That IS frustrating.

I was already wondering whether it would survive. In the end: The plant IS a living organism. The general advice is: When you do rootwork, don't do wiring / branches. Also, when getting a plant from the soil, make sure to do so in winter, as the roots are least stressed. I personally blatantly ignore those rules of thumb, but only during cold, moist weeks. In your case you seem to have put too much pressure on the tree. Typically, you would start by cutting the roots with a spade, and leaving the plant for a few months so it can grow fine roots close to the trunk. Then you can reduce the foliage a bit. A few weeks late, when the cuts have healed you can dig up the tree. Slowly one reduces the rootball (This process from wild-growing to in a bonsai pot may take 2 years when done carefully (!). The reason is: The tree has send thick taproots down into the soil, and retreaves moisture from deeper layers. When you break the tap roots, there are often only few roots left higher up. If you then at the same time start to create wounds on the above ground parts, the tree can dry out very quickly: Loosing moister through the wounds, and not able to replace it.

Place the tree somewhere in the shade yet light, sheltered for the wind, and try to moisten (Spray?) the foliage a few times a day. Water reasonably often, so that the soil for the next 2 weeks does not get dust-dry (Yet it should not be dripping wet!). All is not lost, but it does not sound good. Also, probably too late now, but maybe worth the try: When I do a lot of work on plants, I use some sealent for the cuts. THere is of course comercial wax-like stuff for cuts. I find that for short-term covers (A few weeks untill the sap stream is reduced) vaseline (Petroleum oil) works well as well. This is a safe product for nature, and falls apart outside over a period of a few weeks to months.

Hi Keith,

I'm so sorry you're garden juni is struggling so hard. It does sound like it is shock however, don't give up, ok? Jelle has offered some sound advice here and good suggestions that will hopefully help your tree to pull thru this difficult time. I'm *rootin'* for you and your tree and sending positive thoughts.

Leslie

yep i screwed up. i needed to move it, i had a hinoki cypress that was going into its place...i was overzealous and did too much too fast.it looks to have at least 1 branch that will make it which will be fine ill deal with it just as long as it doesnt die.the trunk is very nice and it will give me some jin practice... guess it didnt want to be a cascade ;)and i have to work on my "tree wispering"

Don't worry about the whispering. Tree-speak is so much easier to pick up than other languages, like cat or Japanese. You just have to get used to the fact that they take a looooooong time to say anything. Good luck, and job well done as far as the learning curve goes. We all make mistakes.

When I first saw this post I was worried for the tree. I thought even then that you had done too much work to it so soon after transplanting.If it doesn't make it, don't feel too bad. We have all killed trees by doing something we shouldn't have. It's sad to say but that's how we all learn. Even the most seasoned bonsai enthusiasts kill trees.

If it makes you feel any better, here's my list of casualties, in the order that they occurred.
Mulberry- pulled from the backyard. Put it in direct sun when it liked shade and killed most of its roots in the transplant.

Azalea- I bought a bonsai seed kit with azalea seeds. They said to wait one month; it's been two and there's been no sign of growth. I put it in a heavy mix of backyard soil and sphagnum moss, then waaaaay overwatered.

Walnut- the "mystery plant" I posted in progressions. I cut its taproot then forgot to water it one day. It's only leaves died, then an insect family decided to live in what was left.

Some sort of fern-like thing- I thought they were saplings, but their root systems were connected to the mother tree. I failed to root them in water.

Boxwood- bought it when some store was going out of business. It was half dead, but I was hoping I could make it recover. I left in in a protected corner of the backyard, but it still continued to decline. Finally I tried to repot it when I noticed the little white insects. I went as far away from my other plants as I could and hacked at the root mass for all it was worth. Once I finally got to the root ball, I still saw insects coming out. I tossed it in the pond.

I, like any bonsai grower, hope for these mistakes to never be repeated and now know vital information that could have saved them. Unfortunately, it's all part of the learning process. Still, your juniper is still alive, and you can always try again. There is still hope for this mistake to be fixed.

well its finally over add this one to the compost... i had someone tell me in another forum that he has killed hundreds of trees over the years and being new to the art i almost didn't beleive him. now i can see, i have lost 4 this year from rabbits and myself, if you count the seedlings and expieraments its well over 20 over the last 5 years.

Manofthetrees,
Our condolences.
We have all mourned the untimely death of a tree.
Before I do any work on my trees I research that trees specific needs.
If I can't find the information, I guess based on similar trees.
Patience really is a virtue where bonsai are concerned.
Don't let a few dead trees get to you.
have fun

Hi Keith,

I am really sorry for the loss of your Garden Juni.
In the few short weeks since I have begun to study this art, I am blown away by how increasingly intimate my relationship has become with all of my plants through this learning process. As a result I am beginning to understand how difficult a loss can be.

Keep reminding yourself that this *IS* a learning process where we will have failures from which we can learn as well as victories that encourage us to keep learning and keep trying.

I am sending you a warm *HUG* of comfort.

Hi Keith,

It's always hard to see a tree dying, even if you think of it that everyone that are doing bonsai have killed trees. I've killed some trees too, and I was very sad, you get a sort of relation with your trees, after all that care and love you gave them you see it dying, it's sad to see.

But even experts make mistakes. I know someone who has a bonsai nursery in my country and he had a big yamadori Juniper he took care of for a long long time. It was a very expensive tree, thousands of dollars. They were cleaning the deadwood and they rubbed in fluid for deadwood. Unfortunately they rubbed it in with the wrong fluid and it died. I saw it standing, it was 2 weeks ago after it died and it still stood in his big pot on a table in the middle of the glasshouse. When he told it, I heard his sadness in his voice.

Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes they make you very sad, but you'll learn from it and hopefully you avoid to make the same mistake again!