Juniper struggling for a year and a half

[MikeInFLA]

I got this juniper in August of '22. It was a hot fall so I left it in the pot through the next year. It seemed ok but had browned a bit here and there.

In June of '23 the browning was increasing and after sending a few pics here and there I was told it could be spider mites, it could be this, it could be that, so I decided to cut it back figuring I was going to lose the plant anyway. Here's before the June '23 cut.





After the cut, it looked like this.



Now, fast forward to today, here's what I've got.







The plant is outside and gets a fair amount of sun. It appears to me it really needs repotted as it's been in this pot for two years and when I water it flows right out of the drainage holes. I'm in South Florida so currently highs are in the 70's and lows are in the 60's. Soon our lows will be 80's and it'll be hot.

Am I wasting my time? I thought it was a goner a year and a half ago and it's still putting out new growth. I realize I cut it back too hard last year but as I said, I assumed it was dying anyway. After reading lots of juniper threads here I now realize how important the foliage is.

Also, there is what appears to be a ball of roots at the base. It feels like it would take a chainsaw to cut it. When repotting (or if) should this be addressed or just kept intact?

I've come to terms with the tree not making it as I'm new to juniper but I will do what's necessary if there's a chance.

 

[Jester217300]

Looks like it became root bound in a 4" pot and was only slip potted into a larger container. This is a common practice for the nursery trade. I would repot it this spring and I would address the root bound portion of the root ball. Uneven watering (saturation on the outside but not the inside) is likely the reason for the decline of the tree. I would take care to untangle the compacted mass, put it in good soil, into a pot 1/2" larger than the root mass, and not reduce the root mass by much if you can manage it.

 

[MikeInFLA]

Thanks for the help. Sounds like a good approach. Do you think I should wait until spring? It's burning hot around here and I've been told by local bonsai folk they only repot in fall and winter.

 

[Dav4]

Thanks for the help. Sounds like a good approach. Do you think I should wait until spring? It's burning hot around here and I've been told by local bonsai folk they only repot in fall and winter.

In S FL, I'm thinking a re-pot now makes sense.

 

[MikeInFLA]

Thanks for the help. Will update.

 

[PonderingSage:]

If you don’t know what to do or are waiting for inspiration , you could bend it up and put it in the ground for a few years

 

[bwaynef]

I think this tree's return to health starts with a repot. Once it begins putting on growth after the repot, it also needs to be cleaned of weak foliage. Put wire on it and start developing pads. This will make it easier to see what needs to be cleaned/removed. Then, remove foliage w/ poor color, foliage growing downward, and foliage w/in ½-3/4" of a crotch.

Attached are a few images. The first depicts how to form branches and pads on a juniper. The second and third depicts how to organize branches. The picture shows a pine but the principle applies.The last two show various angles of a branch that's been cleaned as well as how to form a branch once its been cleaned.

 

[MikeInFLA]

This is very helpful. Thank you. I'm going to repot today. Any recommendations on soil? I could go back into potting mix, perlite, etc. or I could go ahead and make the move to bonsai soil.

I'll continue to update this thread and hopefully we can revisit once the new growth begins. Great info.

 

[bwaynef]

I would half-bareroot repot it into lava, akadama, and pumice in equal parts.

 

[MikeInFLA]

Right on. Thanks.

 

[MikeInFLA]

I didn't have to trim much in the way of roots. The pic looks fuller than it was as it was hollow in the middle. I was able to get most of the tight, root-bound portion of the roots pulled loose but there was a small spot where I couldn't quite tell what was bound up and what was big root so I moved on to avoid damage. Overall it appears much better and I hope it helps.