Juniper Bonsai Root Rot
Leaves will also become discolored branches may weaken and break off and growth will be stunted.
Juniper bonsai root rot. Affected roots must be pruned away and the bonsai transplanted into fresh soil. It is especially important for junipers to be in coarse fast draining soil bonsai soil root pruning. The tree will seem to slowly decline with the leaves becoming sparse or dropping prematurely and the growth becoming stunted. Growth may be either slowed down or speeded up.
Root pruning also keeps your bonsai healthy. I took my weak juniper out of its pot to try to inspect the roots they seemed to be dark and stringy at the ends but there was no rotting smell or fumk besides wet dirt i couldn t see much because the roots were fairly deep into the center of the dirt. The character of the growth can also be manipulated. This root rot is one of the most serious and difficult to control fungal diseases that affects a wide range of plants in south carolina.
Re pot the root pruned juniper into a shallow pot often called a training pot smaller than the 1 gallon container it was growing in but larger than the bonsai pot it will eventually occupy. There is no one obvious symptom of root rot. Dormant root pruning without top pruning will result in food storage losses and the resultant top growth. Leaves on the plant will become thin or sparse.
While there are many different fungi that can cause root rot the most common that affects juniper trees is phytophthora cinnamomi. Does my juniper bonsai have root rot. Root pruning can a very valuable tool in the bonsai training process. Trees that are affected cannot be saved.
Improper drainage can cause roots to turn brown and mushy. Long term it can kill your tree.