All aboard the Mugo train!

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I have waited until after the summer solstice to do all my pruning. If you pruned last year, and it was dormant all winter, there really have not been many months of growing season since the last time it was pruned. So myself, I would wait. The tree looks healthy enough, it is up to you whether you wait or not. I would wait.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

I received this dwarf mugo as a gift in 2017 (I think), I'm pretty sure it's a "Valley Cushion." I also got this pot, so I potted it up and let it grow, trimming and wiring in late summer. I didn't like the boring s-curve it came with so I wired it. But it really needs a grow pot and some development, so it went into a terra cotta pot this spring:



Now it has a new front and an interesting bend. Downwards growing branches will be trimmed later this year. Trimming long shoots has produced back buds with tiny 1/8" needles:



After I potted it in the bonsai pot and heavily fertilized, 5 buds appeared low on the trunk. I've kept 3 of them to thicken the base. My plan is to let most of the tree grow out for at least a few years, except the primary branch which will be kept tight. The tree will be a shohin, it's now 6" high and 10" wide. It needs lots of development, but it's a fun project.

 

[sorce]

Nothing to something.
Lame to game.

Sorce

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

Nothing to something.
Lame to game.

Sorce

Thanks! More tight bends to come when I rewire.

 

[MorddexxBonsai]

Just grabbed my first 2 of these from lowes saw them on the way in for $22 and couldn't resist.

 

[BuckeyeOne]

Just grabbed my first 2 of these from lowes saw them on the way in for $22 and couldn't resist.

Nice find!!

 

[DirkvanDreven]

Update on my mugo from my mother in law''s garden.

 

[Lazylightningny]

View attachment 289584View attachment 289585
First post here, but this is my Mugo (Pumilio) that I got as nursery stock last summer when I got bitten by the bonsai bug. Being new I did pretty much everything wrong. I bought a tree that’s outside of my zone, I almost completely bare rooted it, and I cut off branches without leaving a stub. Somehow it’s still alive, and seems fairly healthy, it even looks like it’s backbudding. Hopefully it continues to live and I can get some ramification going.

that's a damn good job for a newbie

 

[Bonsaidoorguy]

Last year I was at one of the big box stores and of course I had to look at the plants. When I looked at the base of this guy I just grabbed it. Took it home, cleaned up the bottom and the top, then pruned a few long straight branches. Oh, I stuck that rock under it. The space was there, I had a rock, it fits. It sat over the winter and I'm really happy with all the back budding. My question is, should I eliminate the existing branches and regrow all new branches?

 

[sorce]

eliminate the existing branches and regrow all new branches?

I reckon in time. Few years.

I would remove all but the top 2 of those buds for now.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

That MotoMugo.



Got its head cut off.


And a trimmin.

Sorce

 

[August44]

You done went a little crazy there Mr. sorce. Do you have a funeral plan for this guy picked out?

 

[sorce]

Do you have a funeral plan for this guy picked out?

I took one back to something like 2 of those secondary branches once.

This one might not even go huge needle on me!

Sorce

 

[Lazylightningny]

That MotoMugo.

View attachment 293705View attachment 293706

Got its head cut off.
View attachment 293707View attachment 293708View attachment 293709

And a trimmin.

Sorce

Nice. A future sumo?

 

[sorce]

Nice. A future sumo?

I want to drop the left branch at potting and scade it.

@Peter44 I guess it's already been 2 growing season since I beheaded this one that went huge needle.


It's got tweener size needles now from last season. This year it would have been smaller but....

No more! Huge needle? I reckon, we'll see.

And the pile grows.


Still need one to go, maybe the left. But not soon.

Sorce

 

[August44]

You're brutal. According to all the rules on Mugos, I don't know how you get away with that. Enlighten me pls. I know what your going to type in here...IDC!

 

[sorce]

You're brutal. According to all the rules on Mugos, I don't know how you get away with that. Enlighten me pls. I know what your going to type in here...IDC!

I feel like they can survive with just one terminal bud left anywhere.
This one has nine or so.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

One of my depots has single trunk mugos from BC.



Straight up different growth.

Worth buying all em I reckon.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Mike, Coming up to the 5 year Anniversary of the old train!

Here's my Cascader hit hard after 2 seasons in a basket unrestrained.



Sorce

 

[Japonicus]

my 1st mugho




Then the clump I separated July 2018 sporting 1,2 and one 3 way buds.


I could make this single 3 way apical bud the final apex but not sure on that main trunk selection yet.




This is the other "half" of the 2018 division. Gotta give that 1st branch a good 75º clockwise rotation or more.
Shape is pit near perfect match to my 1st Mugho back whenever I got it in the same sized 1 gallon nursery can these came in.
I only have these 3 and am enjoying them hanging out on my deck or bench. They don't ask for much...