Depending on their stage of life juniper might show two distinctive types of foliage. The foliage on a mature juniper looks somewhat scaly, whereas the juvenile juniper tree will display more needle-like foliage. Foliage will range in color from blue-greens to light-greens, on occasion showing silver or gold hues.
A very popular variety of Juniper among bonsai enthusiasts is the Chinese Juniper. Another popular variety of juniper for bonsai is the Needle Juniper. As you might guess, the Needle Juniper has very sharp needles,
How to Water Your Juniper
Unlike some other types of bonsai trees Junipers actually like to dry out between waterings. examine the soil everyday to determine when it is time to water your juniper tree. Your bonsai needs water when the soil looks and feels dry on the surface. Stick your finger about a half of an inch to an inch into the soil. Give your bonsai tree a good watering if the soil feels dry. Don't ever let your juniper bonsai dry out completely or you will cause it harm. An simple and efficient way to water your juniper bonsai is to lower it into a sink of water almost up to the rim and allowing the soil to become saturated. After watering using this method you want to make certain that you allow it to drain completely because junipers are vulnerable to root rot if the roots sit in water. Sometimes it isn't possible or convenient to water your tree using this method so you can just water them from the top, wait a few minutes, and then water it again. You may need to do this a few times until the soil has been thoroughly soaked. During a correct watering cycle the soil will be completely saturated and then will be allowed to become somewhat dry before the next saturating watering.
A frequent spraying of your juniper bonsai's foliage will help keep them free of dust and help them to breathe. This is particularly important for trees that have lately been repotted. This is done to keep the plant from becoming dehydrated until the roots have recovered enough to furnish water to the tree. Spraying your juniper on hot summer days will lessen the amount of water loss through transpiration too.
The Proper Amount of Sunlight
Outdoors are where most Juniper bonsai trees are typically grown. A juniper bonsai tree will tolerate full sun, but the ideal circumstance would be to allow it to get low intensity morning sunlight with afternoon shade. Filtered or shaded sunlight would be the next best thing for your juniper bonsai if the ideal morning sun/afternoon shade is not possible.
Humidity
Humidity is a beneficial environmental condition for nearly all trees. You can use a humidity tray beneath your potted juniper bonsai to maintain a higher level of humidity. Be sure not to let your bonsai pot sit in the water. After you've given your bonsai a good watering from the top the tray can also serve as a collection area for excess water. Again, a good spraying should be done in between watering.
Fertilizing
You should fertilize your juniper bonsai tree approximately every three weeks with a high nitrogen fertilizer in the spring, shift to a balanced fertilizer in the summer, a lower nitrogen mix in the fall, and then no fertilizing during the winter. You don't want to damage your juniper's roots when fertilizing with chemical fertilizers so dilute the mixture to half-strength.
Japanese bonsai gardening is a hobby that is fascinating, affordable, and easy to get involved in. Bonsai can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and can last a lifetime. Click this link to learn more about growing your very own juniper bonsai tree, and sign up for your FREE 7-part introductory mini-course on how to grow miniature bonsai trees. Or, to get started growing your own bonsai trees trees right away check out the highly regarded "how-to" bonsai book "Beautiful Bonsai Secrets".
