Info needed fast, please!

[cishepard]

I have the opportunity to collect four large 40yr. old boxwoods if I go and dig them tomorrow. I have not seen them yet to evaluate for bonsai potential but am going on the premise that there will be some! My questions are concerned with the best way to treat them in the immediate future. I will only have myself and my son to dig them by hand, and I am in the PacNW (Nanaimo, Vancouver Is. Canada) - it will be sunny and in the mid 50’s for temp. tomorrow. Winters here are reliably similar to Seattle.

Should I dig as big a root ball as possible and replant in the ground? (hardest option)
Can I go with a smaller root ball, if there are enough feeder roots, trim some top growth and put in the ground? (second hardest)
Can I trim roots back quite a bit right away and put in a training box or large basket? (easier)
Or maybe just whack them back to bonsai size, roots and all ... (wishful thinking)

I am new to bonsai, and have a small collection in training - including some boxwoods, all from this year. I am wintering them by sinking the pots and baskets in a bed and mulching with leaves. Any advice welcome, especially regarding the large boxwoods - the owner is expecting them gone tomorrow!
Thanks in advance.

 

[cbroad]

How large are the plants?

Luckily boxwoods are shallow rooted and can be successfully moved this time of year.

 

[cishepard]

How large are the plants?

Luckily boxwoods are shallow rooted and can be successfully moved this time of year.

Sorry, edited first post to include photo. Good to hear about the shallow roots.

 

[cbroad]

Best option would be to get as much of the roots as possible and replant in the ground. The roots should definitely be protected though, even if that means just using mulch. The size of the plant and the amount of roots will determine if any foliage needs to be cut off.

 

[cbroad]

Try to dig out a little further than the drip line (where the foliage canopy ends), and dig down around the tree to pop it out of the ground. Once the tree is out of the ground you can strike the soil with a shovel or shake the excess soil off to make it easier to move. Get some burlap or a sheet to contain everything and to keep the roots from drying out while its being moved.

They don't look that big so you shouldn't have to prune any foliage. Where ever you plan on overwintering it, it may be a good idea to keep the foliage out of direct strong winds to keep them from drying out.

I've been successful transplanting boxwoods at all times of the year and they usually take well, mid spring to early summer is probably the riskiest but definitely still doable.

 

[cbroad]

The less protection the roots will have, the more protection the foliage will need during the winter.

 

[cishepard]

Thanks for the details cbroad, that all sounds do-able. Would I then need to leave them in the ground for a period of years or could I start work on them in the spring?
Luckily, my small yard is very sheltered, surrounded by a tall laurel hedge and mild temps, close to the waterfront.

 

[cbroad]

As long as you haven't butchered them too much right now, you could probably start work on them this upcoming spring. That's assuming they're good looking coming out of the winter.

 

[cbroad]

Are sure those are boxwoods and not japanese hollies? Hollies can be a real bitch to dig up sometimes...

 

[cishepard]

The owner said boxwoods ... will know when I get there. Any advice for if they are Japanese Hollies, though?

 

[cbroad]

Protection should be the same, but in my experience hollies can have thick surface roots which makes digging harder and can cause the root systems to get mangled in the process.

 

[cishepard]

Perhaps I should bring a large old serrated knife I sometimes use to cut through roots and soil, just in case.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Reciprocating saw if you have one

 

[cishepard]

Reciprocating saw if you have one

Yes, thanks for the tip!

 

[substratum]

Let us know how this goes!

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Instead of replanting in the ground you can just burlap the rootball, set it on the ground, and heel it in with mulch. Then open the roots up in the spring