Got a Juniper Bonsai Anniversary Present From My Girlfriend

[Nanookadenord]

Today is our two year dating anniversary and so my girlfriend got me a cute little procumbens nana from Walmart as a present.

I know, I know, not a good place to get one from, but I am not going to take it back. It was a present and therefore I will keep it. Yes, it has the price tag on it, but I had saw it there before and she knows I know what it cost. Not too worried about that.

Anyway, suggestions other than bring it back? Any styling suggestions? Should I break apart the glued rocks? The pot does have a drainage hole at the bottom.

Here are some pictures (sorry about the glare on my computer monitor from the flash):

 

[Josiana]

Jupp, remove the rocks and moss, and then see how the soil is. If the soil is OK, put it outside and leave it alone until spring time.

 

[Nanookadenord]

Jupp, remove the rocks and moss, and then see how the soil is. If the soil is OK, put it outside and leave it alone until spring time.

Leave it alone other than watering? I'm in Central Florida so I don't know how much dormancy it goes through.

Let me flesh that out some.

I live in an apartment and my outside is a screened in balcony with a roof. The balcony gets morning sun and then it stays bright all day as the sun goes over our roof and behind us.

 

[bonsaichile]

It will die inside. Even in your balcony, conditions are infinitely better for bonsai than indoors. In the balcony, it will have a fighting chance...inside, none.
Congrats on your anniversary!

 

[Nanookadenord]

It will die inside. Even in your balcony, conditions are infinitely better for bonsai than indoors. In the balcony, it will have a fighting chance...inside, none.
Congrats on your anniversary!

The balcony is where I plan on keeping it for sure. I would not keep it inside.

Thank you!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Jupp, remove the rocks and moss, and then see how the soil is. If the soil is OK, put it outside and leave it alone until spring time.

This is the most critical step. The tree currently looks healthy, but it could already be in trouble if the soil is bad. What you want to see is an open, mostly inorganic mix, that you pour water on and it flows immediately through the soil and out the hole in the bottom of the pot. What you DON'T want to see is soil that looks like compacted potting soil, mostly organic, and if you pour water on it the water rolls off the top unless you sprinkle very slowly and give it time to "absorb" into the soil.

Once you know what kind of soil it is in, you can check back here for more directions.

 

[Nanookadenord]

This is the most critical step. The tree currently looks healthy, but it could already be in trouble if the soil is bad. What you want to see is an open, mostly inorganic mix, that you pour water on and it flows immediately through the soil and out the hole in the bottom of the pot. What you DON'T want to see is soil that looks like compacted potting soil, mostly organic, and if you pour water on it the water rolls off the top unless you sprinkle very slowly and give it time to "absorb" into the soil.

Once you know what kind of soil it is in, you can check back here for more directions.

Okay. I will work on it a little later or Tuesday. Have to go to my parent's house to take care of somethings as they are in Europe for a month on vacation and I will be taking my girlfriend out to dinner.

 

[Nemoose]

Winter haven florida here. Where are you?

 

[Nanookadenord]

Winter haven florida here. Where are you?

I'm in Lakeland. You have messaged me before.

 

[Nemoose]

I'm in Lakeland. You have messaged me before.

Ok. Forgetfull old man lol

 

[Nemoose]

The others are right. Remove the glued on gravel and moss and check the soil. Normal nursery soil will retain too much water and kill it. Use a approx 60/40 mix of fine gravel and bark. Aquarium gravel of NAPA oil dry part #8822 works well. Wal-mart carries repti bark reptile bedding which is perfect size and it comes in small bags. There is a lot of good information here about styling. Read up while it recovers from reporting. If it appears to be root bound you might want to do some mild pruning. I would suggest taking pics and asking before you do much of that

 

[Josiana]

Leave it alone other than watering? I'm in Central Florida so I don't know how much dormancy it goes through.

Let me flesh that out some.

I live in an apartment and my outside is a screened in balcony with a roof. The balcony gets morning sun and then it stays bright all day as the sun goes over our roof and behind us.

Well, there's a probability that you will need to repot with proper soil. You do not want to do too much, especially before the dormant period. All trees need a dormant period, so they do not use all their energy all year. Even if your zone does not overwinter the tree, it still needs some time to go dormant. It will start to do that as the days get shorter. Your growing season might start sooner though.

 

[JoeH]

And make sure that pot has drain holes if the soil is ok. Seems to be more than a few Polk county folks around here.

 

[defra]

The tag says grown in florida so should be ok?

The inorganic soil doesnt have to be a reason for repotting straight away... i read your balcony is roofed so no influence of rain that keeps the soil wet to long just adjust your watering so that the soil is moist and not wet all the time

 

[Silentrunning]

I had a few of these in my rock garden when I lived in Florida and they did great. They had full morning sun, afternoon shade and good drainage. Beautiful plants.