SARGENT JUNIPER NEEDLE PROBLEM

[bonkers]

Hey there i have had this bonsai for a few months and have noticed that the needles have darkened to a dirty brown colour
over more then half the tree, and im worried






Is this because of its position in my garden ..it doesnt get alot of light mostlly morning and then dappled due to shade?
Is it due to me pruning it with scissors which i have since learned is not a good idea?
or is it due to me over under watering it ?
there is rich green foilage as you can see at the base of the tree but its mostlly new growth low on the tree..
any advice would be great..and advice on when and how much to pinch prune needles in the future
i love this tree and dont want to lose it

[rowan]

I can't help you much as I don't have a lot of experience with junis but most problems with them are dure to too little sunlight and overwatering. My immediate guess is too little sunlight.
Go around your neighbourhood and look at junis in people gardens and see where they are doing well. They need a fair bit of sunlight, just a bit of shading in the hottest summer days. Water well on these days and make sure the water drains from the pot well.
Next suggestion is to lift it gently out of the pot and see what its roots are like. If it has no new white tips to the roots and they are all blackish and rotten looking you need to repot it into some better draining mix.
Unfortunately (I hope I'm wrong) I think it may be too late, although I think I see a couple of shoots near the trunk (its hard to tell from the pics) that might come away with better treatment. If you are new to bonsai, take heart we usually lose the first few as we learn.

Cheers,
Rowan

[Akamatsu]

By the look of the foliage this juniper is dying back in a bad way. Check to see if the floiage is becoming dry and breaking off. The green shoots at the bottom may be all that is left of this tree if the problem is not found soon. There is a dozen reasons why this tree could have become so ill but I speculate that water is the main reason. Either too little or too much. Also I think it needs a better location as juniper need lots of light. Once the tree stabilises and you know for sure wat parts have died and what will live, cut away all the dead foliage and clean up the tree and focus on what is left. Actually if the tree survives it is only the beginning for some new design possibilies! Dead wood is a common and attractive feature on many junipers so try to see something in this. Good luck.

[Tony Bebb]

Hi Bonkers

Plenty of cause for concern there. Bit hard to tell from pics as to the cause, but possible that not enough sun and too wet. If foliage that is brown is still soft that is a sign. If foliage that is brown is dry and brittle it would be too dry.

Best to get it to a Bonsai nursery if possible for experienced eyes to have a look. Whatever is brown is dead and whatever is a faded green is dying, so won't be much left to work with if it survives.

Good luck

Tony

[Chris Sirre]

Hi Bonkers

Plenty of cause for concern there. Bit hard to tell from pics as to the cause, but possible that not enough sun and too wet. If foliage that is brown is still soft that is a sign. If foliage that is brown is dry and brittle it would be too dry.

Best to get it to a Bonsai nursery if possible for experienced eyes to have a look. Whatever is brown is dead and whatever is a faded green is dying, so won't be much left to work with if it survives.

Good luck

Tony

Hi Bonkers,

I'm afraid that Tony is right. I'm more than happy to have a look at it if you're near Melbourne. Our nursery is at 136 York Rd,Mount Evelyn,Vic.

Good luck,

Chris

[Handy Mick]

Good luck with the tree Bonkers, try to use this as a learning curve. I've just started to try pines myself.
Not to bag you out much, but, when you have sorted this problem out go in search for better wiring techniques, this will help in many ways, but will make your bonsais look better even when they are not.
Just my worth

Mick