Hello friends. My first post here. I have a juniper shohin, i would like to know if i need to water the whole tree or only the substrate please? I am in mauritius island and we are in summer right now with 28 degrees celcius as temperature. I water my bonsai in the afternoon. Is it advisable to water the foliage also or i need to water only the substrate to keep the roots moist?

I would have thought that you need to be watering at least twice a day in those temperatures. Water the soil rather than the foliage. In the summer I water as early as I can in the morning and then is needed later in the day. You may need to stand the pot on a tray with sand or gravel filled with water to ensure that it does not dry out.

There might be a difference in watering needs in 28 degrees in Mauritius and Europe. Europe normaly have dry air in summer. Today mautitius had 85%. That would make a lot of difference in watering needs.

Same goes as allways. Water a lot when the soil is almost dry, no matter how often.

28 C isn't that hot, but I agree that humidity plays a role.

I water once only around that temperature, but usually water twice when it gets to what we call hot at 33-34.

Most of us here put extra organics in the soil mix to hold more water, because of the long, hot summer days in August or so. That may explain why once a day is enough.

Junipers love water on their foliage. Up to 1/3 of their water uptake can be through the foliage. Just make sure you use water low in dissolved minerals. Rainwater would be great.

In summer I dayly shower the junipers if it gets hot.

Excactly. The downside of an international forum that we all have so differentexperience based on different climates. But also a streagth of it since there are so much to learn about how trees behave in different conditions.

At my place 28 is the two weeks peak of the summer that allways occure before or after my vaccation . We rarelly see temps over 30.

I am very curious how juniper works in the long run in Mauritius. I have learned that they need dormancy to survive in the long run and Mauritius cannot provide that. How long have the tree been there?

I would be careful spraying water on foliage in 85% humidity.

Tropfrog wrote:

I am very curious how juniper works in the long run in Mauritius. I have learned that they need dormancy to survive in the long run and Mauritius cannot provide that. How long have the tree been there?

I would be careful spraying water on foliage in 85% humidity.

Junipers grow deep into the tropics. In Sao Paul for instance they are a common streetplant.

What is your concern with 85% humidity and putting water on the foliage?

When i reach home after work, only 1/5 or 1/4 of the top substrate in the pot is dry, reason why i think only watering once a day is enough. Thank you for your help

Hi topfrog. Thank u for your response. In mauritius the junipers have been growing in nature mainly in the forest and mountain for more than i would say more than 50 years. Very few mauritians are doing bonsai here, amongst i have a friend that has been doing bonsai since 1995 and his junipers are responding well. I am posting 1 of his junipers that he has been training for a few years

nice little tree.

The pot is fairly large for the plant/species. So do not change what you are doing. Certainly do not increase the frequency of watering.