Question
Greetings Darlene Kittle,

My questions have to do with a couple house plants I have. I have a "bonsai" tree (I don't think you'd call it a real bonsai but just a really small cute juniper plant that looks like it. The little tag that came with it said 'juniper'.) and I have a little venus fly trap plant my husband got at the grocery store. They're both dieing it seems. I'm more worried about the bonsai because we were sent it as an anniversary present. It seems really dried out and you touch most of it and it wants to fall apart. The branches look either dried or have some kind of strange white dried look on the outside. You pour water on them and it disappears or washes away or something. There's also some white stuff on the dirt. Strangely enough there are parts mostly on the outer leaves of the tree that are healthy looking. Should I keep watering it more or soak it entirely? Is there anything I can do to help get it healthy again like those little soil plant pills or something? What would you suggest?

Also I kind of think our venus flytrap is dead, most of it is black but it died really fast. Do the leaves turn black really fast or maybe I fed it wrong. Or is it just that the grocery store is a bad place to buy plants.

Answer
Amy,

The juniper is a "real bonsai" if you treat it like one. A bonsai is an artistic way of growing a woody plant, it is not a specific plant. Junipers should not be kept indoors during the winter. Did your plant come with any instructions? Where do you live? I need to know your climate before I can tell you what to try to see if you can save it. To begin with set it in a bowl of water and let it soak up water until the soil is saturated then set it in the sink to let it drain. Then it needs to go in a cool garage in front of a window that doesn't freeze or outside if you live in a climate that is not below freezing.

Following are 2 sites with info on the care of juniper bonsai plants:
http://www.shbonsai.com/care_juniper.html

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=646995

As for your venus fly trap, did it come with instructions?
The following sites have full instructions for your vft:

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/flytrap.html

http://www.cobraplant.com/venus-flytrap.html

http://www.pitcherplant.com/care_sheets/flytrap_care.html

Your plant is most likely not dead but just dormant. It needs stored between 45 and 50 degrees while it is dormant to keep it alive. I suggest you read those sites or have your husband so you understand your plants needs.

After reading that, if you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene