Itoigawa help needed.

[Clicio]

I want to ask for help.
I have a juniper tree that has been behaving the same way for 2 years: it sprouts normally, starts to elongate and dries from the inside out.
Other than that, the tree is healthy.
In the pictures you can see two types of sprouting, scales and spiky (a sign of stress), but that's not what I'm talking about: the problem is the inner part of the shoots drying out as they lengthen.
I've been trying, but it seems I can't reverse this situation, and I am out of ideas about the reason for this to happen.
I'll post 2 pictures below, if anyone has any tips, I really appreciate it.
It's an Itoigawa.

 

[trigo]

has it been sprouting juvenile foliage for 2 years? We live in similar climates, my itoigawa was repoted last winter and sprout juvenile foliage only for a month or so. Maybe your soil is staying too wet?

I noticed that the juvenile foliage on mine dried too, but the rest of the normal scale foliage stayed green.

 

[Clicio]

has it been sprouting juvenile foliage for 2 years?

No.
The tree fell down from the bench last year and lost the whole apex. That's the main reason for its stress, I guess.
But it was already showing this drying out of the inside branchlets about 1 year before that.

 

[Clicio]

As for the soil being too wet, I don't think so.
It's a well draining mix, same as used with all my junipers - that are OK.

 

[trigo]

As for the soil being too wet, I don't think so.
It's a well draining mix, same as used with all my junipers - that are OK.

Maybe juvenile foliage have a shorter life span? Better wait for more experienced people to chime in.

 

[bwaynef]

It looks to me like the juvenile foliage is lignifying.

 

[leatherback]

How old are the parts that are drying out? It is normal for the scales/needles to drop off once the branch gets more mature. It is a bit odd to see such a small part of the branch to be still green though.

( I am assuming you do not prune these short at the growing tips).

 

[Shibui]

Older needles die off each year but this looks more than that.
Stress can cause trees to reduce green. Stress can be from pests (scales or mites), from dehydration, from too wet causing roots to die, repotting, etc.
My J. chinensis definitely do not like hot, dry weather and sometimes lose more inner needles as a result.
Without knowing more about recent conditions, etc it is hard to point in any particular direction but look for any possible stress factors that may impact the trees recently.

 

[Clicio]

How old are the parts that are drying out?

Old and new growth, that is puzzling me.

( I am assuming you do not prune these short at the growing tips).

No, I leave them alone.

 

[Clicio]

Older needles die off each year but this looks more than that.
My J. chinensis definitely do not like hot, dry weather and sometimes lose more inner needles as a result.

We had an unusual wet summer here. I mean very wet, heavy showers every day for 3 months in a row.
Other than that, all my other conifers are doing well.
I see your point, the tree is stressed, but why?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

In the plant kingdom it's a general rule that plants sacrifice their old foliage to feed new foliage if there is a nutrient deficiency; they recycle the nitrogen from old foliage to feed the new stuff.
But we feed our plants a lot so I'm not sure if that's likely to happen to a bonsai.

Maybe the plant is trying to get rid of something toxic, and that's why it might be cycling through foliage at a rapid pace; push the toxic stuff in the leaves and dump those. This is rare, but with high amounts of lead, aluminium or other metals this can happen. If your water supply is being mixed with rain water, the pH drops and some metals from the piping systems can release into the water. But a good government management would try to prevent that.

 

[Clicio]

The tree today.

 

[Clicio]

Maybe the plant is trying to get rid of something toxic.

That's a good hint. Possible.

If your water supply is being mixed with rain water.

It's well water, ph 7.0, medium-hard, but...
Our rain is more acidic, and there was A LOT of rain this summer.
Every day for 3 or 4 months.

 

[Japonicus]

I’m sorry for your issue Clicio. I have juniper in ground where my roses used to be and
the last time I checked the pH it was 4.6 to 5 so I have my doubts that’s the issue but
things are a little different in pots we know.
How long since repotted?
Mites like new tender foliage, and do not like wet so much.
How long have you had the juniper?
Perhaps, the soil in the crown is muck, and the soil that the feeder roots are in is fine.
Of course that’s just a stab at any possibilities, but I certainly would address roots and be using Mancozeb.
Any foliage you remove, use your shears rather than twisting or ripping in order to protect any
dormant buds that may sprout later as health returns over the next several years.
Assuming you‘ ve done your pest management, roots and or disease remain cause in my mind.

 

[Japonicus]

The reason I ask how long since repotted even though the soil looks to percolate ok
and even though other healthy junipers are in same soil I think?
Is to find out your visual on the crown. Was it compacted field or potting soil or
broken down organic bonsai soil. I see your crown is elevated but covered with moss.

 

[Clicio]

How long since repotted?

About 1 year, by the end of last winter. July, I guess.
But it was a quick repot, and I didn't touch the center of the rootball. Curious, you are the second bonsaist that ask about the crown.

Perhaps, the soil in the crown is muck, and the soil that the feeder roots are in is fine.

I'll check this possibility, thanks.

Of course that’s just a stab at any possibilities, but I certainly would address roots and be using Mancozeb.

Yes, it's about time to start with the fungicides again. Thanks.

 

[Japonicus]

About 1 year, by the end of last winter. July, I guess.
But it was a quick repot, and I didn't touch the center of the rootball.

It' a conundrum. Damned if you do/don't situation if that's the case.
One sure way to slow a conifer down is to repot it in consecutive years.
If the roots are the issue, and you do nothing, it can only get worse.
What are the soil components and ratios approximately?

Crown, when I address the crown on juniper, hinoki and the like, I make it concave
leaving some original soil, but working between the nebari some to begin
incorperating more inorganic drainage, but still very much in tact.
Next repot I level out the concave a bit, by addressing what surrounded the void.
1st potting I handle it more gingerly leaving more than during subsequent repots.
Some of my trees may never lose all the original soil in the crown.
It is the heart of the tree.

If you are sick and need bypass heart surgery because of all the muck in there
your surgeon will assess if you are currently strong enough to handle surgery.
Unfortunately you skipped addressing the heart last repot = conundrum.
What would @Brian Van Fleet do? @Clicio how many juniper have you had for 5 or more years?
(just trying to ascertain if this is a viable species of bonsai for your climate)

"The central parts of the Brazilian Highlands receive most of their precipitation during the summer months (November to April), often in the form of torrential downpours". Sounds like September is a good time to repot a normal healthy juniper in Brazil?

 

[Clicio]

If the roots are the issue, and you do nothing, it can only get worse.
What are the soil components and ratios approximately?

Japonicus, I have many conifers here.
JBP - several from seed - junipers, hinokis, etc. All doing well.
Soil mix is basically crushed brick, lava rock, pine bark. It works in my climate.
Of course I am not the only person doing bonsai in Brazil, some for more than 50 years, and junipers grow well in the southeast and south of the country.

Crown, when I address the crown on juniper, hinoki and the like, I make it concave
leaving some original soil, but working between the nebari some to begin
incorperating more inorganic drainage, but still very much in tact.

Sounds like a great technique, thank you.

"The central parts of the Brazilian Highlands receive most of their precipitation during the summer months (November to April), often in the form of torrential downpours". Sounds like September is a good time to repot a normal healthy juniper in Brazil?

End of July and August, I would say.
Our winters are quite short.