Just got a Juniper from my girlfriend. Is this too much sunlight?

[adam483t]

http://imgur.com/a/JVxdm

Here is my new Bonsai tree. I put a little snow on it since it was still a bit moist from when it was packaged.

Is this too much sunlight? It's in the middle of my deck on a table, and it's almost 10 AM here. Too harsh? If so, would putting it up against my house or in the patio work better?

She ordered from proplants.com, and it says it should be outside now, and not indoors.

 

[RichKid]

http://imgur.com/a/JVxdm

Here is my new Bonsai tree. I put a little snow on it since it was still a bit moist from when it was packaged.

Is this too much sunlight? It's in the middle of my deck on a table, and it's almost 10 AM here. Too harsh? If so, would putting it up against my house or in the patio work better?

She ordered from proplants.com, and it says it should be outside now, and not indoors.

I too recently just received a Juniper from my wife and had questions. Here are the answers. A) Give it as much light as possible. It wont hurt it. B)If it was outside where you bought it put it outside, but if its been inside keep it inside until spring in a bright location. Where are you located? You can put it in your profile so people can better let you know how to help and what advice to give. Good luck. Keep us updated!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Could you help us understand where you live? That would help a lot with advice.

The first thing you should be worried about is cold. You do NOT want the soil to freeze solid. I see a lot of snow in your photo, so I am concerned that it might be too cold for your juniper sitting exposed on an outdoor table.

In general, everything your girlfriend is saying is true. Junipers are outdoor trees, and should be kept outdoors all year. Sunlight can not be too bright (assuming the tree is not "shocked" and is gradually accustomed to the level of light). You can keep junipers outside in full sun in Arizona in the summer, so I have never heard of having to protect them from too much sunlight.

 

[adam483t]

Could you help us understand where you live? That would help a lot with advice.

The first thing you should be worried about is cold. You do NOT want the soil to freeze solid. I see a lot of snow in your photo, so I am concerned that it might be too cold for your juniper sitting exposed on an outdoor table.

In general, everything your girlfriend is saying is true. Junipers are outdoor trees, and should be kept outdoors all year. Sunlight can not be too bright (assuming the tree is not "shocked" and is gradually accustomed to the level of light). You can keep junipers outside in full sun in Arizona in the summer, so I have never heard of having to protect them from too much sunlight.

I live in South Eastern PA, Reading to be exact. 6 on the USDA hardiness zone. There's been a lot of snow lately, but I've seen pictures of trees that were covered in snow and were fine...

 

[Poink88]

I live in South Eastern PA, Reading to be exact. 6 on the USDA hardiness zone.

Welcome to B-Nut!!!

Better put this info in your profile. No one will remember this (or only a few) in a day or so. Personally, I will forget this in a few minutes.

 

[rockm]

"There's been a lot of snow lately, but I've seen pictures of trees that were covered in snow and were fine..."

This capabilty depends on the tree a) being a hardy enough species to withstand the cold an b) the tree's CURRENT ability to withstand the cold.

Junipers, as a species, a quite capable of handling a Zone 6 winter and having their roots frozen solid for months. This happens all the time in the wild.

However, that ability is the result of a months-long conditioning the tree naturally undergoes WHILE IT IS OUTSIDE.

IF this tree, like a lot of mass-produced bonsai--has been kept in a climate-controlled greenhouse, it may not have had the time to build up its reserves and abilities to withstand freezing temps.

In other words, you have to consider the tree's most recent source and act accordingly. If it were mine, I'd keep it inside until late April and then get it outside and LEAVE it outside for the rest of its life.

 

[adam483t]

"There's been a lot of snow lately, but I've seen pictures of trees that were covered in snow and were fine..."

This capabilty depends on the tree a) being a hardy enough species to withstand the cold an b) the tree's CURRENT ability to withstand the cold.

Junipers, as a species, a quite capable of handling a Zone 6 winter and having their roots frozen solid for months. This happens all the time in the wild.

However, that ability is the result of a months-long conditioning the tree naturally undergoes WHILE IT IS OUTSIDE.

IF this tree, like a lot of mass-produced bonsai--has been kept in a climate-controlled greenhouse, it may not have had the time to build up its reserves and abilities to withstand freezing temps.

In other words, you have to consider the tree's most recent source and act accordingly. If it were mine, I'd keep it inside until late April and then get it outside and LEAVE it outside for the rest of its life.

Will this make or break its life? It's inside now on a windowsill. I called the place twice, and they acted like I was talking an alien language. One said "our plants are grown fresh in our fields" and the other kinda said it was in a green house. I was confused as they were.

 

[Dav4]

Will this make or break its life? It's inside now on a windowsill. I called the place twice, and they acted like I was talking an alien language. One said "our plants are grown fresh in our fields" and the other kinda said it was in a green house. I was confused as they were.

Keep it inside until spring.

 

[rockm]

"Will this make or break its life"

If you plunk it outside and it drops below 32 or lower for more than a few hours, yeah, could be a big problem. Keep it inside for now.

 

[adam483t]

Keep it inside until spring.

Keeping it on the windowsill is fine then? My room gets a lot of afternoon sun shining in.

Also, since it's inside, water it every day as though it were spring/summer/fall?

 

[rockm]

"Also, since it's inside, water it every day as though it were spring/summer/fall?"

Water it when it needs it. That might mean every day (but that's unlikely), or once a week. Top inch of the soil should be dry...

 

[october]

You know what is upsetting.. The fact that it seems like these "mallsai" are getting even worse. At least years ago, there was some assemblance of shape, maybe not a bonsai style, but at least some pruning. It seems like now, they are not even pruned. Just ripped from the ground and put a pot.

Rob

 

[RichKid]

You know what is upsetting.. The fact that it seems like these "mallsai" are getting even worse. At least years ago, there was some assemblance of shape, maybe not a bonsai style, but at least some pruning. It seems like now, they are not even pruned.J ust ripped from the ground and put a pot.

Rob

Yeah, and they charge outrageous prices! I hate to tell my wife she made a bad purchase, cause it would seem ungrateful, but I could've taken that money to a nursery and bought a few pieces to work on and all would have been more mature and in better condition than what she bought from the mall vendor Well, what are you gonna do? She knows I love the hobby and has no clue about it...

 

[adam483t]

Yeah, and they charge outrageous prices! I hate to tell my wife she made a bad purchase, cause it would seem ungrateful, but I could've taken that money to a nursery and bought a few pieces to work on and all would have been more mature and in better condition than what she bought from the mall vendor Well, what are you gonna do? She knows I love the hobby and has no clue about it...

This is our first introduction to the hobby, so I appreciate the effort she gave. Later on we'll be laughing about it once we have more!

 

[RichKid]

This is our first introduction to the hobby, so I appreciate the effort she gave. Later on we'll be laughing about it once we have more!

That's how I've always viewed it. If she never gave me my first mallsai I wouldn't even know this hobby. And I figure anything extra she gives me is one more tree to learn from and it keeps me from and increase my collection.

 

[Bill S]

Keeping it on the windowsill is fine then? My room gets a lot of afternoon sun shining in.

Also, since it's inside, water it every day as though it were spring/summer/fall?

Yes you got it. But as someone said, as needed, check it daily though.