Some junipers that will be thrown out - need advice

[JRDillWFM]

So my local big orange box has these junipers in their front landscaping of their parking lot that they are replacing with new material (the whole area looks rough). I overheard the manager talking about it so I asked if I could take any of the old material for my home garden. They said that would be fine so I went and checked them out on my way out of the store. I know this is not the best time of year for collecting, but these guys will get thrown away so why not try to keep them alive? My issue is that I have never attempted to collect anything. Anyone have any advice for how to do so, especially this time of year? What do I need to do it, best container to put them in after pulling them up, etc.? I really want to try and keep these guys alive. They look old and have pretty thick trunks, just not sure what species of juniper they are. Any advice or guidance is much appreciated!

Sorry I don't have many or great photos, I was in a hurry to get back to work:




Here's the second one:

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Make sure you bring a couple of old towels, heavy-duty garbage bags, and at least a 5 gallon bucket of water.

Obviously try to get as much root mass as possible. Even if the roots are extremely long, avoid cutting them if you can. Once you lift the juniper, wet a towel and wrap the root ball in the wet towel - then put it in a plastic garbage bag.

When you get home, do not try to bare-root it. Simply put it in a large enough container to contain the roots, and back-fill with loose inorganic soil. Put the juniper in bright shade - no sun whatsoever but bright light. You want it protected from heat and wind as well. If you want to improve your odds, consider building a humidity tent which is just a mini-tent built out of plastic sheeting that you lay over a simple frame (like a mini greenhouse). Water the foliage frequently, and keep the soil moist, but watch that you don't overwater.

 

[JRDillWFM]

Thanks!

My plan is to get them home and into large grow boxes with either the boon mix I currently use, or straight pumice. Not sure which to go with. I have a large oak tree in my back yard that provides shade all day, so I will likely stick them underneath there.

Should I wire them down to the grow boxes? I'm assuming so, just want to make sure.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Keep the root balls as intact as possible, leave the soil on the roots, and then secure them with wire into the tightest wooden box you can make, not big, small. Lots of drainage holes. Work in coarse pumice with a chopstick being careful not to disturb the roots, but just filling in voids.

Keep them in the shade for a few weeks until the interior growth turns yellow and sheds, and the tips start to show signs of movement. Don’t move them around, don’t trim anything, don’t wire anything.

Mist the foliage as often as you possibly can, like every time you step outside. Mist the trunks too, but keep the soil relatively on the dry side.

https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2015/04/04/collected-rocky-mountain-junipers-repotting/

 

[RobertB]

These look like a go to me.

 

[JRDillWFM]

Keep the root balls as intact as possible, leave the soil on the roots, and then secure them with wire into the tightest wooden box you can make, not big, small. Lots of drainage holes. Work in coarse pumice with a chopstick being careful not to disturb the roots, but just filling in voids.

Keep them in the shade for a few weeks until the interior growth turns yellow and sheds, and the tips start to show signs of movement. Don’t move them around, don’t trim anything, don’t wire anything.

Mist the foliage as often as you possibly can, like every time you step outside. Mist the trunks too, but keep the soil relatively on the dry side.

https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2015/04/04/collected-rocky-mountain-junipers-repotting/

Why make the grow box tight? I'm just curious.

 

[Saddler]

Why make the grow box tight? I'm just curious.

I don’t think he means get the smallest root ball for a small container, but get a big root ball and put it into the smallest container possible to keep the roots compact. You are going to have to reduce the roots eventually so might as well start as small as possible.

Also tying them down tight is paramount. I have lost trees to mediocre attempts at securing them.

 

[JRDillWFM]

I don’t think he means get the smallest root ball for a small container, but get a big root ball and put it into the smallest container possible to keep the roots compact. You are going to have to reduce the roots eventually so might as well start as small as possible.

Also tying them down tight is paramount. I have lost trees to mediocre attempts at securing them.

Makes sense. Man I'm excited to get these guys out of the ground. What tools should I use? Just a hand shovel?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Why make the grow box tight? I'm just curious.

Because you will drown the roots if you start them in too much soil. Even a tight box will leave plenty of room for healthy roots to grow into. Check the links I included to see how those Juniper roots were hammered into boxes and thrived.

 

[sorce]

This is a great time of year!

Just don't cut any foliage off.

Sorce

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

This is a great time of year!
Sorce

Not in Houston.

 

[JRDillWFM]

Went to check in on the junipers and assess the area. Got a solid look at these two and thinking of taking them as well. The first one I'm not too sure about it. Literally half of it is brown and dead. The other one looks like a lot of fun in the future.

 

[RNbonsai]

Take em!!! I’ve asked a hospital that shut down if I could could take a juniper off their lot, even offered to replace it with another or buy it and was angrily turned down. Ones like that are cool lookin and fun, but not always given. Nothing to lose! Good luck!

 

[JRDillWFM]

So a couple of questions before I pull these trees out of the ground next week:

- How long can they stay wrapped up in the wet towels and garbage bag? This location is about 45 minutes from my home and I'll have to build the grow boxes as soon as I get home.
- What size pumice should I use? Large, medium or small?
- I'm assuming I should start the dig by getting around the trunk and finding the base, then going outward until I find the end of the root ball?

I really can't wait to get these guys out of the ground!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

So a couple of questions before I pull these trees out of the ground next week:

- How long can they stay wrapped up in the wet towels and garbage bag? This location is about 45 minutes from my home and I'll have to build the grow boxes as soon as I get home.
- What size pumice should I use? Large, medium or small?
- I'm assuming I should start the dig by getting around the trunk and finding the base, then going outward until I find the end of the root ball?

I really can't wait to get these guys out of the ground!

-weeks
-large
-dig a trench 12-18” radius around the trunk. Trench down 8-10”, then widen it, then dig underneath and pop out an intact 24-36” root mass.

 

[leatherback]

Cool!

If you cannot take alll of them, look at interesting trunk. No need bringing home an ugly stick, no matter how healthy?
You will cooelct next week? Do you have an option to pop a buckt of water near the trunk over the next days? I don't know how dry it is there, but here.. Too dry to even look at a match in the forest, becaue it will burn. Never urts getting it well hydrated!?

 

[JRDillWFM]

-weeks
-large
-dig a trench 12-18” radius around the trunk. Trench down 8-10”, then widen it, then dig underneath and pop out an intact 24-36” root mass.

Oh sweet! I think I might dig out the smallest one as a trial today if it can be wrapped in wet towels and a garbage bag for that long. I will post an update when I get it out and home!

Really I am just waiting on a delivery of pumice.

 

[JRDillWFM]

Cool!

If you cannot take alll of them, look at interesting trunk. No need bringing home an ugly stick, no matter how healthy?
You will cooelct next week? Do you have an option to pop a buckt of water near the trunk over the next days? I don't know how dry it is there, but here.. Too dry to even look at a match in the forest, becaue it will burn. Never urts getting it well hydrated!?

We just got some heavy rain so the soil underneath is still pretty moist. It is super hot and humid here.

 

[leatherback]

Oh sweet! I think I might dig out the smallest one as a trial today if it can be wrapped in wet towels and a garbage bag for that long. I will post an update when I get it out and home!

Why would you do that? Why not give it the best opp at survival?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

In case it needs to be said, only wrap the roots, leave the foliage exposed. Mist it every few hours for the next few weeks. Good luck!