Mugo pine monthly care schedule

[DhD47]

Thanks guys. I totally understand and will do what I can to be sure any work I do to a tree is not just based on a schedule. I guess it was my bad as I was assuming my questions were vases on best case for timing. I was asking if I prune now will it be ok to root prune later the same year. I ask this so I can decide if I would want to prune the tree or not if I was not able to root prune later. If so I can do some trees each way and see if there is a difference on what is pruned first. And I know there is no way to say for sure because each tree is different.

I will keep all posted on what I do and be sure to get opinions on trees if they don't seem bealthy to me.

Hope I'm not to confusing with my post.

Dave

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I want to follow "Vance Wood's on Mugo" advice in the second post of this thread. The problem I'm having is I have no idea how old mine is. IDK if I should be following the EVERY YEAR FOR 3 YEARS advice or the "after the fourth year" advice. I did a lot of searching about age, without much luck (I did find this 7yr old thread ) so I thought I'd ask the experienced group here.



If I had to guess I'd say it's over four years, but I have no clue.
I got it at a Bonsai nursery for $5 (I had a coupon for $10 off)

 

[coltranem]

The advice on the mugo pine schedule has more to do with years on that particular schedule not the age of the tree. So if you got brand new nursery material you are in year one regardless of the trees age.

Looking at your tree it has a lot of new candles extending. Ideally you would have removed the ones you didn't want sooner. I am no expert in mugo but at this point I'd let them all extend and the needles harden and then do some selective cuts at that point based on where you see this tree going.

 

[Vance Wood]

At this point I would seriously consider removing the entire left hand side of the tree leaving a stub and start developing the tree from the single trunk remaining, the right side trunk. As to the removing of the left large branch/trunk it might be safer to do this over two seasons. If you decide to do this you should remove the growth on the left hand trunk first then cut back the thick part of it the following year. The tree is probably three years old but this makes no difference, it wouldn't matter if it was over ten. You have to get control of the tree, decide where you want it to go and take it there.

 

[sorce]

I want to follow "Vance Wood's on Mugo" advice in the second post of this thread. The problem I'm having is I have no idea how old mine is. IDK if I should be following the EVERY YEAR FOR 3 YEARS advice or the "after the fourth year" advice. I did a lot of searching about age, without much luck (I did find this 7yr old thread ) so I thought I'd ask the experienced group here.

View attachment 436100

If I had to guess I'd say it's over four years, but I have no clue.
I got it at a Bonsai nursery for $5 (I had a coupon for $10 off)

I'd like @MSU JBoots to peep this. Don't know how much that JBP cost...and this is a bit exaggerated edition of the Mugo dopeness, plus a coupon, but I'd expect you can find starts like this. Options, worry free, probably won't never die, options!

A coupon! Still can't get over that! Mad steals!

Sorce

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

The advice on the mugo pine schedule has more to do with years on that particular schedule not the age of the tree. So if you got brand new nursery material you are in year one regardless of the trees age.

Looking at your tree it has a lot of new candles extending. Ideally you would have removed the ones you didn't want sooner. I am no expert in mugo but at this point I'd let them all extend and the needles harden and then do some selective cuts at that point based on where you see this tree going.

Whoa, I misunderstood the tree age concept big time! It makes more sense now that you have me on the right track. Based on reading the second post in this thread with this advice...

EVERY YEAR FOR 3 YEARS:
• Cutting back this year’s new growth (extended candles) in July.
• Can repot in July, but not root prune.
• Bud selection in early fall.

I was waiting until July to cut back the candles. Seems like everyone is saying it's too late. Now, I'm confused, and with my primordial noobness, & poor reading comprehension the room is starting to spin.

At this point I would seriously consider removing the entire left hand side of the tree leaving a stub and start developing the tree from the single trunk remaining, the right side trunk. As to the removing of the left large branch/trunk it might be safer to do this over two seasons. If you decide to do this you should remove the growth on the left hand trunk first then cut back the thick part of it the following year. The tree is probably three years old but this makes no difference, it wouldn't matter if it was over ten. You have to get control of the tree, decide where you want it to go and take it there.

Thanks for the advice, but I actually picked this tree because it looks like a Tree from the Island of Misfit Bonsai. All the other Mugos looked way too normal for me, I'm planning on going non-traditional styling. Am I able to de-candle now or should I wait until July?

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I'd like @MSU JBoots to peep this. Don't know how much that JBP cost...and this is a bit exaggerated edition of the Mugo dopeness, plus a coupon, but I'd expect you can find starts like this. Options, worry free, probably won't never die, options!

A coupon! Still can't get over that! Mad steals!

Sorce

Are you implying my Mugo is a Black Pine? I'm neck deep in crazy and digging deeper. And you summoned a Spartan!



The place I bought this at is billed as Michigan's Largest Bonsai Nursery, and it's 15min from my house. Wish me luck.

 

[sorce]

Are you implying my Mugo is a Black Pine? I'm neck deep in crazy and digging deeper. And you summoned a Spartan!

View attachment 436408

The place I bought this at is billed as Michigan's Largest Bonsai Nursery, and it's 15min from my house. Wish me luck.

Nah, he got a Black Pine.

(Kicked into the pit)

Sorce

 

[coltranem]

Whoa, I misunderstood the tree age concept big time! It makes more sense now that you have me on the right track. Based on reading the second post in this thread with this advice...

EVERY YEAR FOR 3 YEARS:
• Cutting back this year’s new growth (extended candles) in July.
• Can repot in July, but not root prune.
• Bud selection in early fall.

I was waiting until July to cut back the candles. Seems like everyone is saying it's too late. Now, I'm confused, and with my primordial noobness, & poor reading comprehension the room is starting to spin.

So what I meant is some of those candles should have been removed last fall when they were buds. July is the time to cut back extended candles which is after the needles have matured. This is different from what people call decandling. Declandling is removing candles before the needles fully formed. Decandling is reserved for multiflush pines which a mugo is not.

I don't know what an island of misfit bonsai tree is but I'd take Vance's advice.