51cg

Hi guys!?

im super new to bonsai and Im trying to see if my juniper is still alive, any help would be greatly appreciated I took a photo, let me know your thoughts

Do you place it indoors? If so, PLEASE read the Tree species guide on our site first and then ask your questions?

Hi Oscar,?

thanks so much for the reply, and I promise I did see your care guide. Since I live in a condo and do not have much place to put anything outside I keep it close to my window in my room, I have grow lights, and most and water using the chopstick method.?

My gardener had told me it’s ok to keep these junipers indoor as they have not felt outside dormancy or cold, she said to just not fertilize during winter.?

let me know your thoughts?

It needs real sunlight and winter cold.

You might put it in a refrigerator for 2-4 months but grow lights are not a substitute for full spectrum sunlight.

Your "gardener" may not be very well knowledged about juniper biology.

Indoors, in livingroom conditions, it will die and there are no way around it.?

Ya that’s fair I appreciate the honesty. Just kinda sad I cannot revive it somehow, it looks too dead, I will try with a jade and ficus they say these can be kept indoors so we shall see since I pretty much have no outdoor environment?

Bonsaiis an outdoor hobby. It has been practiced in asia for hundreds of years outdoors. I have never been to any show or club meeting where I have met someone growing trees indoors. There is a very good reason for that. No tree in the whole world lives naturally indoors. In bonsai we strive for perfect health and tight internodes. That cannot happen to any tree indoors.

If you do not have an outdoor area, bonsai is not the right hobby for you???

I have some tropical trees that stay outside most of the year.? Right now it is 94F/35C out there and they are flourishing.? Long about November they will come indoors until March,? with grow lights. When that happens they will start to drop leaves and look unhappy. The window seat where they sit will be covered in dead leaves and no more will grow until the go outside. There is sunlight coming in the window and grow lights.

You might try a Meyer lime. It does not drop leaves badly and actually grows a little inside.

That’s fair I’m using grow lights indoor, checking humidity and watering as efficient as possible, I have a spot to keep it dormant in winter. I transitioned into the green island ficus, Hawaiian umbrella, dwarf jade and juniper trying to keep it outdoor when I can but mostly indoor for now ?

Please tell me how you solve dormancy for a juniper in a condo. Condo means one room, right?