Sick/Dying Juniper

[MoGanic]

Hey all,

So I have this Juni which I'm quite sure is going to die soon. I have a couple others currently, so just to make sure I don't kill them too...

I'm not sure what happened, it had been in it's original pot for years and about two months or so ago I slip potted it into a new pot just to give it some room before spring. Following this I trimmed it back heavily (removing branches) and reducing the foliage.

My assumption is too much work too quick. Aside from that it has been in full sun and getting plenty of rain water (I watered it often though also).

Pics of the foliage as of today below, look like the die-back started at the base rather than the tips :S.. over watering maybe?

Cheers

-Mo

[Bebbas]

Hey MoGanic, hopefully it will hang in there. I think you just have to leave it alone and hope for the best.

I read on this site that new growth, fruit, and flowers suck the energy tank of the tree dry, and old growth/mature leaves replenish the tank.

Maybe some seasol every other day?

Good luck

[Andrew E]

Hi Moganic,
Doesn't look good. If it were mine i'd take it out of full sun for a bit to part shade, seasol and leave alone. Looks like you gave it a fair haircut. Take it bit by bit with Juni's. They can struggle to come back if too much of the foilage is removed in one go. Hope it survives for you.

Cheers
Andrew

[Olivecrazy]

Use to work in a bonsai nursery many yrs ago we potted an trained juniper procumbens all yr round even the hottest days to i just the monkey following orders. After care is very important all of them spent time in a very shelted spot in the shade out of full sun only lost the odd one here an there. Another thing dont over water only water as needed ( let the surface dry out a little ) an mist the leaves 2-3 times a day also helps a lot

[ozzy]

I've got some small junipers that look a lot worse than that, been looking sick for months but now that the spring weather has hit they are sending out new buds.

[GavinG]

I'm not sure about that twisted-on-itself wire - would seem easy to damage the growing layers with it if you've bent hard. What does the rest of the tree look like? Gently-gently with junipers.

Gavin

[MoGanic]

The rest of the tree is a slightly bent small shohin literatiesque style tree. The branches weren't bent all that much at all, and the wire, because it's doubled over itself, isn't as strong as wire of the same thickness and so didn't have the ability to bend them too much anyway.

I've placed it in part shade, although this tree may well have been dead a week ago and the foliage is joining the party (or lack thereof) now.

I'm hoping that it survives, but I've learnt not to over-water, not to place these in full sun after work and not to do both root and foliage reductions at the same time - especially if I have just completed a repot 2 weeks ago.

So all in all, a good lesson learnt and I thank you all for your input.

Regards,
-Mo