Grow Your Own Juniper Bonsai

Ever wanted your own tiny tree? Juniper bonsai trees are super cool, easy to grow, and look like they came out of a fantasy world. They make fantastic bonsais. The best part? You can grow one from a cutting. Here’s how to do it!

No need to buy a big tree — you can start small and grow your own!

Snip-Snip
In late summer or early fall, cut a 4–6 inch piece from a healthy juniper branch (not too soft, not too woody — just right).
Make It Root
- Strip the needles off the bottom 2 inches.
- Dip the end in rooting hormone (this helps it grow roots faster).
- Plant it in a pot with sandy soil that drains well. Look for a pot with great water drainage.
Wait for the Magic
Place the pot in a warm, shady spot and keep the soil slightly moist. In about 1–2 months, roots should start growing!
Allow it a few months to get established in the soil and develop new leaves and branches before starting to train and trim.

Now the fun begins — shaping your mini tree into a bonsai masterpiece!

Pick a style
Want it upright like a proud old oak? Twisting like it’s growing in a mountain storm? Go wild! (Well, thoughtfully wild.)
Trim It Up
Start pruning off extra branches to give it shape. Be gentle — bonsai is a slow art.
Wiggle & wire
Carefully wrap wire around branches and bend them into cool shapes. Don't go too tight — you’re training, not choking!
Transfer it to a fun Japanese style bonsai pot
Transfer your tree to a shallow bonsai pot with fast-draining soil. Congrats, it’s officially a bonsai-in-progress!

Sunshine: Junipers love sunlight. Put it outside if you can!
Watering: Let the soil mostly dry before watering again. No soggy roots!
Feeding: A little bonsai fertilizer once a month in spring and summer will keep it strong.