Im planning on geting a Sabina juniper but im struggling to find much info on them. Does anyone have much experience with this species and able to tell me if they are ok in an akadama pumice and lava mix.
Thanks all
I use well sieved akadama/pumice/lava and a touch of charcoal. Roughly 50/30/20 though I’m still playing with that a little. Am based in southern UK where we have a fair bit of winter rain. Mine are doing well on this mix. I feed with BioGold and use seaweed extract.
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I’ve got mine in a 1:1:1 mix but I’m also based in uk
Akadama , pumice , lava
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Hi Gareth, I just noticed your post, I’m Dan B, trust you are well, I’ve been a member of Mirai now for almost a year.
How are you getting on with the Sabina?
Hi there Dan
Yea I’ve also been a member of Mirai for a while
In all honesty I’ve struggled a little with this one , but it is still going , it’s very pale now but I’m hoping it comes back to life now we entering Spring
I had concerns about the roots recently so I repotted into 70% pumice hoping to help the roots develop , it’s probably set it back a few years but I’m hopefull , it has been a learning curve with thease Sabrina’s
Have u managed to find the tree we are all a searching for ?
Hi Gareth, Sabina do seem to be a bit fussy in the UK, not sure if it’s the wet winters or some other factors at play. I’ve got Kishu and Shimpaku that are bullet proof but Sabina’s do seem to weaken for no apparent reason. I recall you said it had some insect attack, perhaps that caused more weakening of the tree?
Is the tree in the photo the one you got from me? or a different one, I’m guessing a different one.
I’ve been getting more into the native trees like Hawthorn’s, they don’t like having their roots messed about with but they certainly handle the cold wet winters.
Sabina in the U.K. really like to dry out in between waterings, don’t over water. They like to be exposed to wind, they come from high up in the mountains in Spain and spend quite some time covered in snow in the winter. From friends that I know in the U.K. don’t over feed them, take it easy and only repot every 6-7 years. They are bullet proof so no need to be over fussy. But my honest opinion is to really try to let them dry out as much as you can between waterings, place in full sun and don’t over do the feeding.
Hope that helps.
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Just a little additional perspective on Sabina culture - here in Southern Australia they are used quite a bit in hostile urban settings. Think Local Council / Municipal roundabouts where there is little nutrition in the first place, no water throughout the year and blistering 40-50 degree temperatures in Summer. They are renowned as performing well. Perhaps the trouble overwintering them in the UK is related to moisture. Although people here in Melbourne think we are a rainy city, we only get half (600mm) the rainfall of Sydney (1200mm) and that mostly in the winter. True Mediterranean climate. This might help finding a setting for it in your setup. Good luck.
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