Juniper help

RogueFJ

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I think the Juniper on the right is dying. I can't understand why the little juniper on the left is doing so well and the other can't have the same bright green needles. Can anyone give me some suggestion how how to improve it's color?
 

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mcpesq817

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Unfortunately, junipers looking like that can usually be a very bad sign. Is the soil overly wet? Have you checked for spider mites?
 

greerhw

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Like Bill says, check for spider mites. I hate to tell you this, but junipers in that condition rarely survive, sorry.

Harry
 

mersino

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agree'd its prolly past the point of saving. unfotunately juni's dont seem to give much warning, by the time i usually discover somethings wrong its to late.
 

RogueFJ

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Thanks for the info. I don't see any spidermites on it and as far as watering, I don't think I over water. Hmm... I guess all I can do is wait and see what happens.
 

rockm

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As much as anyone can tell from a photo, the soil in the right hand plant looks very dense for juniper. The soil in the pot on the left looks to be better draining and gritter. Junipers don't really like wet feet.

If you're watering both trees the same, the one on the right has probably gotten too much, as it the pot is much larger (which holds a greater volume of soil that takes longer to dry) and the soil looks to be on the heavier side on the organic components (which makes it hold even more water).

Unfortunately, the tree is mostly likely dead. Once you get that "off" looking green and brown patches, the end has either already come, or is in the immediate future.

If the foliage crumbles when you touch it (even if it looks green) it's a goner.

When it goes, I'd pull the plant out of the soil and have a look at the root mass. I'd bet the interior is staying pretty wet.
 
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I can say, that sometimes the opposite can be true as well... If it has dried out... I would put it in the shade and mist the foilage at least once a day, more if possible!!!
Have you changed it location as far as sun, in the past couple of months???
 

RogueFJ

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Actually, the tree had been in connifer substrate right before I took the picture. I changed the soil because I thought perhaps it was not getting enough water. When I changed the soil, I noticed the roots were black and they did not appear to be expanding. Thank you all for your insight. :(
 
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when you changed the soil, did you notice it either being to wet, or to dry??? Also, do any root prunning??? The black roots are more than likely dead. What about the rest of the roots and were there alot of them??? Junipers without alot of roots usually don't do very well, if this was a collected tree that might explain alot of it...
Took another look at the pics, and see how there are a lot of fine roots around the trunk of the one on the left and not on the one on the right... I would put some spagnum moss on top of the soil around the trunk and keep it moist. This might help the finer roots around the trunk stay hydrated, and mist the foilage as mentioned. Keep out of the sun.
 

RogueFJ

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I noticed that it was moist. The roots were all black and didn't seem to be any growth. I had potted the tree early this spring from a pre bonsai plastic pot. I did some root prunning to it. Like you said perhaps that's what did it.


when you changed the soil, did you notice it either being to wet, or to dry??? Also, do any root prunning??? The black roots are more than likely dead. What about the rest of the roots and were there alot of them??? Junipers without alot of roots usually don't do very well, if this was a collected tree that might explain alot of it...
Took another look at the pics, and see how there are a lot of fine roots around the trunk of the one on the left and not on the one on the right... I would put some spagnum moss on top of the soil around the trunk and keep it moist. This might help the finer roots around the trunk stay hydrated, and mist the foilage as mentioned. Keep out of the sun.
 

Bill S

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Phomopsis juniperovora, just got an email this morning that this is making the rounds, look it up and see if your damage looks like what you find googling the disease.
 

jk_lewis

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Phomopsis juniperovora seems unlikely on a bonsai table, unless it is filled with junipers. The exception might be for a plant that came to the table directly from a nursery that grew junipers in mass.

The fungus is transmitted by splashes of water -- rain or watering -- so a previously infected plant would have to be quite close by. That's not to say that it couldn't be that; just that it seems unlikely.

This juniper was probably planted in a soil that retained too much water; hence the black roots. Did you smell them? The would have smelled rotten. I doubt that the root pruning was the primary cause.
 
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