slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Share your success stories about defoliation, bare rooting and anything else relating to maintaining healthy bonsai.
User avatar
fishnfreak
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 98
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 1:25 pm
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Gawler, SA
Been thanked: 1 time

slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by fishnfreak »

my squamatas needles have slightly yellowed. the new growth seems healthy and it is backbudding like crazy since the hard prune.

could it be a fert issue? currently using blood and bone and powerfeed.Image

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
User avatar
Nate.bonsai
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 294
Joined: July 20th, 2014, 12:30 pm
Favorite Species: JBP
Bonsai Age: 10
Location: Sydney
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 33 times

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by Nate.bonsai »

To me and although very hard to diagnose from a pic, this looks pest related. Perhaps scale or spider mite, usually requiring repeat treatment. At least, that has been the issue when my Junis have looked like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
Pearcy001
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1307
Joined: February 8th, 2015, 7:23 pm
Favorite Species: Natives and Exotics
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: Yarraville, VIC
Been thanked: 81 times

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by Pearcy001 »

Looks like it's dieing from the inside of the branches and then moving out to the tips?

Have you repotted recently? Could it be damage to the roots from excess fert?

May be worthwhile pulling it out of the pot without disturbing the tree and checking the roots if you're able to.

I have never had this issue myself, simply an idea.

Hope your tree survives!

Pearcy.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
Last edited by Pearcy001 on November 15th, 2017, 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
fishnfreak
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 98
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 1:25 pm
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Gawler, SA
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by fishnfreak »

god i hope not mate. i dont know what i do wrong...
i think i need to learn to keep junipers/pines alive before worrying about style/appearance.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
shibui
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 7653
Joined: August 22nd, 2009, 8:41 pm
Favorite Species: trident maple
Bonsai Age: 41
Bonsai Club: Albury/Wodonga; BSV; Canberra; VNBC
Location: Yackandandah
Has thanked: 65 times
Been thanked: 1399 times
Contact:

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by shibui »

You have pruned back quite hard by the sound of it. How much of the affected foliage is old?
Even evergreen foliage has a use by date. After 2-3 years the needles are not functioning properly and the tree will drop them. That's just how it works. If you have pruned back leaving nearly all old foliage then most of what is left will soon go yellow and drop. The fact that you have plenty of new healthy shoots is a positive sign.
Don't discount Nate's diagnosis. We have seen plenty of yellowing juniper Needles that are the result of pests so check carefully for mites and scale. if in any doubt, a pesticide will not hurt the tree even if there are no pests there.
http://shibuibonsai.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Daluke
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1022
Joined: September 15th, 2014, 8:04 pm
Favorite Species: Juniper
Bonsai Age: 8
Location: Melbourne
Has thanked: 17 times
Been thanked: 105 times

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by Daluke »

I think it’s lack of water penetrating the right roots. Maybe even trimming the roots that marry up to the dying foliage.

The green buds show it’s still kicking.
User avatar
fishnfreak
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 98
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 1:25 pm
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Gawler, SA
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by fishnfreak »

Pearcy001 wrote:Looks like it's dieing from the inside of the branches and then moving out to the tips?

Have you repotted recently? Could it be damage to the roots from excess fert?

May be worthwhile pulling it out of the pot without disturbing the tree and checking the roots if you're able to.

I have never had this issue myself, simply an idea.

Hope your tree survives!

Pearcy.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
are damaged root obvious visually?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
User avatar
fishnfreak
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 98
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 1:25 pm
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Gawler, SA
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by fishnfreak »

and no havent repotted. i did a fairly large prune and have been misting since

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
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: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by Boics »

The word "misting" always scares me.
Make sure to water the ENTIRE pot with water getting to every surface area of the soil.
Even submerging a pot until all the bubbles stop and removing a totally saturated pot is ok from time to time.
Then ideally you shouldn't water again until the soil is near to dry - Junipers prefer not to be moist all the time.
One of the fabulous things about growing bonsai is as you get old and decrepit your trees get old and beautiful
User avatar
fishnfreak
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 98
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 1:25 pm
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Gawler, SA
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by fishnfreak »

sorry i have been watering considerably whist also misting the foliage

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
User avatar
fishnfreak
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 98
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 1:25 pm
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Gawler, SA
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by fishnfreak »

Let me know what you think....
ACTION PLAN
-remove pot carefully, inspect roots for signs of distress/pests/rotting.
-saturate soil using a bucket to soak in mix of water/seasol.
-spray foliage with Confidor
-Continue to mist foliage and water when necessary.
-continue to fertilise using blood and bone and powerfeed
-allow to dry out between waterings.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
Last edited by fishnfreak on November 16th, 2017, 11:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
Mbunro
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 298
Joined: February 14th, 2016, 5:19 pm
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Perth
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by Mbunro »

not that i think its an issue but looks like there iss some dynamic lifter on top of your soil too... maybe hold of on the feeding for a couple of weeks though if your going to be doing any root work. just seasol for now.

Edit: also just another thought, are you wires maybe too tight at the junction from branch to trunk?.... ive only managed to kill one juniper so far and i came to the conclusion that that was the issue.
Last edited by Mbunro on November 16th, 2017, 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
fishnfreak
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 98
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 1:25 pm
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Gawler, SA
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by fishnfreak »

the wires are 2 weeks old, and loose enough as to not restrict

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
User avatar
fishnfreak
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 98
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 1:25 pm
Bonsai Age: 1
Location: Gawler, SA
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by fishnfreak »

i followed my "action plan," although i wasnt able to remove the tree from the pot without losing most of the soil so i removed that step.



Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
User avatar
Pearcy001
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1307
Joined: February 8th, 2015, 7:23 pm
Favorite Species: Natives and Exotics
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: Yarraville, VIC
Been thanked: 81 times

Re: slight yellowing of Junipers needles

Post by Pearcy001 »

When was it last repotted?

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
Post Reply

Return to “Tips, Techniques, Maintenance and Advice”