The Vance Wood Memorial Mugo 4yr. Contest

[cishepard]

The contest is now official (thanks @Bonsai Nut ) and you can start posting your individual threads!

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I bought a nursery Mugo (my first) last week and on my way out grabbed another from the discount shelf. Unfortunately the latter turned out to be about eight plants bunched together so not much potential there yet but I'll have a closer look at both tomorrow and see what I've got.

When I buy a mugo I always dig down to see if there is one trunk. Sometimes it looks like multiple trunks but there is one main trunk down deep. I suppose it’s not the best nursery etiquette, but I don’t think it damages the trees for people just putting them in their yards.

 

[Fonz]

I have a nursery stock mugo in the ground for 3 years. Will digg it out to enter this contest and honour Vance (I hope).

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I have a nursery stock mugo in the ground for 3 years. Will digg it out to enter this contest and honour Vance (I hope).

Not to be rude but the rules of the contest specifically say you can’t do what you are planning.

“It does not matter when you purchase the tree, as long as it is still in a nursery can”

But that only applies if you are wanting to compete.

 

[PaulC]

When I buy a mugo I always dig down to see if there is one trunk. Sometimes it looks like multiple trunks but there is one main trunk down deep. I suppose it’s not the best nursery etiquette, but I don’t think it damages the trees for people just putting them in their yards.

On the upside I now have eight Mugo, albeit small ones, for less than a pound each.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I bought one today and it feels like it has a good sized trunk, but it’s so dense I don’t know for sure either. It’s a true dwarf verity and it’s fairly big for how slow they grow so I rolled the dice. I’ll buy a few more just to be sure come repot time in July I’m not without any good material.

 

[Fonz]

Not to be rude but the rules of the contest specifically say you can’t do what you are planning.

“It does not matter when you purchase the tree, as long as it is still in a nursery can”

But that only applies if you are wanting to compete.

You're right, I can put it in a nursery container again
j/k I'll just dig it up and post the progress here but I won't enter the competition.

The tree was in a nursery container 3 years ago btw

 

[Jcmmaple]

Count me in, I need practice on pines anyway.

 

[karen82]

Are bareroot mugos allowed? One place mentioned 'nursery cans' but would a nursery grown (not for bonsai) bareroot mugo be ok? Just asking because it's hard to find mugos here, most nurseries don't even open for the season for another few weeks - but it is the right time of year to get them as bareroot trees.

 

[cishepard]

Are bareroot mugos allowed? One place mentioned 'nursery cans' but would a nursery grown (not for bonsai) bareroot mugo be ok? Just asking because it's hard to find mugos here, most nurseries don't even open for the season for another few weeks - but it is the right time of year to get them as bareroot trees.

Unfortunately barerootiing does not follow Vances’ protocoi. In the tutorial, he states that a Mugo should never be bare rooted and there are specific instructions on how to treat a potted tree from the nursery. To keep the contest clean and on a level playing field, it will have to be a tree in a nursery can. Sorry.

 

[cishepard]

Also @karen82, you can wait until you get a better selection at the nursery… there is no timeline to enter, just start a new thread in this forum area when you have found a good candidate.

 

[karen82]

Unfortunately barerootiing does not follow Vances’ protocoi. In the tutorial, he states that a Mugo should never be bare rooted and there are specific instructions on how to treat a potted tree from the nursery. To keep the contest clean and on a level playing field, it will have to be a tree in a nursery can. Sorry.

Thanks. It just seemed more practical than shipping a whole nursery can but I will look for a different mugo. They must be able to survive it though, or the bareroot nurseries wouldn't sell them.

 

[Mad Tabby]

A great suggestion from @FreshAirSinshine in honour of the legendary Vance Wood:

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/the-passing-of-a-formative-bonsai-artist-vance-wood.63779/


Let’s do a 4 year Mugo Pine from nursery stock, using Vances’ methods as outlined in this tutorial:

https://www.bonsainut.com/resources/compiled-vance-wood-on-mugo-pines.23/

Please read or re-read the tutorial to familiarize yourself with Vance’s techniques. The contest will start now with the selection of new nursery material, to make the playing field even and end in 4 years (Spring of 2028).

Please start a new thread for each your trees with the words “Vance Wood Mugo Contest” in the title. Multiple entries from one person are allowed.

The rules of the contest are simple:

1. Purchase one or more commercial nursery stock Mugo Pine (not one already trained as a pre-bonsai). The tutorial has advice on selection. It does not matter when you purchase the tree, as long as it is still in a nursery can and has had no work done to it prior to the start of the contest.
2. Follow the Vance Wood 4 year plan for repotting, pruning and wiring as outlined in the tutorial.
3. Post an update twice a year with an explanation of what steps you have taken with your tree, and when.
4. Voting will be done by poll at the end of the contest, with 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and honourable mentions. If anyone wants to donate prizes in honour of Vance, please let us know.

If these terms are acceptable, I will get the thread changed into a contest forum and we are off!

Why not? 4 years? Our nurseries don’t open until May though.

 

[cishepard]

Why not? 4 years? Our nurseries don’t open until May though.

You can join in the contest anytime, once you have purchased your tree.

 

[Russ1]

Thanks. It just seemed more practical than shipping a whole nursery can but I will look for a different mugo. They must be able to survive it though, or the bareroot nurseries wouldn't sell them.

I have been Bare Rooting and taking probably way too much root off my Mugos for over 30 years, never had an issue except when I re-potted too late in my neck of the woods, 3rd week in April, and got and unexpected heat wave that took one out. Other than that they don't seem to skip a beat. Now I re-pot Mid March to 2nd week in April at the latest.
That being said it's not Vance's protocol.
Mugos are strong.

 

[RobbiePizz]

I'm going to find a mugo pine this week. Excited for my first contest!

 

[takira]

Got my wee one-gallon mugo today! There were some in 5 gal containers that flirted with me a bit but I managed to resist so far. Is it possible to work on multiple trees for the same contest?

 

[RJG2]

Got my wee one-gallon mugo today! There were some in 5 gal containers that flirted with me a bit but I managed to resist so far. Is it possible to work on multiple trees for the same contest?

1. Purchase one or more commercial nursery stock Mugo Pine (not one already trained as a pre-bonsai). The tutorial has advice on selection. It does not matter when you purchase the tree, as long as it is still in a nursery can and has had no work done to it prior to the start of the contest.

 

[JeffS73]

You're right, I can put it in a nursery container again
j/k I'll just dig it up and post the progress here but I won't enter the competition.

The tree was in a nursery container 3 years ago btw

You and I are in a similar situation Fonz, so I'll go ahead and we can form the Vance Wood 4yr Appreciation Splinter Group

 

[TrevorLarsen]

You and I are in a similar situation Fonz, so I'll go ahead and we can form the Vance Wood 4yr Appreciation Splinter Group

I’m in the same boat too. I had 3 Mugos but now for the contest I bought 4 more so now I have 7. Not sure what I will do with them all, but they seem to thrive in my climate much more than JBP so I’m happy.