Bonsai help!

I got this little guy from a roadside stand. I have had it about 6 months. We have watered lightly trying not to let him get too wet. I keep him on a window sill. His branches started drying out and turning a dull green and brown in some areas. I tried a little more water. No change. I noticed the trunk looked too wet. I set him in a different window for some morning sun. I took him from the pot and trimmed the roots, shook off much of the old soil and refreshed the pot and soil. He is still looking pretty dry. Not sure what I should do. This is my first bonsai. What might I try next or is it too late?

TIA!
Laura

I may be wrong, but I think Junipers are not for indoors. I would place him in light shade or filtered sun outside, keep the soil slightly moist at all times, and see what happens.
Anyone else in DG Land have one?

Junipers are definitely outdoor plants. Ulrich gave you good advise. Most plants sold as bonsai are outdoor plants that don't grow well indoors. The blooming ones can be taken indoors for a short time so you can enjoy the blooms.

I have loved bonsai for a long time and have had a number of them. I like the idea of training them from scratch. My husband built a lath house for my collection. The plants received 50% filtered sunlight. My favorite one was a cottoneaster I bought in a 1 gallon can. I pruned, shaped and repotted into smaller and smaller pots for almost 8 years. In spring, it produced small yellow flowers.

Most of my books on bonsai show bonsai overwintering out in the snow. Forgetting that snow acts like a blanket, I left my bonsai outside in San Jose, CA (zone 9a) one particularly long cold winter. I didn't have a greenhouse and just covering with plastic was not effective. Too many non- freezing cold days weakeded it and 1 night of freezing weather killed it and some other bonsai. In Corpus Christi, leaving it outside might not be much of a problem except for the few freezing nights and/or days. You could take it indoors for those periods. You probably shouldn't keep it indoors too long so it doesn't break dormancy.

If you are looking for an indoor bonsai, look for indoor plants that habe been trained into a bonsai. Logee's has some begonias that produce a swollen base as they age making it look like a bonsai.

BettyDee

They are so right, definitely get it outside and leave it, mine likes lots of water. This juniper is outside all winter in MD.

Sits near the fountain although it all looks different now with the island.

Thanks everyone for all the great tips! I moved it outside and we're keep our fingers crossed. I just love the way the bonsai look and my kids are enchanted by them.

Laura

I wish more vendors would tell their customers these plants are for outdoors only.

Good luck with your little tree.

If ya want a really nice house bonsai- try a lemon tree. They do really well where they can get good light and the shiny leaves are very pretty. Sometimes they even put off fruit.
Most citrus are fast growers and you can achieve a thick trunk in no time.

I grew a lemon from seed last year or the year before- it's already been heavily trimmed three times and has a trunk about 1 1/2 inches thick. This is with little to no care. They are amazing little trees. The branching is splendid too.

Don't forget to check your local nurseries for possible bonsai stock. Even try walmart and lowes gardens centers. It's cheaper than buying a potted bonsai most times.

Crimson, would love to see a pick of your lemon, how did you start the seed?

haighr,

Consider buying a dwarf 'Meyer' Lemon, one grafted onto a 'Flying Dragon' rootstock. I'm suggesting the 'Meyer' rather than the grocery store type, usually 'Eureka' or 'Lisbon' because the 'Meyer' is a smaller tree. Regular citurs trees can grow to 30 feet or more in heigth. While regular 'Meyer' lemons are smaller, they are capable of growing up to 15 - 20 feet. The dwarf variety, if untrimmed will grow to a heigth of 8 - 10 feet, but can be kept smaller by prunning. If you have to do an awful lot of prunning to keep your 'bonsai' short, you won't have a natural looking tree. A Calamondin orange is a compact grower and produces half-dollar sized fruit. Kumquats would be a good choice, too. In addition to being compact growers, the fruit they produce is also small so everything will be proportionately smaller.

I had a Calamondin orange and it croaked on me after one season. Where would one get a 'Meyer' grafted onto a 'Dragon'?
Thanks for your advice.

One of the problems with roadside stands is that the proprietor often doesn't know how to take care of the plant so it's already been mistreated when you buy it and may not recover. How far are you from Dallas? Dallas Bonsai has a website and from talking to the owner, I'd say he was quite knowledgeable. I now buy ONLY from Bonsai West (slao has a website but is within driving sdistance from my home) or I buy plants from a nursery that make suitable bonsai stock.. It's great fun, it's addictive and I guarantee you'll lose some along the way. Good Luck!

haighr,

When I lived in California, all 12 of my citrus trees came from Four Winds Growers, link enclosed. All the local nurseries sold their trees. Ask you nurseryman if he can order it for you. I think Dave Wilson Nursery also sells citrus on Flying Dragon.

BettyDee

http://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/

http://www.davewilson.com/

Thanks for the links betty!

I'll try and get a picture later today. It doesnt have leaves right now though, LOL.

I didnt actually start it from seed. My grandmother tossed a lemon out in the composte pile and it sprouted. I got it when it was very small and potted it up. It just grew and grew until I lopped it down- then it grew more, LOL. I'm kind of happy with the shape it took. Should be nice and bushy on top when it leafs out this year.

You can plant some lemon seeds in good soil and keep them warm and they should germinate. Don't know for sure if they will ever fruit though. My lemon gets alot of water when it's in a pot. If the soil starts to feel dry I soak it good.

I am about to begin my hand at Bonsai and have already spoken withe the owner of Dallas Bonsai. He spent close to an hour chatting with me about how to begin, suggesting finding stray seedlings locally as they will do the best in your specific area and give you a head start. He highly recommends starting from seed, with some "found" seedlings to give you that instant gratification. Plus, "finds" are less heartbreaking if they poop out. And, early season purchases from local nurseries will also not be so costly.

One seed and plant catalog listed junipers for sale as "Indoor bonsai". We ordered two but already planned to have them outside because I know better. My kids are very exciting about this new addition to our gardening obsession.

BassetMom (just joined today)

Welcome to DG basset!

Afraid I have no paitience for most seeds, LOL.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/381602

tig and I got into the juniper bonsai a while ago. I purchased one from a local nursery and trimmed it to the shape I wanted and it has been outside in a rather shallow pot ever since. Thought this might give you some ideas. The plants around here can be a bit expensive, but if you can pick up a couple for a little money at Lowes or some place, would be a fun project for your little ones. Just give them the snippers and let them at it!