Grow Your Own Juniper Bonsai

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.

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!