Mugo pine ideas

[Paul G]

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been debating what to do with this mugo. I bought it on a whim last fall with a bunch of heavily discounted stock at my local nursery. The others turned out great once I began to work them, but this one is a different story…as you can see by the huge knuckle from which all the branches emerge. I’ve read that mugos are prone to knuckling, but I’m stumped on how to proceed. Is there anything here, or should I cut my losses ($10) and consider it a landscape shrub? Advice, virts and scolding all welcome

Paul

 

[Djtommy]

Looks not easy one, did you consider groundlayer and make it a multitrunk?
Grtz

 

[Paul G]

Looks not easy one, did you consider groundlayer and make it a multitrunk?
Grtz

I hadn't, but that sounds pretty good. Thanks!

 

[Joedes3]

Don't anything until Vance chimes in. He is the resident expert on mugo.
Joedes

 

[garywood]

Paul, this is one of those that is in Never, Never Land. To Pot or not to Pot. If you are confident in your watering practices you can concentrate this year on bud development. If you are unsure of your watering practices then this year would be a good time to do root work in a more suitable bonsai soil. Either way is going to be a year of heavy feeding and not much else. Sooner or later root work must be done but root work slows top growth so it's a damn if you do or damn if you don't Pick your poison and don't look back

 

[Vance Wood]

I don't think it a loss not even for $10.00. It is true you have a knuckle at the top with all of the branching coming from it. You can reduce down the number of branches coming from this point down to no more than four and do not allow one of the remaining to go straight up. Once the tree buds out this next spring allow the new growth to extend till July then cut it back to its point of spring origin.

Unless you suspect the tree is really root bound there is no need to do any potting this year. You need to get a collander of some size to take the tree that is wider than it is deep or make a wooden screen sided box that provides you with the dimensions for next year.

 

[Paul G]

I don't think it a loss not even for $10.00. It is true you have a knuckle at the top with all of the branching coming from it. You can reduce down the number of branches coming from this point down to no more than four and do not allow one of the remaining to go straight up. Once the tree buds out this next spring allow the new growth to extend till July then cut it back to its point of spring origin.

Unless you suspect the tree is really root bound there is no need to do any potting this year. You need to get a collander of some size to take the tree that is wider than it is deep or make a wooden screen sided box that provides you with the dimensions for next year.

Thanks for the advice, Vance. Based on the other trees I bought with this one, I suspect the roots are pretty far along but not yet bound. I'll try a colander like you suggest and let it grow for a year.

As far as the four branches are concerned, I follow you on the cutting back, but what should my overall shaping plan be if none of them are pointing up? Will I be growing an apex at some point in the future after the tree has developed a bit?

One more question: do you recommend wiring the four remaining branches, or should I leave them be for now?

 

[Vance Wood]

Thanks for the advice, Vance. Based on the other trees I bought with this one, I suspect the roots are pretty far along but not yet bound. I'll try a colander like you suggest and let it grow for a year.

As far as the four branches are concerned, I follow you on the cutting back, but what should my overall shaping plan be if none of them are pointing up? Will I be growing an apex at some point in the future after the tree has developed a bit?

One more question: do you recommend wiring the four remaining branches, or should I leave them be for now?

Let's wait till next spring when things start growing.

 

[stosh]

Don't mean to take over this thread. But I would like to know Can a Mugo pine take being left outside in the( single digit temp, wind, sun) winter elements?

 

[Vance Wood]

Don't mean to take over this thread. But I would like to know Can a Mugo pine take being left outside in the( single digit temp, wind, sun) winter elements?

Yes---as long as it gets some shelter from the wind and is out of the sun. Put the tree on the ground along a wall or in amongst some bushes and kind of rake some bark or leaves in around the pot works really well. However just setting it down along a wall will work well as long as it is not West facing.

 

[stosh]

Does that go for all pines?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Does that go for all pines?

Absolutely not. Research USDA Zone hardiness for your specific variety of pine, some have relatively little cold tolerance.

 

[Vance Wood]

Absolutely not. Research USDA Zone hardiness for your specific variety of pine, some have relatively little cold tolerance.

That is absolutely true, there are Pines popular in bonsai that do not do well in very cold climates like here in Michigan the last couple of years especially. We had -1 below zero last night and temperatures with highs in the single digits for nearly a week and there looks to be no relief in sight.

 

[M. Frary]

That is absolutely true, there are Pines popular in bonsai that do not do well in very cold climates like here in Michigan the last couple of years especially. We had -1 below zero last night and temperatures with highs in the single digits for nearly a week and there looks to be no relief in sight.

Fine for the Mugos and scotch pines though.

 

[Vance Wood]

Fine for the Mugos and scotch pines though.

Yes Scots and Mugo seem to do fine. I have even kept them out totally exposed. I do not recommend this as a rule, especially if the tree is in need of repotting, a bit of a wind break is preferable to the blast of arctic wind. This winter is starting to look like it is going to be brutal like last winter but without the record levels of snow. This could be worse. Snow acts as an insulation.

 

[Paul G]

I don't think it a loss not even for $10.00. It is true you have a knuckle at the top with all of the branching coming from it. You can reduce down the number of branches coming from this point down to no more than four and do not allow one of the remaining to go straight up. Once the tree buds out this next spring allow the new growth to extend till July then cut it back to its point of spring origin.

Unless you suspect the tree is really root bound there is no need to do any potting this year. You need to get a collander of some size to take the tree that is wider than it is deep or make a wooden screen sided box that provides you with the dimensions for next year.

Alright Vance, I'm following your lead. I'll post another pic and bug you for more wisdom later in the spring once I have it in a colander. Thanks again.