Lighting question

[doooodickiebr]

Hello all! I just repotted 3 junipers and i hear conflicting advice. do i need to keep them in the shade for a while or do they go back to direct sunlight?

 

[Bill S]

Just about anything repotted should not go into full sun right away. Wind is not great for it either.

 

[jk_lewis]

Just about anything repotted should not go into full sun right away. Wind is not great for it either.

While I certainly agree about the wind, unless you are doing bonsai in the Arizona desert in the summer, I disagree about the sun. What a newly potted tree needs to do most is photosynthesize so they can grow new leaves and roots. They do that best in the sun. There's nothing in sunlight that is going to hurt a tree potted up in the spring.

I live down here in the mid south where the sun shines brightly. My newly potted trees -- ESPECIALLY junipers -- love it.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Agreed, plus the sun warms up the soil, and warmer soil = better root growth. After repotting, my trees go right back on the benches.

Avoiding sunlight after repotting is applicable if your d-trees have already leafed out (meaning you're repotting late or out of season). Trees that are repotted after leafing out don't usually have the root capacity to keep up with fully-functioning leaves' transpiration.

 

[jk_lewis]

Trees that are repotted after leafing out don't usually have the root capacity to keep up with fully-functioning leaves' transpiration.

Of course in that case you would de-leaf to whatever extent was necessary.

 

[rockm]

It would be greatly appreciated if the original poster would tell us where he lives (just the state). It's a very important piece of information--this question depends on a few things--freezing, winds, daytime temp and humidity.

Unfortunately, plunking a freshly repotted juniper out in the sun can kill it--especially if it is exposed to winds and drier air and the root work was drastic.

Also unfortunately, you will not know if you've got a problem with the tree until it's mostly dead--or completely dead. Junipers take a very long time to show stress.

If they were my junipers, I'd find somewhere that gets only morning sun for three or four hours and open shade for the rest of the day...

 

[Bill S]

Of course in that case you would de-leaf to whatever extent was necessary.

How many junipers have you de-leafed after a root pruning that lived???????

 

[jk_lewis]

Oh, Pfffft. He said "trees."

 

[Bill S]

Wanna borrow twenty bucks??

Yes he did say trees, it's what we mainly do here, what were you giving advise for ?? Helps if you understand the question before giving answers, that unfortunately many take as true, and go ahead and use on thier trees.

doooodickiebr - do as rockm suggested, few hours of morning sun with some wind protection, 2 to 4 weeks depending on the health of the tree. Once you see new growth, put those babies out in the sun, the more the better for junis.

"There's nothing in sunlight that is going to hurt a tree potted up in the spring. " Jeez glad that myth has been busted, good thing some one will go against all the conventional wisdom to prove it wrong. Can we see some results, and do you root prune when repotting??