Do I have to wire my baby Juniper bonsai?

[jamiecosta]

Hi! I was just recently gifted my first bonsai tree. It is a juniper tree and I know from books and forums I have read that most people wire their bonsai trees. I have a few questions about this but the first one being, is it really necessary to wire them? I would prefer not to as I am nervous that I will hurt the tree or kill it. Would this be detrimental to the tree if I were to let it grow naturally? If so, are there any videos or articles you might recommend on how to wire them properly, the correct type of wire and what tools I might need to ensure it's done properly? Thank you in advance!

 

[coltranem]

Please provide your location in your profile it will help others help you. The simple answer is you don't have to wire your bonsai. The other way of training a tree is by pruning. In practice both methods are used. The first thing you should work on is learning to care for it. Watering takes time to figure out. The seasonal needs are another. Where you live will govern how much winter protection is needed.

There is a free video series on craftsy by Colin Lewis that is good for wiring. Mauro Stemberger has a youtube video that is good too.

Look into local classes and clubs.

 

[jamiecosta]

Ok I will check them both out. I am based in Massachusetts. I read a couple of different things about watering them (using a spray bottle a couple of times a week, directly watering them, setting them in a pan to absorb the water). The only thing that each website had in common was that I need a humidity tray and I should water based on the dampness of the soil, not based on a weekly basis.

Looks like we are both Mass residents, what do you suggest for winter protection? I currently have all of my plants next to a large window on my desk. They get indirect sunlight from dawn until dusk. No direct sunlight. I read somewhere about also creating my own greenhouse effect with the plastic bag it was given to me in.

 

[coltranem]

Hello Neighbor.

I keep my junipers outside most of the year. They get moved into my bulkhead to protect from extreme cold in late November. I will be pulling them out at the end of this month. The bulkhead still gets below freezing but keeps them from getting below 20 F. As you can see a Juniper shouldn't be inside.

Check out Bonsai West in Littleton or New England Bonsai in Bellingham. Both offer classes for beginners.

 

[jamiecosta]

Ok I will post a photo later to confirm that it is a Juniper. It was gifted to me earlier today and based on what I've seen online, I'm pretty positive it is but that is the common reaction I have gotten - they need to be outside. I'll definitely look into those classes as well. Can it be grow inside if I want to keep it inside or will it die?

 

[jamiecosta]

I probably will end up moving it outside at the end of this month regardless unless I should wait since it's a baby and I don't know if it can handle the cold. Although it has been warmer thankfully

 

[WNC Bonsai]

It sounds like you have this plant indoors. If so be aware it will die. Get it outdoors as soon as you can. Did it come from a store or a nursery and where did they have it? How long have you had it indoors? What kind of soil is it in? Your best bet for developing this little tree is to plant it outside in the yard and let it grow there a few years. Then dig it up and style it. If it is a J procumbens they can be slow to thicken so plan for the long term. Photos would help.

 

[jamiecosta]

I got it a couple of hours ago, it has been in my house for less than two hours. It came from a nursery and it was inside on a top shelf in direct sunlight. Keep in mind it is 40 degrees in Massachusetts which is probably why it's indoors. I believe it's in cactus soil but I don't know. I'm not an expert in anything plant related but the soil looks the same as what I have my succulents and my bromeliads in. I don't live here long term, I rent so I don't want to plant it outside. I will post photos later this afternoon when I return home.

 

[coltranem]

At this point it is not dormant so below freezing temps will be bad. However given current weather you could put it in a sunny spot outside and bring inside at night. A cool spot inside would be best (unheated garage). Depending where you are in the state it might be able to be outside all day by the end of the month.

 

[jamiecosta]

I have a spot I can place it outside during the day when I leave for work and I'm normally home before sundown to bring it inside but I don't a cool spot inside to place it that isn't heated. I live on the Cape which sounds like it'll be the perfect climate with the humidity during the summer months.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

The critical part is getting it outside year round. These are hardy plants which need a winter dormant cycle and they will die if they don’t get it. Stores sell these to unsuspecting folks telling them they are indoor plants because they are greedy! If you are an apartment dweller then buy a fig or other tropical bonsai plant and keep them inside year round. The cape where you live is the same climate zone 7a as mine in the mountains of Wester North Carolina and my juniper and other bonsai stay outside year round.

It sounds like your soil is ok. Here is the main point, almost all trees get bigger trunks because the are grown in the ground where they can develop extensive root systems. When put into a small bonsai pot they will never really get much bigger. So if you are happy with the size of the trunk and way it looks now then that is fine. Commercial nurseries grow most of their plants in the ground then stick them in nursery pots to sell. Some they just move up to a large pot each year so they can grow more roots and get bigger.

 

[jamiecosta]

I can try it outside long term but I'm nervous how it will react during the cold/icy/snowy months. I don't want it to die. Posting pictures below to help identify. Can you confirm it's a juniper? I think I'm ok with it staying the same size. If anything, I'd move it up a pot size but I don't think I want it in the ground.

 

[jamiecosta]

it is also in a draining pot which i read is a good thing - here are the photos. it is not wired and has started to grow in a clockwise direction

 

[Mayank]

Looks like a Japanese garden juniper. Next year it would need to stay outside all winter (and all summer etc as well!). Don't know if it should be put out at this point though.

 

[jamiecosta]

Looks like a Japanese garden juniper. Next year it would need to stay outside all winter (and all summer etc as well!). Don't know if it should be put out at this point though.

I ordered a humidity tray and a spray bottle for the time it's still indoors. I was thinking end of March, beginning of April I would put it outside for the summer until November or so. But again, I don't know really anything about these plants so I'm very open to care suggestions.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Looks just like my J. procumbens which has spent the last 5 years outside in my yard. I put mine on the ground on the north side of a porch with leaves or mulch piled up to the first branches. These are rated to take temps down to zone 4 and even giving it a 2 zone margin for being in a pot it would only be at the equivalent of zone 6, which is one zone lower than yours. If you have a balcony, then I suggest putting it in a shallow wooden box and covering the soil and lower trunk with bark mulch chips from a local big box store. You could put a slab of foam insulation board under it. These tricks will insulate it and protect it from rapid temperature changes. If it is out of the rain and snow then dump a pint of water on it about once a month so the roots don’t dry out. The best way to test for when a bonsai needs watering is to leave a chopstick in the soil and pull it out occasionally to see how moist it is. It will basically be about the same moisture as the soil. Also be aware that junipers can take in a lot of water through foliage so misting it will help in summer months.

 

[Shibui]

Back to wiring.
We only wire our bonsai when we need to change the shape. Wire is not a part of bonsai, just a way to help bend branches to a new shape.
If you are happy with the shape just leave it alone. May need to trim occasionally to keep it neat bit first keep it alive.