Should I?

[brainfree]

Wow!! These responses are amazing and I'm diggin' all the friendly neighbour talk. So encouraging. Thank you all.
Right! Bunjin is in.

I'll find her a nice replacement tomorrow. Worse thing that can happen is I kill an unhealthy tree (but with the help I'm likely to find here maybe not) and make a new friend
So in terms of practical advise what type of soil should I put it in. I have a spot where I can plant it in the ground, or should I put in a big pot?

 

[brainfree]

Low light certainly an issue, but that visually wet planter box with likely juicy compacted soil & how easy it came out -that’s probably the real battle at hand, would let it breathe soil wise..

did ya smell the roots? gotta smell the roots

So I assume it shouldn't smell like rotting anything?

 

[Potawatomi13]

1. Wait until Spring/late Winter digging season to dig and replant new bush(in better location)=Sunnier. Roots need Sunnier growing weather for recovery time. Not now going into cold times. Collect into grow box.
2. Yes collect LATER! Great aged base, Great deadwood, natural shari, natural elegant Literati candidate and would keep all trunks present as Juniper need all foliage to help roots recover after repot. Also gives time to decide on beginning design.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Usually when I see a thread with a title asking a “Should I“ or “Can I” question here, my default answer is “no”...then I check the thread, and 9 times out of 10 it confirms my answer. No.

 

[Japonicus]

I think you’d be more rewarded by waiting till Spring and buy a nursery grown shrub, juniper maybe.
You’ll have a choice, in variety/cultivar, and choice of which ones appeals more to the hobby
in full health. A plant in full vigor will save both time and money. The amount of money for bonsai soil and pot
for this dig out weighs a healthy 1 or 2 gallon sized plant, then there’s recovery time waiting for the dug one
to rebound before you can work on it which is not near as interesting as one you’d develop from younger material.

 

[James W.]

It is "not worth it". OK, now you know.
Go for it, you are not going to kill a world class yamadori.
"Wait and buy better piece next spring" - MEH. You can still do that anyway.
Get the experience and collect a truly unique piece of material (i.e. nobody else would look at it twice).
It is not healthy so give it the very best chance you can. Wait until it starts to think about growing next spring then dig it a week before that. Put it into a pot that just contains the existing roots, resist the urge to be nice and put it into too big a pot. Then leave it alone except for water and fertilizer for 1, 2, 3 years until it really starts to grow.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Boo Hiss @Japonicus . City boys don't get much opportunity to collect yamadori, especially in such rugged country as we see here, sprawled over a possibly dangerous ledge. One false move with that trowel could result in a sprained wrist, but the memories will go on forever and may even improve over time.

 

[brainfree]

Well after doing some research it seems fall actually IS a good time to transplant a blue rug juniper, and also that it transplants well.......just sayin.

 

[LanceMac10]

Well after doing some research it seems fall actually IS a good time to transplant a blue rug juniper, and also that it transplants well.......just sayin.

In Ontario? Maybe into the ground....about a month ago....

 

[DonovanC]

No! No back-budding allowed. It is the personification of a Bunjin, which is impossible to grow. They have to be captured, then managed.

Exactly

 

[Japonicus]

Get the experience and collect a truly unique piece of material (i.e. nobody else would look at it twice).

I can buy the experience part. I certainly wouldn't have room for a piece so "unique" as you kindly put it

Boo Hiss @Japonicus . City boys don't get much opportunity to collect yamadori, especially in such rugged country as we see here, sprawled over a possibly dangerous ledge. One false move with that trowel could result in a sprained wrist, but the memories will go on forever and may even improve over time.

Ok ok, let the experience be had and grow. LOL I like your rebuttal
...BUT! I have to side with BVF on this one guys. Sorry. Too leggy for my lack of pushing things to the limit timid approach.
There's no reason not to go out and have fun in the garden though, so I'm going out and pull some moss and old needles
Then if I get really bored, I'll put a wire on. Then I'm going to slip a few 2" containered conifers into the ground for the Winter.