AusBonsai

I have acquired a number (10 I think) Buxus plants from a hedge that has been removed. Whilst timing for major root and top prune is perhaps not perfect the trees had already been removed and there was no choice. The plants were approx 80 cm tall , trunk dia 50 -60 mm. Attached are photos of the first one i have trimmed and re potted. I pruned the roots to fit into a 12" pot and left the plant approx 25 cm tall.
I live in Tas , on the coast. Current day temps are in the high teens and over night 3 - 4 degrees ( we do not get frosts).

I have several questions before I attack the rest of the plants tomorrow -

Am I wasting my time in even trying to save these plants ?
Is timing so bad that it may risk the plants survival ?
Should I take more trunk off or leave more ?
I suspect that the trunk left is taller than I ultimately will / should have for future development , would I be better to trim off now ?
The current root ball is about 400 mm square and 150 mm deep, I have trimmed about 50 -60 % of this off to fit into the 12" pot , is that too severe ?

Any advice would be appreciated
thanks
KB

Great score
Nothing to lose saving them and sometimes we sure do not have a chance to optimise the collection timing.
Anyway i think you will be fine with them. If you have a northern facing wall that can keep the heat longer will be handy for them.

do not over water thru winter and in spring they should take off

Ken

Hi KB. Congrats on getting hold of these. I think garden renos is a great place to get advanced stock for bonsai. I'm still hoping that someone will tell me that they need to get rid of a box hedge

1. It is never too late or too early to collect plants. I have taken all sorts of trees at all times of the year and been surprised at survival rates so don't worry yet. I suspect that these will grow just fine.
2. Maybe some of the trees won't be great material but you should get some good ones and all of them will beat small nursery stock so always worth trying. Steven took a box about this size to the recent Bonsai Week workshop in Canberra. It was great bonsai material and Tony Tickel helped make a really good potential bonsai from the raw stock. His design incorporated hollows where large trunks had been removed so you don't really need to worry about scars - you can make a feature of where trunks have been cut off.
3. When collecting any tree I try to see a trunk line and prune off everything else - reasoning that when I leave less above it will be easier for the tree to re-establish but don't worry if you need to leave more. The trees will probably grow anyway and you can always cut more off later. Look for a trunk or combination of trunks that gives nice movement but also has taper so cut off straight, thicker trunks where possible. Your first picture shows a very straight, untapered trunk. I would cut that one short to a side branch if there is one, just shorter if there's not and hope for buds to provide a new leader or cut it right off near the base if the other trunks look better.
4. You have left plenty of roots I think. I normally cut far harder than you have done. The aim is to eventually get these into bonsai pots so they will need short roots. I figure that the best time to cut roots is when I have also cut the top. Most trees will grow new roots from very little and cutting the roots will encourage finer feeder roots close to the trunk. You have a few to play with so if you're uncomfortable with severe root pruning just try a couple and see how they go.

sore neck syndrome

tgward wrote:sore neck syndrome

happens when one takes photo on phones in landscape!

Ken

Prepare yourself as development is slow......to say the least. Having said that they do make a good forest setting. Because they are slow i would be pretty sure your collected trees would have some age to them. They will survive as they are tough trees, most surprisingly so.