Chinese Juniper Care Calendar

When to prune, fertilize and repot Juniperus chinensis (Chinese Juniper), month by month.

Hemisphere
Care sheet · North hemisphere

Chinese Juniper

Juniperus chinensis

Bonsai Pilot
Repot every3 yrs
Structural prune every2 yrs
Feed every21 days
Hardy toZone 4A

The year for this species

Fertilization
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Pruning
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Structural pruning
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Transplant
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Prime windowLeave it alone

What this species needs

  • Water deeply when soil surface begins to dry. Junipers dislike constantly wet roots, good drainage is critical. Reduce watering in winter but never let the soil dry out completely.
  • Full sun is essential, minimum 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Insufficient light leads to weak, leggy growth and loss of inner foliage. An outdoor species only.
  • Well-draining mix with higher mineral content: 60% pumice or lava rock, 40% akadama. Junipers are sensitive to root rot in heavy or water-retentive soils.
  • Very cold-hardy, tolerating down to -10°C. Requires winter dormancy with cold exposure. Protect from extreme frost winds but do not bring indoors for winter.

Log it by hand if you're away from the app

DatePrunedFertilizedRepottedWiredNotes

How to use this calendar

The windows shown come from each species' care profile, adjusted for the hemisphere you pick — a temperate tree in the southern hemisphere has its seasons flipped relative to the northern hemisphere.

This is a starting point, not a fixed rule: the right timing also depends on the tree's vigor, your local climate, and what you actually see on it. Bonsai Pilot tracks this automatically per tree, with reminders adjusted to your USDA zone and what you've already logged.

Bonsai Pilot tracks all of this for you automatically. Start tracking your bonsai care for free →