Is my tree dead?

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good afternoon!

This is my first post on here so please bare with me. I have what I believe is a juniper bonsai tree. I got it last August as a present and don't know much about its age or origin.

I did some research and tried my best to follow a watering plan to help the tree grow and get the nutrients it needs. I read a lot of places to put the tree somewhere cool and dark during the cold winter months, so I kept it in my garage.

I took t out this weekend and noticed it was brown, yellow and not looking all that great. I did some more reading and today I repotted the plant with some better soil than came with it.

I was too new to the hobby last year to feel comfortable trimming, pruning or shaping the tree at all. I merely tried to keep it alive.

Is my tree dead/dying? Is it just coming to life since being the garage? I'd also like some advice on when or if I should be pruning or shaping the tree at all. Watering I don't think is an issue as it rains a decent amount and it doesn't appear to have a drainage issue.

Any and all advice to help my little tree back to its glory days are much appreciated.
 

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Alain

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Unfortunately to answer you question I think it's yes...
And it's most certainly already dead.
I just discovered the rule myself tonight: junipers let you know in spring when the are dead, while in fact they were certainly already dead all winter when they looked so alive...
That's kind of annoying.o_O

But as I said this is just my thinking, I may be wrong and some more knowledgeable Nuts will may be tell you that your tree is still alive. I hope so in fact.
 

sorce

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Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 

j evans

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Welcome and I'd like to say that it will recover but I am afraid that it has joined the big bnut garden in the sky. Next tree up!
 

Dorian Fourie

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Yeah, that dead. Chalk it up as a learning experience and try again.

I do not know of one person who has not killed a tree let alone numerous trees. I lost 6 trees one winter.
 

Nwaite

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I any of you wouldn't mind could you explain why you say it's dead?
 

Potawatomi13

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I any of you wouldn't mind could you explain why you say it's dead?

Suggest some are jumping the gun with negative diagnosis. Pot must have drainage. Does it? Put outdoors in partly sunny not too hot location and see if comes back for you. Until is all brown is still alive. Be patient. Rome not built in one day. Good fortune;).
 

Dav4

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good afternoon!

This is my first post on here so please bare with me. I have what I believe is a juniper bonsai tree. I got it last August as a present and don't know much about its age or origin.

I did some research and tried my best to follow a watering plan to help the tree grow and get the nutrients it needs. I read a lot of places to put the tree somewhere cool and dark during the cold winter months, so I kept it in my garage.

I took t out this weekend and noticed it was brown, yellow and not looking all that great. I did some more reading and today I repotted the plant with some better soil than came with it.

I was too new to the hobby last year to feel comfortable trimming, pruning or shaping the tree at all. I merely tried to keep it alive.

Is my tree dead/dying? Is it just coming to life since being the garage? I'd also like some advice on when or if I should be pruning or shaping the tree at all. Watering I don't think is an issue as it rains a decent amount and it doesn't appear to have a drainage issue.

Any and all advice to help my little tree back to its glory days are much appreciated.
Cool and dark is only good if the temperature is consistently below 40 F to maintain dormancy- I prefer the root ball stays frozen when kept inside a structure- and you can't let the root ball dry out if the soil isn't frozen. Fwiw, junipers are extremely cold hardy and will do just fine outside during the dormant period in most climates with very basic overwintering techniques. I wouldn't consider keeping a juniper inside a structure through the winter unless I was sure the tree would see temps routinely falling into the single digits and below zero F.
 

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
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Suggest some are jumping the gun with negative diagnosis. Pot must have drainage. Does it? Put outdoors in partly sunny not too hot location and see if comes back for you. Good fortune;).
Ummm....no one's jumping the gun here. A juniper looking like that coming out of a garage in spring???
 

GrimLore

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Is my tree dead/dying? Is it just coming to life since being the garage? I'd also like some advice on when or if I should be pruning or shaping the tree at all. Watering I don't think is an issue as it rains a decent amount and it doesn't appear to have a drainage issue.

Any and all advice to help my little tree back to its glory days are much appreciated.

Your location in your profile would help us help you! Welcome :) Your tree may have or is dying and my best guess it was allowed to dry out in the garage. They do fine outside in most climates but no telling where you are.
There is no saving the brown foliage and for now leave it on the plant. Place it in full sun and make sure it does not dry out or get soaking wet for any 24 hour period. There is a "chance it may throw new foliage. Do not fertilize, trim, repot, or do anything else. If it does live wait a full year for it to recover. When you take it out to full sun inspect it very closely for mites or similar tiny pests which "may" have made it their home over winter if it was kept damp - if so treat it and don't do anything else but water.

Grimmy
 

rockm

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good afternoon!

This is my first post on here so please bare with me. I have what I believe is a juniper bonsai tree. I got it last August as a present and don't know much about its age or origin.

I did some research and tried my best to follow a watering plan to help the tree grow and get the nutrients it needs. I read a lot of places to put the tree somewhere cool and dark during the cold winter months, so I kept it in my garage.

I took t out this weekend and noticed it was brown, yellow and not looking all that great. I did some more reading and today I repotted the plant with some better soil than came with it.

I was too new to the hobby last year to feel comfortable trimming, pruning or shaping the tree at all. I merely tried to keep it alive.

Is my tree dead/dying? Is it just coming to life since being the garage? I'd also like some advice on when or if I should be pruning or shaping the tree at all. Watering I don't think is an issue as it rains a decent amount and it doesn't appear to have a drainage issue.

Any and all advice to help my little tree back to its glory days are much appreciated.
You have definite drainage issues. The soil is basically mud. Definitely dead, crispy foliage and pale color. Junipers should be outside ALL YEAR long.

This tree has seen its glory days. Best to start over.

Newbies have issues with how to water. It's the hardest part of bonsai. Combined with the crummy soil most mass produced bonsai are planted in that retain far too much water, tendencies to overwater are compounded.

The withered, crispy foliage is a sign that the roots are not functioning probably because off root rot from to much moisture. That means the foliage isn't getting any moisture, and is drying out. Its basically the same result as underwatering.

I know all this is discouraging, but everyone has gone through it. If they say they haven't they're not telling the complete truth.

Best thing to do is keep moving ahead. Read everything you can get your hands on from reliable sources, like books. The Internet can be counterproductive in learning the basics.
 

YukiShiro

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Suggest some are jumping the gun with negative diagnosis. Pot must have drainage. Does it? Put outdoors in partly sunny not too hot location and see if comes back for you. Until is all brown is still alive. Be patient. Rome not built in one day. Good fortune;).

nope that juni is long gone...sometimes the foliage stays green, yet a very pale green. the test is when you touch the foliage is it crispy or not...if yes then it went to the big gig in the sky
 
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