I bought one of those little junipers that sell in malls (although I found mine in a supermarket.) After a day or two (I bought it on impulse, so I had to get ready) I broke off the glued-on gravel and repotted it. It grew well for a while, and is about twice the sixe it was originally, so I began to style it, and pinch out the (many) new buds, etc. Then it began to die back. Now we.re getting evergreen dieback around here so I checked for pests, made sure it was getting light and water- I began to mist it frequently, but still no response. Finally I decided to check the roots and repot again (only 3 months.) I used what I had- old bonsai soil (after sifting out the fines and steaming it,) mixed with coarse sand and zeolite. I also trimmed back the long roots, washed them, and added nicks and rootingf hormone where needed. Now I've got new green buds, even where I was afraid it was too late-already dead! The moral for other beginners is DON'T WAIT to check the roots when nothing else seems wrong. Repotting is less stressful than dying.
Also, don't use potting mix- no matter what you mix in it's still too compact.
By the way, the seedlings I started in that potting mix are now much happier growing in sand and vermiculite.

I am glad that it worked out for you.
You'd be surprised how ofter the roots are never even thought of.
-Paul

Hello,
This particular conifer is hardy but produces no flowers. However, they are easy to grown, prune, and train, making them a good choice for Bonsai. Because Juniper is responsive, many beginner Bonsai growers will be encouraged with this choice.
Generally, Juniper has long branches that can be trained into amazing styles, with the exception of the Broom.
They do well with wiring and reshaping although some cultivars are stiff and more difficult to work with. Additionally, Juniper is very hardy and can be grown indoors or outdoors.
Care
• Pruning should be performed in the spring or fall, never in the summer months
• Maintenance pruning should however be done throughout the year with young shoots being pinched back
Concern
• Because Juniper has prickly needles, you will want to use gloves. These needles can also cause a reason in some people that appears as a red, itchy rash.