What would you do?

Underdog

Underdog

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So I have a chance to get any or all of this. Various Juniper, an Azelea/Rhodie, some unknown decid. Some unique flavors of Juniper to me with large trunks.
Younger working couple just bought the place can't maintain it and want grass. Over 50 mature but mostly straight trunks. Several have low branching. Old folks who sold it are bummed i bet...
I'm meeting them Sunday. Only a few blocks from my house.
I'm at least going to dig a few but... I could make a deal on all.
Please offer up your opinions. Thanks
IMG_20190319_150135784.jpgIMG_20190319_145718895.jpgIMG_20190319_145733916.jpgIMG_20190319_145910824.jpgIMG_20190319_145951940.jpg
 
Unless there's a decent root spread, movement AND taper within 6-8 inches of the base, I'd pass. If those 3 criteria are there, you can always graft branches. There doesn't look like much potential there (maybe a yew or two that might be worth it?), but there definitely looks like a LOT of work to dig them, and even more to keep them alive post collection
 
I would grab all the yew that you can carry, the rhodo and if you can lift the boulevard cypress, I take it too. But in reality the best ones to go for are the yew since theyre the only ones I see that have potential to dig
 
I'd personally dig up anything with a decent trunk and especially the last yew. A couple of years down the road you'll have some proper sized stuff to work on and a lot of garden stuff has decent spreads/roots underneath soil level. Unwanted material can always be passed on.
 
I dunno, I would probably take more than what Dav4 suggested, but would not bother to take all. If they were paying you to take them all out, then all is good.

There are a lot of Pom Poms on sticks, which at first glance are useless. BUT if you find movement inside the pompom, for the Yews and the Arborvitae you can air layer above the stick portion to capture the part with movement. But I would suspect that only one or two of the ''pompoms'' are hiding a set of branches with movement. Air layers are slow, and not guaranteed.

As a lover of azalea, and flowering and fruiting bonsai, all the azaleas, cotoneaster and berry producing shrubs could be chopped low and allowed to re-grow if you have the space and time.

If you are active in a local bonsai club, you could take it all and do a give away of what you don't want.
 
99% of "good" is the first few inches of trunk. Bare low trunks are more trouble than they're worth. The time spent taking them out is the smallest cost of the process. They need to be nurtured some place just as well and often as good prospects. Be care what you wish for, and choose your poison wisely.
 
Thanks for all the opinions. I got the yew and an azelea and another one marked and paid 25 for 3.
Can you help ID these 2 and their potential bonsai use?
All feel like easy digs in loose soil. May get some for around the pond or patio trees.
ThanksIMG_20190324_114546037.jpgIMG_20190324_114536684.jpg
 
Top one looks like Boulevard Cypress, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard', which make beautiful bonsai. Like this one ~2005, from Nick Kerren, Windor, Ontario.BoulevardCypressNickKeren.jpg
 
Snagged this yew and an azelea today. Have to go get more after I rest up. LOLIMG_20190324_174355519.jpgIMG_20190324_173711931.jpgIMG_20190324_173533075.jpgIMG_20190324_173456899.jpg
 
The 2nd one is probably Cryptomeria, but I don't know which species.
 
What I did... The azalea. Was going in a pond basket but I had this empty pot so we'll see.IMG_20190327_093508643_HDR.jpgIMG_20190327_093531257_HDR.jpg
 
They are both thriving. The Azalea is ready to bloom pink. Yew is covered with new growth. Want to wire it bad but waiting until the roots are well established.
 
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