Juniper tips are slowly turning brown

[BonsaiBonsai]

This juniper was repotted from a training pot in March. After this it struggled a little bit and lost a few minor branches but then recovered and started growing. Now on two branches that were fine I noticed that the scales are slowly turning brown. The brown tips are getting longer over the course of weeks. I did cut back the brown part about 5 weeks ago staying with my cuts in de dead part, just leaving a small brown tip. These branches have otherwise not been pruned this year bit I did wire them when a few weeks before repotting. The plant has no visible diseases and is in a sunny spot. It was on bio gold and now it has some 3-8-18 grains which slowly dissolve and is applied once in Autumn. What should I make of this browning?

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

What soil is your tree in? Overwatering or poor draining soil can be a reason that causes brown tips.

 

[BonsaiBonsai]

It's in an equal mix of akadama, pumice and lava rock.

 

[BonsaiBonsai]

What soil is your tree in? Overwatering or poor draining soil can be a reason that causes brown tips.

How often would you water it in the current weather? Since you are also in the Netherlands

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

At the moment not at all. I let the soil become dry before watering. Even some protection against long wetness in winter.
I also had browing tips before and that was because I was watering to much.
They need this cycle of dry and wet.
Soil mix is fine.
I see it is on a balcony. Junipers need as much sun as possible.

It could be a root problem. Or spidermites, but those I have not had in the Netherlands.

Grz

 

[defra]

Im also in the Netherlands !
Check the tree for spint (looks like small White dots on the scale foliage) .
Problem is that it could be something from weeks ago and just now showing ive head junipers stay green for months while the roots died off way earlyer.

i would rub the Brown off with your hands wearing latex gloves and keep an close eye on the tree to see if it continues to do this keep the soil moist but not wet soil mix should be fine.
On the picture it looks like its all on the same branch ?
That branch is wired check if its not growing in yet.
Keep us updated !

 

[BonsaiBonsai]

It is on a balcony. It gets sun from sunrise until 14:30. But no rain usually, so I guess I have to water it. But overwatering could be an issue, I tend to do that, since the owner also likes it's water .
This is what is looks like.


Still needs more work but it's a far-cry from how I bought it last year.

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

Nice to see it completely! Nice tree
I like what you made of it so far.
Hope it you manage to lose the browning.

Bonsai plaza tree?

 

[BonsaiBonsai]

Nice to see it completely! Nice tree
I like what you made of it so far.
Hope it you manage to lose the browning.

Bonsai plaza tree?

Indeed

 

[Myrki]

Any news on this one?

 

[BonsaiBonsai]

Actually yes. Went to Deshima with the tree in 2024. It was a fungal issue because it had spider mites. I tested it, but not good enough. The mites weakened the tree giving cause for a fungal problem. Treated it with 1/50 jin spray. It lost a lot of foliage but survived. In spring it started to grow again even on the most affected branches. But strangely enough this summer after a very hot period the whole tree started to turn yellow from the inside out. By then my trusted bonsai friend Teunis Jan from Desihma had passed away. The tree did not seem infested. I decided to do an emergency slip pot back into its plastic training pot and remove all wires. I had the impression that it did not grow a lot of roots. Maybe an air pocket, not sure. The tree started to recover but i lost two branches on the left side. It seems to be happy now.