Collecting urban Junipers at this time of year?

Hi All,

I have been given permission today to dig out some Junipers (Sabina ?) from a large concrete growing bed.

They are very old looking, lots of deadwood, low, spiralling trunks and branches and lots of healthy, tight green foliage at the top. Judging by an initial look at the soil that they are in, I should be able to get a decent rootball with them.

Is this a good time of year to dig them out?

I've got large containers ready for them, nice open well draining soil mixed up for planting them into.

I could keep them in a greenhouse over the winter.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Paul

Hello Paul. You can pretty much collect urban Junipers any time of year. The cold greenhouse is a good idea but if it gets warm, pull the trees outside or they may cook. Big a rootball as you can manage. Good luck.

Hey Will, thanks very much for the quick reply.

I'm hoping to go dig one out this afternoon. The guy who gave me permission told me just to dig them out this morning but I didn't have any tools with me.

Once I get the first one out, it should give me a idea of how the rest will be.

I'll take some photos when I go to get them.

Thanks again.

Hello Paul.
Sabina are not easy i think.
Junipers are the last ones i repot in the spring season.
But then this sounds like an emergency dig to save them.
Take the biggest rootball you can as Will mentioned.
I would keep them sheltered and would leave all green on the trees,
take care to wire them to the containers so no movement of the trunk is possible.
Careful with watering, cover the pot while spraying the green foliage.
Good luck with them.
Sunip