feed all my trees weekly 10ml seasol & 10ml powerfeed per 9ltr.

Everything is growing healthy and quickly at the moment including the rest of this tree.

not too sure if i have a problem as this has happened to a few of my other Junipers in the past and ive lost the branch completely :shake: Unfortunately when Junipers are showing that they are dying off, it usually is too late to save them.
Regards Ray
User avatar
Ray M
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1403
Joined: November 5th, 2009, 3:36 pm
Favorite Species: Figs, Junipers, Maples, Elms, Pines, Banksias
Bonsai Age: 31
Bonsai Club: The School of Bonsai
Location: Winston Hills NSW
Been thanked: 15 times

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by Ray M »

stocaz wrote:I did a bit of Foliage feeding last season but not religiously...
Ill definitely give it a go, hopefully that helps to get some growth going.

Cheers Ross
Hi Ross,
I have just added an article to the AusBonsai WIKI site relating to foliage feeding. Foliage Feeding

Regards Ray
User avatar
stocaz
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 224
Joined: February 5th, 2013, 8:24 pm
Favorite Species: JBP
Location: Melbourne

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by stocaz »

Ray M wrote:
stocaz wrote:Thanks for the replies, I just moved it off the fence, the two branches are on the fence side so maybe not getting enough sun :lost:

I feed all my trees weekly 10ml seasol & 10ml powerfeed per 9ltr.

Everything is growing healthy and quickly at the moment including the rest of this tree.

not too sure if i have a problem as this has happened to a few of my other Junipers in the past and ive lost the branch completely :shake: Unfortunately when Junipers are showing that they are dying off, it usually is too late to save them.
Thanks Ray.

thankfully the rest of the tree is going well you can see the offending branch on the right.

I know i can kiss that branch goodbye more than likely but :fc:
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Jow
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1413
Joined: November 25th, 2008, 7:11 am
Favorite Species: Pines
Bonsai Age: 0
Bonsai Club: BSV, Northwest
Has thanked: 74 times
Been thanked: 18 times

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by Jow »

Stocaz, I would also check for scale/insects on the effected branches. Even a small infestation can have a dramatic effect.
User avatar
stocaz
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 224
Joined: February 5th, 2013, 8:24 pm
Favorite Species: JBP
Location: Melbourne

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by stocaz »

Jow wrote:Stocaz, I would also check for scale/insects on the effected branches. Even a small infestation can have a dramatic effect.
:shock: what an idiot i am !!! Yep black scale i swear im blind sometimes :palm:
User avatar
Phoenix238
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 438
Joined: August 10th, 2011, 8:50 pm
Favorite Species: Maples
Bonsai Age: 4
Location: Cobden VIC
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by Phoenix238 »

What are the branches chances of recovery with the scale treated/removed?
Jow
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1413
Joined: November 25th, 2008, 7:11 am
Favorite Species: Pines
Bonsai Age: 0
Bonsai Club: BSV, Northwest
Has thanked: 74 times
Been thanked: 18 times

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by Jow »

Depends on how damaged they are. In this case i would say Low.
User avatar
stocaz
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 224
Joined: February 5th, 2013, 8:24 pm
Favorite Species: JBP
Location: Melbourne

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by stocaz »

Yeah id say one of the affected branches is gone :(
The other branch i was concerned about should be ok as its only a few of the smaller branchlets that the scale has affected badly.
On closer inspection a few of my other trees around that one have scale as well.....
User avatar
dark1
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 92
Joined: September 23rd, 2009, 5:02 pm
Favorite Species: taxodium
Bonsai Age: 30
Bonsai Club: bimer,qld. society
Location: Brisbane

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by dark1 »

G'day Stocaz. Good luck with the treatment. Looks like a very nice tree would be a shame to loose that branch. What are you using on your juniper to get rid of the scale? :fc: Cheers, Michael.
Andrew Legg
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1404
Joined: June 24th, 2010, 6:23 pm
Favorite Species: The ones that don't die
Bonsai Age: 15
Bonsai Club: Oyama Bonsai Kai, Ausbonsai
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: juniper branchlets dying off ?

Post by Andrew Legg »

Ross,

The only thing I can think of doing is cutting back the vigorous parts of the tree hard, and foliar feeding very lightly but regularly the weak branches. If you are lucky they may recover, but the hard cut back will slow the tree down. Chance you take mate, but good luck all the same.

Cheers,

Andrew
Post Reply

Return to “Tips, Techniques, Maintenance and Advice”