HELP! New to bonsai care - sick bonsai :(

[blinknsnowbunny]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and new to bonsai-keeping. I'm not crash hot at keeping plants alive at the best of times (I've sent a few home to my mum to be nursed back to health) but it appears that keeping a bonsai alive is even harder.

My boyfriend bought me a beautiful 8 year old bonsai about 3 months ago for my 25th birthday. He was told that it is one of the hardier varieties of bonsai and so we were hoping I might be able to keep this one going. I have followed the instructions that came with it (not too much water, not too much heat but some sunshine) but it appears to be dead or nearly dead

I'm wondering if anybody is able to tell me what type of plant it is and what I can do to bring it back to good health (if I haven't killed it!).

[Bougy Fan]

Hi and welcome. I believe it's a dead juniper - I don't believe it can come back from that far gone but a juniper expert will chime in.

Tony

[Craig]

I'm no juniper eggspert, but it looks dead to me aswell, no way it will come back from there, chuck it

[makro]

that looks quite dead to me, sorry about the bad news. From my limited experience Junipers are dead long before they look the part.

[Bougy Fan]

I don't have any junipers - have had no luck with them. If you are interested in bonsai go to a specific bonsai nursery and get something easier to look after. If you are in NSW or higher up a fig would be good. Chinese elm would be good all over Australia.

Tony

[Dario]

Sorry to hear the news as it obviously had sentimental meaning to you being that your partner gave it to you for your 25th b'day
I hope you try again and don't let this loss put you off bonsai!
Better luck next time, Dario.

[cuwire]

Hi there -

It sure does look sick and possibly dead but don't wast the chance to try and find the reason.

Lift it out of the pot and you should find an evenly moist crumbly soil ... no grubs.

I believe Junipers like lots of Sun - not an indoor plant.

You will need to try to suss out a reason for its condition ...real or possible.

cheers

[PaulC]

Sad to say but from the looks of things, its well and trully on its way out.

Yes, much like an xmas tree after being cut, confiers do not show signs of distress after they are well and trully on their way out, and about to go to God.

The pics show some sign of green still on the plant, but given that the pics have been taken on the kitchen bench ( nice ad for Liptons Tea ),
I am guessng the plant has been kept inside well watered and, well, can I say perhaps `over-loved` ?

There may be some hope for this plant but it may require better tender loving care, being placed in a beter enviroment, such as outside in semi shade,
less water, removal of the dead and dying material................for starters, and of course NO FERTILESER.

The white pot with the juniper says ( screams ) commercial bonsai, which can make or break any real interest in bonsai, especially if the plant may have been stressed before the time of purchase,or even at the time of planting into the bonai pot.

You have found a great place for advice with your tree, and I`m certain, though what you read may be not what you may wish to view, the advice will be true and correct.

I hope you continue your interest in bonsai, and all your future trees flourish .


Regards,


Paul C

[kcpoole]

It is now what we call a "finished Bonsai" Sorry.
It was a Juniper ( probably Procumbens), and once they show signs of browning off all over it means that it has died abot 2 - 3 months ago. They take that long to discolour.

Junipers need full sun, and the soil never to dry out fully. They must be watered again before they get to that stage, and the same applies to all Bonsai really

Junipers are not hard to keep alive, but you must do the above. I water my trees every morning every dayand on days above 30 Deg or windy, will water again in the afternoon.

Miss one day with a juni or pine in a small pot, and they are gone unless you are very lucky.

Ken

[chrisatrocky]

Just to add to what Ken said. Most people when they get a bonsai believe them to be delicate and keep them inside. This is the opposite of what most bonsai are.

I have followed the instructions that came with it (not too much water, not too much heat but some sunshine) but it appears to be dead or nearly dead

" some sunshine" should have read full sun especially for this variety of juniper and outside. So this death may not be entirelly you fault. the instructions weren't complete or accurate.

chris

[Andrew Legg]

Welcome to Ausbonsai!

I'll join in with others here and say it most likely toast. Tough one to swallow for a sentimental gift! If you can see any sign of new budding (look at the base of branches), then you may be in with a shot, but otherwise, your time and energy may be better spent on a new tree! Tell your boyfriend that if he really loves you, he'll get you another one As Paul and Dario say, don't let it put you off this wonderful hobby, so bounce right back and go and get a new tree from a bonsai nursery. Keep the pot that this tree is in and you can put a new tree in it next spring. It will still remind you of your birthday gift, and with a bit of luck and one lesson (which we all get, even the more experienced of us ) under your belt, you'll be in a better position to keep the next one going.

Cheers,

Andrew

[Beano]

My first ever bonsai was a Christmas present from my parents as a teenager and it was the same as yours (juniper). It died in about a month. I had another juniper (different kind) after that one that one of the bonsai club experts wired up and jinned for me. Then he told dad to spray it with some particular pesticide. It died within days after that. I was only 14. I don't like junipers...

A nice fig tree will be more forgiving. I've branched into unfamiliar trees again and am currently crossing fingers and toes for my dying boxwood.

[witchstreet]

Dear blinknsnowbunny
Don't cry. I know this bonsai was for your 25th birthday but don't be put off. Have another go with a fig. As the saying goes "if you kill a fig then give up". At least you can reuse the nice pot. In the meantime, read all you can and learn. This forum is a great place to start. There are some terrific posts on this site. Good luck and we hope to hear from you again.

[kvan64]

Sorry but it is very much dead. Probably past away at least 2 months ago. You may try to do the bark scratch test to see if it is still green underneath but I doubt it. It was supposed to outdoor and would have been the result of not having enough sunlight. Welcome to the club as you are not the only one that kill trees. We all learn from our mistake.
Cheers
DK

[longlenium]

that juni look pretty dead to me . the only you might want to do is cut it completely back and give some seasol boost. might come back