Sub-Optimal Juniper Collection

clic8991

Sapling
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40
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10
Location
Durham, NC, USA
USDA Zone
7B
I have been studying bonsai for ~18 months. I was able to hopefully save 8 low growing 10-15 year old junipers from someones garbage pile. They had been
dug/ripped up for about 6 hrs, but most still had sizeable (~10 inch/25 cm) moist root balls. It had rained heavily two days prior. I wired them all in large storage bins (w/ plentiful drainage holes), with sterile purchased top soil and soaked them several times with water. I realize that the substrate is not optimal but I was doing this in the dark at 9pm. Many have a substantial amount of foliage relative to their root ball. I am in North Carolina,USA (Zone 7B). During this the weather was in the 40's and 50's (Fahrenheit) soon it will be in the teens. I took some representative pictures quickly before work yesterday. They are okay. I would take better ones but it snowed and I don't know if I should move them around to get a decent background and composition.
So I have Four Questions:
1. What do you think is the chance of their survival?
2. What can I do to maximize the chance of survival?
3. Should I reduce the foliage?
4. Should I replace the substrate now? in the spring? or is it better to let them recover 2-3 growing seasons?

Thanks,
Colin
 

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buddhamonk

Chumono
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Ptown oregon
nice trunks!!!

to answer some of your questions.

These trees are going to have to be protected from freeze/frost/wind for the remaining winter months. I would not touch the roots or foliage at this time. One of them seems to have no foliage on it whatsoever anyway. What kind of soil is it in? As long as it is well draining it should be fine.

I've had similar stuff recover quickly but they do need to be left alone for a while.
 

clic8991

Sapling
Messages
40
Reaction score
10
Location
Durham, NC, USA
USDA Zone
7B
Thanks, I put some perlite and vermiculite with the topsoil for the first picture because I thought it was the best trunk. For all the others it was just cheap topsoil from a hardware store because i didn't have anything left over to improve drainage. The one that looks like it has no foliage has two small tufts, as I have read junipers do not back bud if there is no foliage above it, I did not collect any that had no foliage. Some of the other ones have a bunch of thick foliage (such as in the bottom left of the 1st pic).
Colin
 
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