Don't get an ulcer. Just keep it in an airy bright place til late spring (past any chance of a last frost) and don't mist it (evergreens don't need it and it doesn't really work anyway), and it will be ok. A bigger problem would be if you watered too often, that's what usually kills new junipers! It's too late to go dormant and you'd have needed weeks and weeks of time to acclimate it to the cold anyway.

I just realized you said Alta., which will be too cold 'as is' next year, so if you have an attached garage, cold room, etc. you'll need to keep it (mulched in a larger pot) there in the fall. The idea is for it not to get colder than about 15 Fahr. and where you live it gets a LOT colder.

Ah! Thank you!
A final question however, would a sill facing East provide the proper amount of light? Or should I move it to a Southern sill? I thought I could just keep it with a grow light, but I heard they're useless with bonsai. Also, my main concern is temperature, any specific zone I could keep it at? One person's room temperature is another's fridge.
Thanks again!

Hmm, okay, I think I should be fine for a while then.
Thanks so much for your help!

I winter my junipers in an unheated, attached garage and have for years. They don't need any light, a south window is actually bad in winter, just keep the plant between 25-40 degrees F. It does not need to acclimate, water just a bit only when the plant goes dry. This is my experience with wintering juniper in a cold climate.

Dave, the point is that he can't keep his tree at those temps now, only a LOT colder, or warmer. And I would not chance 'not acclimating' with any of my trees.

I'm sorry - I meant that that is where the tree would do best. Outside will probably kill it - inside is a big risk. Juniper are very difficult to keep alive for any length of time indoors. In between (around 30-40 degrees) is your best bet if you can do it or find someone with a garage. Junipers are hardy and moderately low temperatures should not harm the tree. Other species may or may not be ok with this. Again I am just giving my two cents based on my experience with juniper bonsai.

Hmm, yes. I have a large one in a large pot, mulched in a larger pot and surrounded by other tree pots with mulch in between all of the them... and it doesn't go below -5 F. here to speak of, but Alta. get a lot colder at times. Oh well, I'm sure he'll do fine, or learn trying. How many newbies get 100% lucky first time out anyhow :-),

Keeping it indoors for the remainder of the winter as long as it is not over watered will not hurt it especially if it is a Procumbens Juniper. This is actually the only option available with any chance of success. Then it must be moved outdoors in the spring when the temperatures are around 50 degrees Far. When doing the move to outdoors keep an eye on the weather report, if frost or temperatures below 40 Far. are forecast bring it in. You have to take about a season to weather harden a tree that has been indoors.

Once established they can take temperatures in the below zero Far. range with protection.

Vance Wood.

I believed thet traditional wisdom that junipers can't be kept indoors untill I met a woman at my bonsai supply they has never lost one in 15 years, always indoors! I have since tried a couple but only for two years.

Jumipers grow in Florida and far north, so the definition of dormancy is very varied. One other source that had success defined junper dormancy as a reduction of at least 20 F less in temperature for a sustained period. No feeding but care they don't dry out and misting to cope with dry indoor air.

The two I am tyring this way get set on a window sill, not southern facing for the winter. It gets quite cool near the glass and they seem to stop everything -that seems to be a form of dormancy.

Don't feed or overwater. Do mist occasionally. Never let them dry out completely, easy in he winter. That sure seems to emmulate Florida in the winter!

In spring give them a nice warm window and trat them for growth. So far it is working for me and the woman I refered to.

gerry

Im a beginer so I dont know if my 2 cents here are worth much. I just bought a Parsonii Juniper at HomeDepot. I live in South Florida. These plants do very well here all year long.

What Im getting at is that these plants grow fine down here with out a dormancy period. Our winters at night get in the 40s and 60s in the day. Our humidity drops during the winter. I would say, skip the dormancy period and grow it year long.

Can anyone else confirm this for me?

They have dormancy, a rest of a few wks, you're just not aware of it, but when they're in pots, they should be watered less often from early Nov. to Jan., because they won't use it up at the same rate they do in summer.

Right, well, I happened upon some specks of white mold on the surface of the dirt today. From my research in the last hour I would assume this is from poor ventilation...my question is, how do I kill it now that it's here? The mold that is.

Get a tiny brown bottle (with a fold out label on the front!) of 'No Damp' at Home Hardware or any garden place, etc. Follow mixing directions for a little amt. (juice glass... or whatever seems approp. to the size) and 'water' it on. You should be fine, but watch the humidity, watering, etc. in future, keep it in very bright light and a little fan probably wouldn't hurt, but make sure it doesn't really dry the whole thing out.

just "rescued" a juniper and a chinese elm from a nursery. i have a trident maple,a cork bark elm,and a chinese elm in the fridge for the past 3 months and they seem to be doing ok (37 deg.f)does anyone think i can put these two in the fridge now? thanks tom..........p.s. i also have an unheated shed that i keep my outdoor bonsai in...

Nancy - you should have started your own thread on this one, but the answer is no. It's way too late to be using the fridge and you'll just shock the trees now, which are starting to think spring's almost here.