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I just got my bonsai a few weeks ago. I’m having trouble clearly identifying what kind it is although I think it is a juniper.

My bonsai is kept outside in direct sun for 4 hours if not more, I’ve been watering when the soil gets dry. I’ve only had it for a week. It is still in the pot and soil I got it in.

I’ve done some research trying to answer my own questions but it hasn’t really answered most of them. So here they are.


Firstly, what kind of bonsai is this specifically?

Should I be misting the foliage with water as well?

My roots are not very sturdy the tree does wiggle a bit, how do I fix this ?

Is this bonsai too small to wire ?

Should I let it go wild for a while before I wire, clean and prune ? If so, how long should I wait ?

Since I just got this bonsai how do I know that this pot is big enough for it right now ?

Should I be repotting and getting better soil ?

Sorry for all the questions at once but this is the easiest way I can see to get my answers! Go easy on me because I really have no idea what I’m doing yet and I would like for my first bonsai to survive !

So, let me try to leap in.

Firstly, what kind of bonsai is this specifically? :huh: Not sure, looks like a conifer.

Should I be misting the foliage with water as well? Generally, I would say yes to this. I don't think its mandatory but misting does agree with most trees.

My roots are not very sturdy the tree does wiggle a bit, how do I fix this ? This is most likely due to the tree not being firmly potted. You can fix this by repotting.

Is this bonsai too small to wire ? No bonsai is too small to wire. Your question should be "is this tree too young to wire?" and the answer to that would be no, it is not too young to wire.

Should I let it go wild for a while before I wire, clean and prune? If so, how long should I wait? Considering you just got this tree and are unsure the treatment it received before you got it, I would give it a year before shaping/wiring, so that you don't overstress it and kill the tree. Especially considering the summer is winding down and the cold months be a'coming. Everything has its proper season, including repotting. Which is another reason I'd hold off on wiring if you need to repot it because it is not sturdy thats an additional hurt to the tree and you want to ensure you do not overstress it. Or it will die.

Since I just got this bonsai how do I know that this pot is big enough for it right now ? You'll find that most proper bonsai pots are not very large. This one is a suitable size for your tree and in fact may give it some room to grow. HOWEVER, a good way to see if a tree is too small for its pot is to look for overgrowing roots, roots protruding from the top or bottom of the soil, or to gently remove the tree (and its soil) from the pot and see if the roots have completly overgrown and encased the dirtball.

Should I be repotting and getting better soil ? Unless you NEED to repot now I would not recommend it. Repotting is best done in early spring/late fall (depending on the type of tree you have). Repotting now would stress it out and at best stunt its growth for next year. If you have to repot it, due to it not being sturdy or the dirt is truly unhealthy, then do so carefully while trying not to disturb the rootball.

Sorry for all the questions at once but this is the easiest way I can see to get my answers! Go easy on me because I really have no idea what I’m doing yet and I would like for my first bonsai to survive !

This plant is a Juniper. No do not mist If it is loose in the pot try to firm the soil. Do not re pot. It does not need wiring it needs to grow. Do not take it inside ever. You will kill it. It needs as much sun as possible and water when almost dry.There is a Juniper guide on this web site if you look.

Firstly, what kind of bonsai is this specifically?
It is a juniper, probably juniperus procumbens nana, or in common words, green mound juniper. Often sold as starter bonsai trees. (Note that the species does not make it bonsai, but the work done to it would define it as a bonsai. Currently, you mainly have a young plant in a pot)

Should I be misting the foliage with water as well?
No. This is a species which should be kept outside yearround. Especially as we are now heading into winter in the northern hemisphere, the air should be moist enough to provide codensation etc. In summer I water my trees by showering them, which helps keep certain pests (specifically, spider mites) at bay.

My roots are not very sturdy the tree does wiggle a bit, how do I fix this ?
As this is still on a young plant, it probably still has to get settled in the substrate. More mature plants are actually wired into the pots to stop the wiggling. But after a few months of growing, all trees should get settled in the substrate. Not much you can do, but leave it alone and let it grow.

Is this bonsai too small to wire ?
Wiring is not an aim. You wire with a shape in mind. You can wire the plant as young as it is. However, first make a plan to decide what you want the tree to look like in the future. Is this how you like it, not need to wire. If you want another shape then yes, you can wire. This is a topic in itself, and I would recommend you explore a little styles, shapes and ideas. Note: Some of the development trajectories are counted in decades rather than weeks (!)

Should I let it go wild for a while before I wire, clean and prune ? If so, how long should I wait ?
I would wire first, then let it go wild to have the branches set. But see my previous answer

Since I just got this bonsai how do I know that this pot is big enough for it right now ?
Just by looking at the healthy growth I would say the pot it large enough. Look on internet for bonsai junipers (Which may look VERY different from the pictures you show here) and look at the size of pot compared to the amount of green: Junipers need VERY little rootspace and actually prefer to have a fairly small pot.

Should I be repotting and getting better soil ?
Certainly not this time of year, unless there are clear problems. In spring you could consider a repot. But read all my previous answers: Make a plan first.

I would not trust the advise of someone who doesn't know what this very easy to recognize species is...

Well, that's rude, and with that. I'm done with your elitist attitude.

People can have knowledge but not know everything, especially those starting out. I've been working and learning about bonsai for less than six months. Bite me.

Isn't it a little bit early to start advising on bonsai when you've only been working on bonsai for six months? Especially when many of your advices are wrong. Imagine that you could possible kill someone elses trees, with wrong advices.

Shephered wrote: Well, that's rude, and with that. I'm done with your elitist attitude.

People can have knowledge but not know everything, especially those starting out. I've been working and learning about bonsai for less than six months. Bite me.

Not sure what's elitist about it. Compare your answer with Leatherback's and you'll notice that you got a lot wrong.
I appreciate you like to give advise and share what you've learned so far, but you don't even recognize this very frequently used and easy to recognize species.
That makes me doubt your knowledge, and people that do not have knowledge of the tree, will not give the correct advise - which, when followed up, can actually damage or even kill trees.

Auk is at it again or still going at us nubies but hes never wrong

333Adriaan333 wrote: Auk is at it again or still going at us nubies but hes never wrong

Unfortunately, I am going to disagree. Not because I like to always disagree, but because it is not true. I AM sometimes wrong.
That's not a problem, as there are people on this forum that have better horticultural knowledge, there are people that have more artistic talent and there are people that are more experienced than I am.

When these people correct me, I'm not offended. For me, it only means I've learned something.