RickMartin
Omono
Im not going to root prune..just slip it into a large colunder and get it out of the smaller pot its in.. Vance please give me some direction here
Rick
Rick
MattE
Shohin
Yes! there is so many of them around here. some really massive ones. i love how contorted and tortured their trunks can look , haunted beauty.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Use a soil mix that has composted Pine bark mulch in it as well as the standard Pumice and lava rock. Once the tree has recovered from moving water at least once a day possibly three times a day depending on the heat and sum exposure. Too many people try to keep Mugos too dry and lose them. In a colander it is almost impossible to over water.
barrosinc
Masterpiece
I'm getting off the Mugo Train... RIP
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Why? I am as much interested in why things failed as to why they succeeded.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Amen to that!
Besides....
No one is stopping the train!
Sorce
Besides....
No one is stopping the train!
Sorce
RickMartin
Omono
barrosinc
Masterpiece
I repotted two years straight and a bit late in the season (a month after summer solstice)...
mattspinniken
Omono
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
How good was the root system? How large is the tree?
Make a large box out of almost anything but treated lumber. The box should be only about two inches taller than the height of the soil ball presently. The bottom should be made of slats and covered with window screen so that the soil does not spill out the bottom. The box should look more like a crate, and it is not furniture. Drill some hole in the bottom of the box and run some wires up to tie this one in the box. Use a decent soil mix made of Pine bark mulch, Pumice or Turface, and volcanic gravel the red type if you can find it. Place the tree in the box and tie it in using the wires you brought up through the bottom. Put the soil into the box and work it in and around the roots using a 1/8" dowel or chop stick making sure there are no air pockets. If you need suggestions on how to tie the tree in the box plese say something.
Water the tree throughly and place it in a location where it only gets morning sum till about 10:00 am. DON'T DO ANYTHING TO THE TREE FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT YEAR! Give the tree it's first fertilizing in about one month. Take a lot of pictures and post them so we can talk about the tree. It is really nice and deserves to have the best things happen to it. Please don't jump the gun and try to style the tree till next year. Don't mess with the roots for at least two years.
mattspinniken
Omono
Great tips Vance. If this turns out like some of yours one day I will be pleased. I promise I won't do anything with this tree for at least 1 year. The only thing I have done so far is cut 1 unneeded branch (before the pic) and some dead branches.
I do know the basics of collecting, soil, and potting but I have not collected many pines. How much of the original soil should I leave?
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
As much as you can.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
You never bare root a pine and the essential soil mix I described above should be compatible with the soil the tree was originally planted in. Couple that with the box and the way it is made the tree should do fine. Mugos can do strange things, it is possible that come next spring the tree may look like it is going to grow on the Moon and you may be tempted to repot and put it in a bonsai pot. Do not do this or you will probably use the tree.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
I am contemplating buying a few more of these SMALL one's to learn them and see if they will even grow good for me. They will most likely land up in landscape here and at the farm if they do good after a couple of years. If so I will then obtain better stock to begin with.
My question to all and @Vance Wood is do you think this lot is healthy enough to give me a good start learning the species? I know nothing of what they should look like to determine health and will purchase more small ones elsewhere if this one appears no good -
Thanks in advance!
Grimmy
My question to all and @Vance Wood is do you think this lot is healthy enough to give me a good start learning the species? I know nothing of what they should look like to determine health and will purchase more small ones elsewhere if this one appears no good -
Thanks in advance!
Grimmy
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
I don't think they get much healthier Grim. Those candles are getting up there!
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
I was only guessing that was good, the base appears to be a clump, but as I said it is a learning experiment. The immature bark looks ok to me but again no idea what it should look like
Those candles are funny - they are at least 50 percent of the plant 
Grimmy
RickMartin
Omono
Im about to join the train..so far mugo is nice and happy.
Rick
Rick
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
When they are young like those pictured you can decide to make little bonsai or you can let them go. If you let them go you are going to have to start making decisions about trunk and branches. The old saying you cannot see the forest for the trees becomes metaphorically correct here in that you cannot see the tree because of the branches. At some point planting in the ground at the farm may be the best idea. Latter when you have developed your vision and skill you might want to go forward and dig them up even though you had decided to abandon them to the landscape.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
I agree and that is why I wanted to know if this lot appears healthy enough. I planned to buy a few more if so. It is honestly an experiment so I can learn not only how to grow them here but also play with a few along the way. Any or all can go into the ground and if it happens one comes out "ok" fine, if not as I said I plan on getting far larger when I am comphy with them. I will follow the compiled notes on two and play with the others. Thank you for that list by the way!
Grimmy
RickMartin
Omono
Im going to keep mine small for now.. Still need to find out if they survive down here, but so far its loving it..i feel this tree has alot of potential in it.
Rick
Rick
