On Apr 13, 2005, at 8:50 AM, Nina wrote:

Craig Cowing wrote:
Is it a good idea to treat the
tree before I put it into winter storage? I'm wondering if the mites
winter over in the tree?

Mites overwinter as eggs or as adult females in soil and leaf litter.
The mite on juniper overwinters as eggs. My references say they begin
to be a problem in May, and are worst in hot dry weather, but I don't
know how you overwinter your bonsai: if you have them in a place where
they may get unseasonably warm, the mites would hatch and become active
earlier: it takes 10 days for the life-cycle to be completed, so in a
few weeks you can have a serious outbreak.

I'd recommend an insecticidal oil in late winter. That would smother
the eggs.

Nina

Bill Valvanis emailed me privately and suggested it may be a problem
with dryness, which I suppose it could be although I put it away
watered and have been watering since it's been out.

This morning I took it out of its bonsai pot and put it in a terracotta
azalea pot. No root pruning, just transferred it into a somewhat larger
pot and added fresh soil to make up the difference. I carefully brushed
off as much of the crispy foliage as I could and found there appears to
be some live foliage still, so I thought this might help get light and
ventilation to the little that's left. I now have the tree in partial
shade, with some morning sun. Is there any more I can do besides wait?

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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