My first Juniper Bonsai is dying...please help :)

[MrPantoufle]

Hello everyone

Nice to meet you all and thanks for reading my post.

My brother bought me a lovely young juniper bonsai for Christmas. Unfortunately from a shopping centre(I have read how reputable they seem to be...)
It came with a generic guide on caring for the bonsai but unsatisfied I went online for research.

From the first day, I noticed some yellowing of the leaves, but as time has progressed the yellowing has grown.
I really want to bring this bonsai to full life and care for it properly.

What steps should I take to recover my young juniper?
I have attached pictures( note that i only brought it inside for the photos)
It is kept outside everyday

Thanks so much for your help!

[Jason]

Hey mate,

Welcome to the site! I'm new to bonsai as well, so my advice is very limited.

My first bonsai was a Juniper too, and I found the reasons it was turning yellow was due to: A) Not enough light (it needs to be outside in the sunshine) and B) Not enough water (it was in a small pot, and I didn't realise how quickly it was drying out).

I am sure the other members will have much more detailed advice for you, but they were the lessons I learnt from my Juni

Good luck!
Jason

[izzykay]

looks ok...to me anyway

[Pup]

From what I see of the foliage it is healthy, what you describe as yellowing is natural attrition of the needles.
Evergreen trees do shed the leaves/ needles but not like deciduous trees. The needles I see in the pictures are dead needles that need to be removed carefully from the position they are in.
This will encourage new foliage closer to where it is now. It will also stop the foliage you have from getting too leggy.

Just pinch new growth on the ends ( you will know when it is new) with the fleshy part of your index finger and thumb. If you cut it with scissors or fingernails it will go brown, and worry you again.

Cheers Hope this helps.Pup

[Qitianlong]

Looks fine Mr P!

[kcpoole]

Looks Fine to me too

As Pup mentioned it is normal and as he mentioned you will need to pinch out the growing tips to stop them extending

Your tree is a Juniper Procumbens, and looks quite healthy
It is a larger pot and looks like nice soil so no worries on both counts.
The Tree needs to be out in the weather and Sun, and neds to be watered When needed so the soil does not dry out.
Junipers ( unlike Deciduous trees) will not wilt and droop when too dry and thirsty, so you need to test the soil daily to ensure it stay Just a little moist and not actually dry.
the top 1 cm or willdry right out but lower in the pot will stay wetter. Use stick or chopstick to put down into the soil and check how damp down below. When needed, Give it a good water with a fine spray or soak in a tub for a few minutes

In this summer heat, I water my trees Once a day and when mid - hi 30's, 2 times a day.

If the tree was dead, the entire foliage will be browning off, and if you see that on a Juni, it died 3 months before as it takes that long to brown off, so stay up with the watering everyday

Ken

[Boics]

Yep, I concur your tree is healthy pal!
Good job and welcome to Ausbonsai!