How closely do u look at your trees

[Saffa365]

Hi guys/ girls

I feel somewhat embarrassed to always be posting about issues but I guess a forum is the place for help and information from like minded people
So my question is how closely do you people look at your trees ?
I think I might have OCD regarding tree health and need a second opinion .
I've been looking at my Sabrina junipers and the tips don't seem right .
I purchased one from a guy online a few weeks ago and noticed slot of the tips were not looking great and the foliage was pale

I purchased another from kaizen bonsai and it is a lush green with lots of new growth

Am I looking to deep into the trees or could there be a issue

I really want to understand more about bonsai and don't want to be defeated

 

[Anthony]

You need to give yourself 3 to 5 years of constant tending to your trees to
get what is known as Health.
They need to be LUSH.

You will need to control the urges ------- over pinching , over or under fertilising,
over or under fertilising , soil mixes that work for you. watering preferably with a
watering can with a fine rose, wanting to repot, repotting by washing off all of the soil,
and so on.

Down here we suggest 300 victims, as folk have size able yard space.

Take cuttings and save the pocket.
Best of Growing.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[AZbonsai]

I am always looking at the trees. I am new at bonsai as well. Anthony is right you have to take the time to get to know your trees and the only way to do that is by observation. My caution would be against the knee jerk reaction to what you see. Research before reaction.

 

[thomas22]

Hi guys/ girls

I feel somewhat embarrassed to always be posting about issues but I guess a forum is the place for help and information from like minded people
So my question is how closely do you people look at your trees ?
I think I might have OCD regarding tree health and need a second opinion .
I've been looking at my Sabrina junipers and the tips don't seem right .
I purchased one from a guy online a few weeks ago and noticed slot of the tips were not looking great and the foliage was pale

I purchased another from kaizen bonsai and it is a lush green with lots of new growth

Am I looking to deep into the trees or could there be a issue

I really want to understand more about bonsai and don't want to be defeated

That Juniper looks like it was sheared a while back. That means it had all the growing tips cut or pinched off. If this is what happen then all you can do is wait for new strong growth to appear. If you sheared it then you need to learn correct pruning techniques. If the seller sheared it then he sucks and I wouldn't buy from him again.
When I was starting out I sheared the heck out of my junipers until I figured it out.

 

[Saffa365]

That was my thought , I didn't shear it , I do know better than that lol

 

[Saffa365]

The seller was a private individual , who recently repotted the tree (April apparently )

My concern was with the way the tips have been pruned , I'm sure the roots were compromised during repot

What a endless road of discovery

 

[Soldano666]

I actually have staring contests with them

 

[GrimLore]

The seller was a private individual , who recently repotted the tree (April apparently )

My concern was with the way the tips have been pruned , I'm sure the roots were compromised during repot

What a endless road of discovery

That was 6 months ago and still being alive is a good sign. They probably sheared the hell out of it because it had a lot of brown needles which was the result of a shitty job at repot and improper care. I would think it dried out by the pictures.
Don't do anything to it like treatments and keep it watered in as much sun as you can. It will most likely reward your efforts with a nice flush of new growth in the Spring.
Welcome!

Grimmy

 

[Saffa365]

Thanks guys ,
Watering is the big topic I guess , junipers don't like wet feet apparently ?

I know it's a impossible question to answer , currently I'm watering every 1-2 days as its fall here

My maple goes a bit longer as most of its foliage has fallen

I suppose all trees need time to adjust to a new home

 

[Bolero]

Hello Saffa...your watering seems OK maybe every 3rd day , test soil B4 watering...
Observation of every inch of your Bonsai is a good thing, tells you how healthy it is or isnt but don't panic if you don't see new growth every month, use Fertilizer once a month Early Spring thru November...I use Miracle Grow All Purpose, it will encourage Growth...Not too much Sun about 50-50 Sun/Shade if you can manage it.
The foliage in your pictures looks really good BTW...

 

[Saffa365]

Cheers Bolero

I guess time will tell , I do use the chopstic method for most trees , some you can just tell without it

It's always difficult when u buy a tree from a individual and you don't know the background or history

I'm sure after a full yearly cycle I'll have a better idea of how each tree behaves

 

[flyinmanatee]

I actually have staring contests with them

Who wins? Honestly now and not the win win win corporate.

 

[Adair M]

The danger when getting advice from the Internet is if the advice you get is accurate. Especially when the source is an anonymus user name.

Very little of the advice posted above my post is accurate.

That Juniper was not sheared. Believe me, I KNOW what a sheared Juniper looks like! See my thread “This is why you don’t pinch junipers”.

Your Juniper is fine. The tips with the little diamond shaped tips are where it flowered or made berries last spring.

It is good to carefully watch your trees. That’s how you learn how they grow!

 

[Dav4]

I'd agree with Adair... I see a combination of actively growing tips along with some flowers. The foliage is a tad sparse and doesn't have any strong runners (in the pics provided) but appears healthy otherwise except for one or two brown tips.

 

[JoeH]

I don't look at them to closely too often. I figure its the watched pot sort of thing. I do look at them from he perspective of it being an actual tree and make sure it looks good from a 1 inch tall person's view.

 

[Soldano666]

Who wins? Honestly now and not the win win win corporate.

Well it is a win win. The tree shows me what it has to offer and I apply that direction it wants to go. Sometimes it takes a whole season but thats the name of the game to build these little things from chopped stumps or the ever so lucky backbudding in just the right spot. Just watch and plan and watch and plan

 

[Bolero]

Adair said: Very little of the advice posted above my post is accurate.

So who made you a Bonsai Guru & Thread Sheriff...???

and would you care to be specific re the inaccurate advice...???

 

[Paradox]

I look at my trees very closely. As stated you need to look at them all the time to get to know them so you can recognize problems right away.

 

[thomas22]

I know what a sheared Juniper looks like also but I just didn't look at the pics close enough. @Adair M is correct. The good thing about getting bad advice on this forum is there is enough good people ready to call BS.

 

[Giga]

Every day i'm peeking under the skirt of my tree's.