Mugo Pine from nursery stock in autumn (North West EU)

[Storm87]

Hello all,

Just bought a Mugo Pine (winter gold) form a nursery stock near me. It's my first. I bought is because of the nice bend in the trunk. No idea of this was a good buy, but i'll give it a shot. All though I know it's autumn, I was wondering what work can be done on the tree at this point, which will benefit the development of the tree coming season.

I already removed some of the top soil to expose the nebari, I hope no harm wil be done to the tree.

- Can branch pruning be done?
- Can I prune away some last seasons' growth to bring the tree in shape?
- Is it wise to start wiring?

Greeting,

Storm

 

[Adair M]

You’re lucky! Where you live, they grow Mugo nursery stock to resemble trees! In the US, the commercial growers grow them to be used as hedges.

Yes, fall is a good time to do some styling.

 

[Storm87]

Adair, thx for the fast reply. I was hoping for this answer. As you can imagine I'm eager to get my hand on this tree.

So, if I prune some branches back in their old growth and leave old needles I'll get backbuds next spring?

 

[Storm87]

Hi all,

Got another question regarding my Mugo form nursery stock.
Can I prune branches back in their old growth and leave old needles so I'll get backbuds next spring? Or schould I wait untill late winter/early spring? (see picture).

Cheers

 

[0soyoung]

if I prune some branches back in their old growth and leave old needles I'll get backbuds next spring?

Some.
It will be much more effective in stimulating back budding if you do this in the summer (i.e., between the summer solstice and the fall equinox, August, say).

 

[M. Frary]

Wait until late early spring to cut back new shoots to promote back budding.
If you do it now you're wasting prime backbudding time. What you'll get are maybe a few buds.

 

[cbroad]

@Storm87
I'm no good with mugos or pines in general but here's a link that should help you tremendously: GOLD MINE

 

[Potawatomi13]

Great Mugo lower trunk/branch structure.

 

[Storm87]

Great Mugo lower trunk/branch structure.

Thx I'm quit new to bonsai so I hope I don't waste this piece of material.

@Storm87
I'm no good with mugos or pines in general but here's a link that should help you tremendously: GOLD MINE

That's a great tutorial and I already used it extensively, but because I'm unexperienced I guess at some points I need a little bit more clarification. Luckily people here are very helpful.

Wait until late early spring to cut back new shoots to promote back budding.
If you do it now you're wasting prime backbudding time. What you'll get are maybe a few buds.

Thx for your advice. I'll wait until late winter / early spring for pruning back those branches.

As for now, I did some structural wiring and I removed some branches I don't need. I also cut off the top of the tree. I think I removed no more than 50% of the foliage. I placed the tree in the shade and protected from wind.

So far so good?

 

[Vance Wood]

Adair, thx for the fast reply. I was hoping for this answer. As you can imagine I'm eager to get my hand on this tree.

So, if I prune some branches back in their old growth and leave old needles I'll get backbuds next spring?

You could prune for style at this point but don't try to cut in order to produce remification/back budding. You may get back budding by cutting back to old needles but if you do not have visible buds at those points when you do this you may lose the branch. It is always best to wait till the tree is in active growth before doing anything this severe. You would do best to wait till spring before doing much of anything. I am also thinking that because you have a named cultivar the tree is most likely grafted to a Scots Pine base. I know that grafting Mugos seems to be a major cultivation procedure in Europe. Grafted trees often do not perform in the same way non grafted trees respond.

 

[Storm87]

Thanks for all the advice. As for now I'll let the tree be until spring. I did the work what can be done at this point in time. Let's hope for some buds coming growing season, because the tree can use some extra ramifications.

 

[Storm87]

You could prune for style at this point but don't try to cut in order to produce remification/back budding. You may get back budding by cutting back to old needles but if you do not have visible buds at those points when you do this you may lose the branch. It is always best to wait till the tree is in active growth before doing anything this severe. You would do best to wait till spring before doing much of anything. I am also thinking that because you have a named cultivar the tree is most likely grafted to a Scots Pine base. I know that grafting Mugos seems to be a major cultivation procedure in Europe. Grafted trees often do not perform in the same way non grafted trees respond.

An other question; this time about repotting. The tree is now still in its nursery stock container. Should I leave it in there for now, or should I move it to an (lager) other container with different soil? Of course without disturbing the roots at this point. Im not sure if the current soil has enough drainage.

 

[Tentakelaertje]

Hey Storm, where in NL are you? One thing that helped me immensely was going to workshops and shows, maybe that would be an option for you too?

If your mugo would be mine I'd leave it be until spring or so, when it can be repotted. It could also be repotted in summer, which is a thing a lot of people do here on Bonsainut, so there's a couple of options there. I wouldn't touch it now anyway tbh, there's a couple of very cold weeks coming up according to the news, so probably better to wait until it's warming up a bit again.

The first Saturday of January Bonsai Cafe hosts a free bonsai day near Rotterdam. It's at TJ Klein's place, Deshima Bonsai. A lot of people with a lot of knowledge will be there, so all of your questions can probably be answered there!

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

It will get through winter, like it has done for a few years already.
Repotting in spring works for mugo's in our country, but summer works as well.


If you're worried about drainage, take it out of the pot and put a layer of clay pellets (sold as kleikorrels for a few euros) on the bottom before placing the tree back in the pot. This should keep the bottom open enough until spring. But again, it should survive even without that kind of stuff.

 

[Vance Wood]

If you are seriously worried about the drainage you can get a long drill bit at 1/8 " in diameter, 1 to 2 mm? and run the bit down through the vertical column of the soil mass in as many places as ten locations around the area of the soil ball. This will help ariate the soil.

 

[AlainK]

I know that grafting Mugos seems to be a major cultivation procedure in Europe. Grafted trees often do not perform in the same way non grafted trees respond.

Never heard of/seen that.

Mugo pine is a native species here, most of ( all of) those we can see in exhibitions are not grafted. The only one I have (a sub-species, or a cultivar) is not grafted.

And neither of those I saw in garden centers, nurseries, or bonsai nurseries were.

Might be because I only attend plant-fairs, exhibitions, "open doors", where good professionals are, or maybe because I only see what's worth seeing

There's a plant fair close to where I work, not so far where I live, the coming weekend. I'll check

 

[petegreg]

Yeah, Alain, it's a truth here. When I want to buy a plain species mugo I go to the Arboretum. They have a lot of seed grown material, but I've never been able or allowed to get behind the curtains there. One day I take the best tree I can and a week later they have some better available. They must be hidden somewhere in a grow area or what. When the offered ones are sold they fill a gap...

Many, many grafted cultivars offered by nurseries and growers here, seed grown trees are in minority.

 

[Storm87]

I'll drill some small holes in the container just to be on the save side. I already kept it sheltered from the rain last weeks allowing the soil to dry a bit.
At this point does repotting has priority over pruning back branches to stimulate backbudding (see my post on 30th of October)? I would guess so. However can for example, pruning back branches in late winter / early spring and repotting in summer be done in one season since it's a mungo from nursery stock?

Hey Storm, where in NL are you?

Jep! from the Netherlands. I'll note the bonsai day in my agenda. Since I'm fairly new to the world of bonsai I guess I'll learn something there

 

[defra]

Welcome to bnut fellow dutchman!
Your mugo will do fine troughout winter!
Ill be going to the exhibition in januari too !

 

[Storm87]

Thanks for all the advice. As for now I'll let the tree be until spring. I did the work what can be done at this point in time. Let's hope for some buds coming growing season, because the tree can use some extra ramifications.

Hi all, getting back to one of my first questions about producing remification/back budding. If I'm correct this time of year is ideal to prune in order to get back buds (or should I wait a bit more?). Looking at the attached picture, would de pink line be where to make the cut?

Thx in advance!