Mugo help

[Salcomine]

Hi, I have this mugo pine and it's kinda a mess, i havent really done anythig to it for a few years. I have been hoping to get some back budding to shorten the branches but I'm not sure what I can actively do to promote it. I'd also like to remove a bunch of the branches but not sure how many I should take off. If anyone has some insight into moving forward with this tree I would appreciate it.

Thanks
Salcomine

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Yep, it is kinda hectic in there! Likely needs repotting and add new media, or at least some root work.

Good news you are getting into a good window to work on the tree. There is a really good BonsaiNut resources by @Vance Wood posted here.

Some other thoughts:

Mugos back bud really if they are fed well throughout the year and can handle being out in decent sunlight

Prior to doing and cutting or repotting you might think about what you you want to keep and work towards cutting down to that over time. There are some good opportunities to simplify.

You certainly can bring back some of those branch extensions to a new bud or an inner fork to concentrate the energy to what is left, but don’t be mega aggressive.

Looking forward to seeing your future posts.
Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Salcomine]

Thanks @Deep Sea Diver ! This is its 4th year in this pot so that works out good. I think I'll be keeping these 2 green branches and removing the rest since they seem to all come out of the same spot. Probably shoulda done it earlier since it's starting to get a bit of a buldge. I've removed most of the other branches coming out of the same area.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Definately part of a good long term styling idea, but likely not a good thing to do all at once. To produce the tree you want will take a number of years, so one needs to think in terms of directed reduction and desired interior response.

Consider leaving about 2/3 rd of the foliage each time a reduction is done.

So the question becomes how to to do this in a way to create back budding all over. A straightforward reduction as proposed will cause the remaining energy to shoot to the remaining apexes. There will be some backbudding, yet not as much as if you push in the growth throughout.

Perhaps think about remove one or two branches at the very most and push in otherwise?

Something to think about.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Shibui]

Mugho will back bud but mostly after pruning.
You could start with taking off about half of those redundant branches. I usually take one and skip one so the cuts can heal a bit before taking off the adjacent branch. Probably start out wit the strongest or longest ones first and hope that shocks the remainder into budding.
Any remaining branches can be shortened back to just a few needles each. That's when I usually get best back budding.
Next year or the year after take off the remaining redundant branches.

 

[sorce]

I'd want to see it with 3 or 5 long ass bits of new growth before cutting with certainty of backbuds.

Seems kinda....like it hasn't enjoyed that pot much.

Seems a straight walled pond basket would allow all that bowl undercut area to root free and gain you some vigour.

Sorce

 

[James W.]

I'm with @source on this. My experience has been that they will not backbud much until they are vigorous enough to push 4,5,8 candles per terminal in the spring.
I think I would trim a few branches. Fewer than 1/4 because more needles means quicker recovery. Then up-pot it a bit to let it grow and prosper. Check the Collected Vance Mugo resource for timing. If I remember correctly you should wait until your candles are fully extended, needles grown and hardened before doing a repot.