Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I have a juniper that has been doing well outside for the past 8 months, but now it has developed a few yellowing areas on it's branches. I have had to repot it several times within the past few months for a variety of reasons and I had just done so a few days ago because I noticed how many small sprouts coming up from dormant seeds in the soil I used to plant it with from the yard. The tree seems to be doing ok as of now.

Although I read that newly potted junipers should be left in shade for a few months to help the roots grow, I'm leaving it in full sun to help it's foliage recover. What is the best thing to do for it at this point?

ANSWER: Hi Theo,

Did you ever root prune during the repotting process or did you simply change pots. If you root pruned, your tree could be a little stressed. I would recommend part sun / part shade. And do not fertilize your bonsai for a few weeks. You never want to fertilize a stressed tree.

Have you also tried posting your questions on bonsai related forums like http://www.Learning2Bonsai.com?

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QUESTION: Thanks for your reply!

I often use learning2bonsai.com, but I normally have to wait at least a week for a response. So I thought I would try using this website since I already use it for questions on other topics.

When I repoted it the second time around (I had to repot the juniper 3 times within 3 months because it got knocked over twice and after the third time had too many small sprouts from the new soil) I loosened the root ball and pruned the roots. 2 weeks after it was knocked over the second time, since I had already pruned the roots earlier I just spread them out, used soil from my yard and made sure it was all well incorporated into the roots. The pot itself is larger than the tree and there is a lot of room for the roots to grow. I took soil from a shaded area with no plants around it. The soil has a slightly clay-like consistency and some tiny pebbles in it. It was the same type of soil I used when I first got the juniper last fall from a garden center and it seemed to thrive in it until it was knocked over(the first time) in a big storm in early March. I don't have the money to get special bonsai products, so I just use what's lying around the house, but I am very careful.

The plant is in a spot where it will get partial sun as the shadows move during the day. However, my porch can get quite windy and the past few days seem to be some cold spell. I'm hoping some cool NY wind won't weaken the tree.

The tree is for the most part a healthy green and I can see some buds. Although the discoloration has stopped spreading, it's still a problem. There seems to be less and less foliage compared to before which is something I'm worried about. Would it be safe to place it inside next to a screen window?

How should I take care of the watering?

Answer
Hello,

No. You should leave the Juniper outdoors. It will not thrive indoors. Based on everything you have mentioned, it should be fine. As long as it get plenty of light and water, the yellowish dead area will eventually be replaced with healthy needles.

thank you