First Tree/ Brand New

[OlDirtyBonsai]

Hello everyone-



I’m extremely new to bonsai (reading and watching videos non-stop over the past two months); this past weekend I bought a couple pieces of nursery stock to start trying my hand at making bonsai, and to make mistakes to grow from.



I am sharing my first piece of stock, in hopes to get practical input on the piece and advice from this community regarding steps to take. I feel I understand some of the basic concepts, yet I am faced with complete indecision when sitting in front of the tree!



It’s a mugo pine, to which the trunk curvature initially appealed to me. The tips of the needles are a bit yellow, but there’s also some lush green. I am in Southern New Jersey, and have it outside.



I cut the container down in to find the base, to which I think I am near, or at. There is dense surface rooting, and it’s given me pause to go any further as I am concerned about removing any at this point (although I haven’t come across anything flaring from the tree).



I also removed a knob on side of tree, and 3 small branches that crosssed the front, in order to get a better look at the trunk. (I left a 1/4 inch of each)



At this point I’m thinking I should be deciding on my direction with the tree, and make a couple smaller pruning decisions to create some space, then let it sit for a while. Is this justified?



My current impressions are the trunk may lend itself to a semi-cascade, and less so as more upright if tilted. I see a couple options for a lead, but I feel would require some significant chops to maintain a taper. And that’s where I am at so far.



Attaching pictures of several angles, and again hoping for input so I can get a ‘hands on’ learning experience.



Thanks in advance,

ODB

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I would highly recommend this thread.

Tutorial - Compiled Vance Wood on Mugo Pines

Compiled Posts by Vance Wood on Mugo Pines UPDATED 5/20/2018 Vance, I have gathered posts you made on B-Nut over the years from the archives. I have consolidated this info below. I appreciate your sharing your years of experience with this...

www.bonsainut.com

I have followed it and have had no problems. When I first started I did the same as you and worked on my Mugo in spring. Thankfully you didn’t repot like I did. Mine lived but it struggled for a year or so. I have done 3 others following Vance’s guide and they had no problems.

Your tree looks good and has a nice trunk for a nursery tree, but I would not do anymore work until when the guide calls for it.

 

[OlDirtyBonsai]

I would highly recommend this thread.

Tutorial - Compiled Vance Wood on Mugo Pines

Compiled Posts by Vance Wood on Mugo Pines UPDATED 5/20/2018 Vance, I have gathered posts you made on B-Nut over the years from the archives. I have consolidated this info below. I appreciate your sharing your years of experience with this...

www.bonsainut.com

I have followed it and have had no problems. When I first started I did the same as you and worked on my Mugo in spring. Thankfully you didn’t repot like I did. Mine lived but it struggled for a year or so. I have done 3 others following Vance’s guide and they had no problems.

Your tree looks good and has a nice trunk for a nursery tree, but I would not do anymore work until when the guide calls for it.

Thank you for sharing, read it over a couple times and it’s a great resource.

 

[Dabbler]

Welcome and I would follow above shared advice - you've chosen a somewhat difficult species, being a pine and a mugo. Take it slow and you'll do great - also remember bonsai is an outdoor hobby/art/lifestyle

 

[Cajunrider]

Welcome to the nut house!

 

[OlDirtyBonsai]

Welcome and I would follow above shared advice - you've chosen a somewhat difficult species, being a pine and a mugo. Take it slow and you'll do great - also remember bonsai is an outdoor hobby/art/lifestyle

I appreciate the welcome!

 

[OlDirtyBonsai]

Welcome to the nut house!

Thank you! Appears to be a fantastic community as I have been reading the forums for a month.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Welcome to the nuthouse, slim.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Welcome ODB! Shimmy shimmy ya, shimmy yam, shimmy yay!

 

[19Mateo83]

Sweet little mugo!

 

[OlDirtyBonsai]

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

There are plenty of smaller branches to cut back to and rebuild the tree from the base up.
Keep in mind that in the first couple of years, you reduce the plant to growth close to the trunk, and then grow those out.
One very common beginner mistake is to do the opposite, and remove all tiny bits and be stuck with bare branches that require backbudding and pruning techniques for years to become something worth looking at.
By working outside -> inwards you start with weaker branches, but it saves you a couple years of hoping the plant does something magical, that it might not do.

I'm all in favor of Vance's manual, except for the repotting in summer. My survival rates for mugo drop to a 0% if I do summer repots.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

There are plenty of smaller branches to cut back to and rebuild the tree from the base up.
Keep in mind that in the first couple of years, you reduce the plant to growth close to the trunk, and then grow those out.
One very common beginner mistake is to do the opposite, and remove all tiny bits and be stuck with bare branches that require backbudding and pruning techniques for years to become something worth looking at.
By working outside -> inwards you start with weaker branches, but it saves you a couple years of hoping the plant does something magical, that it might not do.

I'm all in favor of Vance's manual, except for the repotting in summer. My survival rates for mugo drop to a 0% if I do summer repots.

That is interesting with your summer repotting failures. I live in Utah where it is far dryer and hotter than where you live and it has worked for me. I even put mine in pond baskets with a soil mix of 80% perlite and 20% coco coir and they still did great. I wonder what the cause is.

 

[R0b]

That is interesting with your summer repotting failures. I live in Utah where it is far dryer and hotter than where you live and it has worked for me. I even put mine in pond baskets with a soil mix of 80% perlite and 20% coco coir and they still did great. I wonder what the cause is.

Followed the guide on our recent nursery stock acquisitions including summer repot last year and they look good so far. But some others get repot during main pine repotting season and they don’t mind either. Like @Wires_Guy_wires we live in the Netherlands.

 

[OlDirtyBonsai]

There are plenty of smaller branches to cut back to and rebuild the tree from the base up.
Keep in mind that in the first couple of years, you reduce the plant to growth close to the trunk, and then grow those out.
One very common beginner mistake is to do the opposite, and remove all tiny bits and be stuck with bare branches that require backbudding and pruning techniques for years to become something worth looking at.
By working outside -> inwards you start with weaker branches, but it saves you a couple years of hoping the plant does something magical, that it might not do.

I'm all in favor of Vance's manual, except for the repotting in summer. My survival rates for mugo drop to a 0% if I do summer repots.

Thank you, I appreciate your advice