Sick Juniper

[dbar7738]

Hi all,

A friend of mine has been having some problems with a juniper bonsai that she owns. She has asked for my expert assistance (no idea) on how to help her bonsai out. Its a juniper, which has been repotted once since being purchased about 2 years ago. It looks like a lot of die back on the main branches and I dont know how to help it. I have a small greenhouse which I could put the plant in during winter if that is recommended.

Daniel

PS the spiderwebs show how much care this plant has had!!

[coocarch]

Since you live in Sydney, the best advice I can give is put it in the rain, and leave it in a sunny position. When spring comes you can repot, you can do it now but winter isn't the best time. I managed to kill one of my junipers through lack of knowledge so this is basic advice I think most people will give you. Good luck!

[Guy]

I would remove it from the bonsai pot and see if there are any fresh healthy roots--either way I would put it into a larger plastic nursery pot with free draining mix and seasol it muchly and place in the warmest part of the garden ---or put it straight in the ground in a warm spot

[Chris H]

In Sydney. Repot it now. I'm guessing it's in a really bad soil mix and at some point it dried out.

Don't touch the roots - put it in a bigger pot, plastic nursery pot is fine.

Cut off the brown stuff, leave as much green as possible.

[Gerard]

I suspect mites

[dbar7738]

Hi,

Thanks for all the help. This is what I plan to do, I will cut away all the dead leaves/branches and inspect for any pests. I will then take it out of the bonsai pot and put it in a larger training pot. I won't touch the roots! Do you think it would benefit from being in a greenhouse?

DB

[phantom]

I to think it is mites very common with junipers you wont see mites with the human eye, under a strong microscope you will have no trouble seeing them.

[Chris H]

I dont think there is any benefit from a Green house.

[Matthew]

it could be red spider might having spiderwebs or the webs could be made from a number of small spiders. to test get a piece of plain white paper under some branches and stoke the foliage numerous times and see what drops onto the paper. Id tiny little red dots appear than start moving thats a problem. Killing them is usually done with a miteaside ,natrasoap may help, rogor and confider also. there resilant little buggers and like dry conditions usally wet conditions you wont see them much.

could also be the plant has dried out over summer etc and just showing signs now, junipers will do that. is it getting good light or stuck under a balcony, good air flow?

anything brown is done for and the rest of the plant maybe a goner. once junipers head done that path its hard to bring them back.