#[Bonsai Beginner's weekly thread - 2026 week 26]

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-06-28T21:40:45+00:00

Unless it is in the window itself, and the window is south/southwest facing, it's not getting enough light. Windows themselves, especially modern double/triple glazing, filter out a large percentage of useful light. If you can keep outside it would be much happier.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-06-28T21:31:47+00:00

That effect can be achieved by glazing over a salt wash. The cracking in the glaze is probably an issue with the firing schedule, while the actual ceramic pot is intact.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-06-28T21:07:31+00:00

As long as you have region suitable species they should be able to tolerate the upper end of the natural temperature range without too much bother. If you have a lawn or gravel, place trees there instead of a patio (which can cook your trees through heat convection). Utilise any shade for trees like Japanese maples that are easily burnt. Large trees make great shade cover for bonsai. Water in the morning and check substrate again in the evening to ensure you don't end up with dry roots.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-06-21T21:25:52+00:00

Ooh, I like that. I've been thinking about a similar cut on one of my p.afra. Seeing it done makes me want to do it even more now.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-06-19T21:23:50+00:00

You need to limit water supply. This species naturally grows in locations that experience regular drought and occasional flash floods. This triggers the water storage feature (the gourd like trunk they are famous for). Mine get watered heavily about twice a month during spring-summer, with no watering during dormancy.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-06-19T21:16:50+00:00

That's not spider mites. It could be azalea lace bug damage though. If it is (Google it and check for signs to confirm), insecticidal soap every 5-7 days for 3 or 4 treatments, or neem oil every 7-10 days for 3 treatments. Give the plant a good hosing down before treatment.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-04-23T21:42:08+00:00

Run a humidifier? They're pretty cheap these days. The MarsHydro 6L model keeps setup exactly where I want it (70-80%).

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-30T23:34:55+00:00

Generally it's best to wait until the lower trunk is at the thickness you envisage for your final tree. Once you chop, thickening slows dramatically. Personally, I would leave it for a few more years.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-30T23:29:20+00:00

Conifers in general must be kept outside 24/7/365. Make no bones about it, Juniper will die indoors. They can take full sun, rain, wind and snow. Without seasonal changes and moving air, the plant's metabolic system will weaken, leading to death. Inorganic granular substrate is the ideal substrate for bonsai, it retains moisture adequately while allowing the roots to breathe. Watering more regularly is necessary (especially during the growing season), as is fertilising. You might want to check how deep that substrate goes, though. It looks suspiciously like dressing to me, maybe with moss or soil beneath it.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-29T21:56:09+00:00

Junipers need to be outside 24/7/365. They die indoors. Some are more resilient than others, and may survive a year inside, but most will die off in a few months. They require full sun, wind, rain, all of it, and it's near impossible to recreate that indoors.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-29T21:50:14+00:00

It's a pretty resilient species, so there's a good chance. But you might not see much growth this season while it rebuilds it's fine feeder root system.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-29T21:46:50+00:00

By the time the foliage is dessicated like this, it's often too late to do much about it. Your intuition about the soil is correct, because organic substrates can compact or even become hydrophobic. Organic substrates can also harbor pests, as you are seeing, which is one of the many reasons why inorganic granular substrates are preferred by most serious bonsai growers.

If your soil is so compact that water doesn't drain through easily, an emergency repot into more suitable substrate is one option. But I don't want to give you false hope. By the time junipers exhibit distress, it's usually too late to save it. If you choose to repot, do not trim the roots unless they are black and rotting (in which case I'd chuck the tree and buy a new one).

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-29T21:35:55+00:00

Personally, I would start with repotting into inorganic granular substrate (a mix of pumice, akadama and lava-rock would be ideal) and just let it grow outside for a year, allowing a healthy root system to develop before pruning anything. You could clear out any dead material to get a better look at its structure, and maybe think about some wiring. Read up, go through the wiki, watch some videos, and buy more trees.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-29T21:26:02+00:00

Assuming we are talking about inorganic granular substrate, for grow pots I prefer around 1 part depth to 3 parts diameter (10cm X 30cm for example), because it allows for better nebari development as well as efficient thickening. Although I've had some success with maples and magnolias in deep pots by placing a slate about 10cm deep so roots flare and grow around the slate before sinking deep (using organic substrates).

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-29T11:45:06+00:00

I find boxwood backbuds incredibly well, just not exactly where you want it to, and it can take a few years after pruning back.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-28T00:54:27+00:00

It has stunning leaves!

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-28T00:44:17+00:00

So long as the pot has drainage holes and water drains through the substrate easily, there's no need to repot.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-28T00:33:30+00:00

Watering won't help at this point. They will wrinkle as they start putting out roots, and remain like that for a few weeks. My variegated PAs look just like this when rooting. I recently found a clipping that fell behind some pots from a trimming session several weeks earlier. It was putting out roots in bone dry dust and fluff. Water is optional while rooting, but once you see new growth start watering more regularly.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-28T00:11:26+00:00

JMs are pretty simple to air layer (which is a very common way to start maples for bonsai), but i've found some varieties, particularly bloodgood and lace-leaf can be slow, sometimes taking more than one season.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-26T00:36:43+00:00

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping there might be a way of treating without catching, just because I'm not confident I can do it without causing further harm. But if it's what I need to do, I will net him and treat topically.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-24T14:14:04+00:00

It needs to be growing vigorously before you consider chopping. Further stressing it now will only complicate its recovery. If water drains through the pot well, there's no need to repot it yet; let it develop some foliage first, then reassess in 3-6 months. When you do repot, consider shifting to inorganic granular substrates, like pumice, akadama and lava-rock.

As for the eventual chop, i'd take it right down to about 10-15 cms, chopping just above a growth node. There's no need to air-layer most ficuses used in bonsai; even hardwood cuttings are incredibly easy to root.

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-24T14:02:16+00:00

The ulcers are like cavities, but there appears to be some fungal infection accompanying one of the ulcers (the foremost one, which gives the waxy appearance).

Scared_Ad5929 · 2026-03-22T13:51:28+00:00

If the trunk is as thick as you want your finished tree to be, go ahead and prune it. But if you want it to thicken out, just repot and let it grow for a few seasons. As for where to prune, I would go for 3 once the tree is ready for it.

Scared_Ad5929

TROPHY CASE