New to Bonsia need help

[Nurse_Firefighter390]

Good evening. I acquired my bonsai as a Christmas gift, from what I have researched I have a Juniper bonsai (possibly a Procumbens) not really sure though. During the last two months my tree has taken a huge hit and has gone from good to poor. I thought I knew what I was doing by “pruning” limbs off, but ever since then limb after limb have slowly been drying out and needles and branches are dying off.
During the winter months I kept it inside with waters nightly, it was thriving. Once April hit I pruned it and placed it outside with continued nightly waters and this is where it went downhill.
I took the plant to the nursery where it was purchased. They stated that I was over watering and to only water when soil is nearly dry but not completely.

I guess I need help and guidance in what is next to come?
I have started watering every 2-3 days a week. Tree is staying outside 24/7. Do I need to repot (to late to do?) Do I use fertilizer (pellets vs. liquid).

Did I kill this tree?

 

[misfit11]

Yes, this is a Juniperus Procumbens 'nana' or Japanese Garden Juniper. You made a good decision to take it outside. It should live outside year round. These trees are mass produced for sale as bonsai and therefore they are placed in soil that will hold water for longer periods of time than are necessarily good for the tree's roots. Ideally, bonsai grow in very well draining soil to prevent root rot. A tiny pot is a less than ideal environment for a tree as you might imagine. If the roots are living in very damp conditions for long periods of time they will rot.

Right now isn't a great time of year to repot. Repotting is typically done in early Spring when new growth will be it's strongest. As the nursery instructed, I think you should water only as the soil begins to dry out. You can stick a wooden chopstick down in the soil to serve as a moisture gauge. If the stick is relatively moist when you take it out then you don't need to water.

As for fertilizer, you can maybe add some slow release fertilizer pellets to the surface of the soil. I would use them very sparingly at this point as the tree is stressed. As the tree begins to increase in vigor, you can begin to apply a reduced-strength liquid fertilizer on a bi-weekly basis.

Don't do any more pruning for probably at least another year. Learn to keep it alive and then you can try styling it.

Good luck!

 

[Paradox]

While its true it needs to be outside, in Ohio, you will need to provide it with some winter protection.
If you leave it out on your porch or in the yard where you have it in the summer, it will probably die.

You can bury the pot along the foundation of your house if its a pot that can handle that.
Some people take their trees out of the pots and bury the root systems along the foundation of the house.
Or you can keep it in an unheated garage as long as you make sure its watered and it doesnt get above 40 degrees during the winter.
Junipers need dormancy, which means below 40 degrees Farenheight during the winter months.

 

[Nurse_Firefighter390]

Yes, this is a Juniperus Procumbens 'nana' or Japanese Garden Juniper. You made a good decision to take it outside. It should live outside year round. These trees are mass produced for sale as bonsai and therefore they are placed in soil that will hold water for longer periods of time than are necessarily good for the tree's roots. Ideally, bonsai grow in very well draining soil to prevent root rot. A tiny pot is a less than ideal environment for a tree as you might imagine. If the roots are living in very damp conditions for long periods of time they will rot.

Right now isn't a great time of year to repot. Repotting is typically done in early Spring when new growth will be it's strongest. As the nursery instructed, I think you should water only as the soil begins to dry out. You can stick a wooden chopstick down in the soil to serve as a moisture gauge. If the stick is relatively moist when you take it out then you don't need to water.

As for fertilizer, you can maybe add some slow release fertilizer pellets to the surface of the soil. I would use them very sparingly at this point as the tree is stressed. As the tree begins to increase in vigor, you can begin to apply a reduced-strength liquid fertilizer on a bi-weekly basis.

Don't do any more pruning for probably at least another year. Learn to keep it alive and then you can try styling it.

Good luck!

Thank you for tour time to reply to my post!
No more pruning for me for awhile! I learned my lesson there! I do have two small sprouts coming up on the base of the trunk before it does the 90’ turn. When could I expect more growth?