Mugo Pine Question

[walawelo]

Hello everyone, I got a few Mugo pines at very good price at a clearance and decided to sacrifice one to the gods of bonsai in the name of practical experience XD
Despite having a good horticultural background, when it comes to Bonsai I'm a total beginner with little practicial knowlege. I read in the art of bonsai that Mugo pines give out two flushs of growth if candles are pinched or pruned before they open into needles.
As you can see from the picture, the candles already opened and the tree is going through its transplant shock (shouldnt last more than two weeks if it behaves like a pine in the ground). My question is, should I pinch the candles to keep compact and get a second flush? or is it too much stress on already stressed out tree?
I live in south eastren europe its end of spring out here right now.

 

[Vance Wood]

You wont get a second flush of growth with a Mugo Pine, I would like to know your source of information because it is wrong. If you cut the candles/shoots by July you will be over whelmed with a bunch of new buds for spring.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Mugo pines are considered as single flush pines.
For myself, I’d just let that newbie grow for a year and decandle it next year. Let it get nice and strong as the transplant is too soon to work the tree IMO.
However anything is possible to do on a tree, you just might not like what happens.
Here’s a good video for when you do decide to decandle.

btw: I’m wondering what media you planted it in though?
Cheers and good luck!
DSD sends
PS: Please enter your location in your profile. Members use that as a reference so they n help you better.

 

[walawelo]

Thank you all for the great info, I must have misunderstood what I read. As for the planting media, you can't get bonsai mix, lava rock or pumice where I live and I couldnt even get perlite and varmiculte during lockdown so I concuted my own mix.
I had leca balls (Hydraton) from an old hydroponics project so I bashed them with hammer to make them turface size (in theory its same as turface just bigger and with more air in it), then I siffted the fine stuff out of some of my home made compost and added orchid bark (lock down so pine bark is hard to find ) I think ratio is 1/3 of each ingridient. I added a handful of mulch stones just to increase drainge (they are the white stuff). I know its in no way ideal and PH is reading different all over the pot but best way to learn is to try and fail.

 

[sorce]

art of bonsai

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce