How to Grow an Amazing Juniper Bonsai Tree – Part II
bonsai trees
Previously in Part I we discussed the best way to properly water, fertilize, and give your bonsai plant ample measures of sunlight and humidity. In the following paragraphs we are going to talk about some additional, crucial juniper bonsai care recommendations covering subject areas such as re-potting your juniper bonsai, the best time to prune your juniper, getting rid of unwanted pests, and taking good care of your juniper during the winter.
About Pruning Your Juniper Bonsai
New growth will usually show up on the tips of your juniper bonsai tree branches in the springtime, and occasionally you will see more new growth in the autumn. In the course of these cycles of new growth you will want to nip off these new buds to prevent the branches from developing fast growing shoots and causing your tree to look slightly untamed. You should not start pinching the buds until around four weeks after new growth very first appears in late spring. Older more mature foliage must also be got rid off in the spring which will help reduce the amount of inner growth, and permit the sun’s rays to pass through without difficulty and much more air to circulate. The juniper bonsai will carry on growing through the summer months, producing new buds. Keep pinching these off in order to keep the shoots from growing which will make the tree appear untidy.
Pinching off new growth isn’t going to harm the plant. This is most likely the procedure that you’ll make use of more than any other to miniaturize your juniper for bonsai and to shape it into the style you have picked for it.
Repotting Your Juniper Bonsai
Junipers plants need to be repotted about every two years when they’re juveniles (fewer than five or six years of age) and after that only every three to five years once they reach maturity. A free-draining soil mixture should be used. The spring as well as the fall are the very best times of year to re-pot your juniper bonsai. Junipers are vulnerable to root rot. If you see root rot when you are re-potting, you should cut away all of the affected roots after which you can re-pot working with only sphagnum moss. Ensure that it stays in the moss for a full year or so to give the roots time to recover. Sphagnum moss is bacteria and decay resilient and also is really water absorbent. Right after repotting your juniper be certain to water it completely and then keep the plant in a shady place until the roots have recovered.
What You Need to Know About Pruning Your Juniper’s Roots
You can actually re-pot your juniper plant in either the spring or the fall. And when you do you ought to look to see if the plant is starting to become root-bound. After you have removed the tree from it’s container, with care remove some of the soil from the rootball. Cut away around one-third of the plant’s roots. Return the plant to it’s pot, putting it in a mixture of 3-parts planting medium with 1 part sand to replace the lost soil. Your juniper might be in a little bit of shock right after having it’s roots pruned and being re-potted. To help it recover faster you can include just a little transplant shock supplement to the water can and water completely. Keep the foliage moist by spraying 2-3 times per day for 2 weeks.
Pest Control
Should you be growing your juniper bonsai inside you’ve got to be particularly aware and on the lookout for spider mites. They could cause real damage to your juniper. Incorporate a regularly planned once a month spraying of your junipers using an insecticide designed for household plants. Indoors or out, make sure to spray all your other nearby plants which could also have the spider mites.
Winter Care for Your Juniper Bonsai
To maintain good health, your juniper bonsai tree really should be kept in a cool (under 60 degrees F) throughout the winter months for them to experience a dormancy or rest period. If you keep your juniper outdoors ensure that you safeguard it from harsh drying winds.
Your juniper bonsai tree does best when it has a “Winter” to complete it’s natural cycle. Place it in a cold space in the winter, the chillier the better. A freeze followed by a sudden and quick rise in temperature will damage your bonsai. Which means you would be doing your plant much more harm than good by bringing it inside soon after it’s been subjected to freezing temps. The freeze itself is not going to lead to harm to your juniper. If the temperature remains below 50F in the winter your juniper bonsai will only require indirect light. If the temps remain below 50F degrees during the winter then the plant isn’t going to require much water.
If you can’t simulate winter with a cold room or basement or shed, then try, at least, to keep your bonsai plant away from getting direct sunlight. Whenever your bonsai is kept inside your home at room temperature, make sure you humidify it by misting it maybe once or twice per day.
Japanese bonsai gardening is a hobby that is fascinating, affordable, and easy to get involved in. Bonsai can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and can last a lifetime. Click this link to learn more about growing your very own juniper bonsai tree: Juniper Bonsai Tree, and sign up for your FREE 7-part introductory mini-course on how to grow miniature bonsai trees. Or, to get started growing your own bonsai trees trees right away check out the highly regarded “how-to” bonsai book “Beautiful Bonsai Secrets” at the website.