Help!!! JBP Went Dormant After Candling in April 2025! AZ City/ Casa Grande Area (indoors)

[mshark1]

Help Needed!!!

2.5/3 yr Japanese Black Pine
Me: New to Bonsai~ Yr 2, 3rd Spring/ Summer. Garden Indoors, & usually Use “Humboldt Secret [20•20•20] (liquid 1 Tbl per gallon h20) and “Tree Trunk” (1/2 Tbl per gallon)

Issue: JBP went thru 2nd Candling This Yr 4/2025 and Then Thick Needles Went Brown..Stiff then Fell. I did MODEST De-Candling- 1st time! (as seen below) Trimmed Across style too = Medium Candles (1/8 to 1/4 trim max) but:

“Wondering/ Hoping/Praying” it Isn’t D.E.A.D.
Read Lots of Forums throughout but Would Love PHOENIX BONSAI growers Feedback.

Everything Great till Mid April?!

“PHX Bonsai Growers - Your My Only Hope!”
Brown pics were yesterday 6/11/25. Update: Humidity Dome applied 6/12/25

 

[Jrmcmich]

You kept tree indoor? Already looks dead to me. Seems like April pretty early to decandle as well but not sure your location b

 

[SeanS]

• Pines don’t belong indoors
• April seems way too early to be decandling
• Your sapling seems a bit young to be decandled (this isn’t a reason it might have died [see first point above] but wouldn’t be my choice of development technique to be used at this stage)

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

Sorry for your loss. I can relate. I've never kept a tree alive indoors; I marvel at the investment of time, space, effort, and money that allow a very select few people to be successful in such endeavors, even if only for one or two seasons.
Being in the desert, you may have to rethink the species you attempt to grow, at least until you are more proficient with keeping desert-suited species alive.
I've learned this the hard way, I'm not just spouting nonsense. We always have the opportunity to learn from mistakes, and sometimes we can learn from the mistakes of others, so that we don't make them in the first place.

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

If you only have space indoors, you may want to consider some tropical trees like some  Ficus species, Schefflera, possibly Brazilian Rain Tree. And dwarf jade, Portulacaria afra is native to the heat of South Africa, it has done well for me here in the Desert, now going into my second year growing in the ground all summer and transferring indoors in October.
Actually, there's a possibility that @SeanS might have some tips for this species, but I can't remember for sure.

 

[SeanS]

If you only have space indoors, you may want to consider some tropical trees like some  Ficus species, Schefflera, possibly Brazilian Rain Tree. And dwarf jade, Portulacaria afra is native to the heat of South Africa, it has done well for me here in the Desert, now going into my second year growing in the ground all summer and transferring indoors in October.
Actually, there's a possibility that @SeanS might have some tips for this species, but I can't remember for sure.

@Desert O'Piñon I unfortunately have zero bonsai experience with jades (Spekboom locally). We have a few in the landscape in my garden but none on my benches.

 

[JoesBonsai]

If you only have space indoors, you may want to consider some tropical trees like some  Ficus species, Schefflera, possibly Brazilian Rain Tree. And dwarf jade, Portulacaria afra is native to the heat of South Africa, it has done well for me here in the Desert, now going into my second year growing in the ground all summer and transferring indoors in October.
Actually, there's a possibility that @SeanS might have some tips for this species, but I can't remember for sure.

Yes, We have Jades growing in most of our Gardens , also we have the dwarf variety witch make stunning Bonsai ,however i don't recommend growing Jades indoors especially in summer they love full sun although in winter they need protection against heavy cold temps if they are in pots.

 

[Paradox]

It's dead.
Pines won't live inside

If you only have inside, get a ficus

 

[Charlo]

Those are some very long needles. That pot will hold too much water for a pine. You live in a very hot city, so I would recommend finding trees that grow well in your area (non-bonsai) then try those for bonsai outdoors. Or as another suggested get a tropical for indoors with some outdoor time.

 

[roberthu]

That tree is dead. I am not sure why you wanted to decandle a tree that young. And April is way too early for decandling too. In the future, before you pick us the shears, ask yourself this one question: what am I trying to achieve with the action I plan to take?

 

[NMbonsai]

This is all great advice from experienced members around the world. I agree that either ficus or portulicaria would be a better beginner tree than a black pine. If you want to grow indoors, there are very few species that you can successfully leave indoors year round. Both the ficus and portulicaria should should be moved outside as soon as your nighttime temperatures are reliably above 50°F. In Phoenix, I would guess that would probably be April? You definitely will need to shelter them from that intense midday sun, especially the ficus. As stated earlier, the best thing you can possibly do is to join your local bonsai club. The Phoenix club has been around for a while and has a great reputation for welcoming newcomers. They can guide you on the techniques and tricks they have learned to keep trees alive in such a challenging environment.

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

i don't recommend growing Jades indoors especially in summer they love full sun although in winter they need protection against heavy cold temps if they are in pots.

Yes, I should have definitely said this part. Even a ledge outside the window, on a balcony, or on a porch; wherever it can get full sun would be a good place for P. afra to thrive.