Mugo Pine!!!

This is my first year attempting Mugo Pines. I bought three this spring from a couple local nurseries, this one being the third I bought and the smallest. The overall height from the top of the pot to the tip of the highest needle is 9 inches. At soil level the trunk is about 1.5 inches but when I raise the tree about an inch the root flare will give make the nebari about 2 inches.

I left all the branches I didn't want as long stubs to either be removed later all together or make a few jins. Funny I did the same thing on the other two trees which are much bigger and new growth emerged all over the stubs I left but it did not happen on this tree. It did however force a few new branches which I am going to save and might use them as new primary branches in the future and maybe the new apex.

I repotted it in the first week of July and is still doing great despite the 2 weeks of 90-100 weather.

What still needs to be done is a long list of things including growing out the new branches if I intend to use them and push growth back towards the trunk.

Just looking for some advice from people who love the Mugo (cough couch VANCE HELP!!)

Thanks in advance to anyone with some suggestions
Kevin
Here are some pictures:
FRONTFRONTRIGHTBACKLEFT

If this was mine here is what would go through my mind. First of all if you look at the area above the first branch needle scars are still visible. This means two things: One is that the tree is still fairly young and has been forced with a lot of fertilizer. Second is that is probably the cultivar Pumilia, which is a so-called dwarf but not an extreme dwarf. In your second photo I would consider the branch you have your hand on as being the extension of the trunk and removing the top of the tree down to that point. This of course means you are going to have to regrow everything from that one branch but it also means you are going to produce a great taper in a couple of years. There is another reason for doing this. The trunk above that point is too large to bend so it will constantly be a hindrance to you, plus it is cursed with a fairly large knuckle formation where a lot of vigorous branches emerged a year or so ago from the end of the branch that produce a number of strong buds in a circle around the trunk at that point. This too will be a major problem over time.

Over time I have come to the conclusion that unless the tree is small and will be allowed to grow substantially larger, a knuckle joint is best to be avoided and removed if possible. I used to think I could work around these things but, and except in the exception I mentioned earlier, a knuckle like you have here will haunt you like the smell from something dead you just don't seem to be able to locate and remove. It took me a lot of years to realize this. This tree is also of such a nature that it is likely to back bud on the trunk where you see the needle scars. Would I cut it now? If it were mine I would probably take the risk. If the tree dies I can only blame myself, if I suggest you should do this and the tree dies then it might be seen to be my fault.

The safe thing to do would be to wait another growing season and think about doing it about this time next year. Tree has nice potential in the trunk, the rest of the tree not so much above that branch you have you hand on in the second picture. This is the way I approach a lot of Mugo, this the way I started the Shohin Mugo that is the subject of an recently active string on this site. If you decide to go this rout make sure you leave a stub above the branch in discussion and do nothing more to the tree this year.

Thanks Vance!!
I am not going to wait to cut the top off. I pruned the other branches off a couple months ago and repotted it July 8th and the tree has pushed out quite a bit of new growth since then. Not saying the pruning and repot didn't stress the tree at all. I know it did but it seems the tree has a lot of strength left in it so why not take advantage. And even though I would hate to loose it, it only cost me $8.99 and the time searching through about 100 trees. Lucky me they have 2 more rows of them and they will be going on sale soon I'm sure

Now when I cut it, leave a stub as I have with all the other branches but how long of a stub? From the branch I was holding to the knuckle is only about 3/4 of an inch. And that's if I cut right on the knuckle. Will that be ok or should I cut above the knuckle and then cut it again a year from now?

Also, I know there isn't much to judge on this pine since I don't have a before picture and it's so small (shohin is the reason I bought this tree) but is there anything I did wrong that you can tell or is there anything you would have done differently?

Thanks again Vance!

I would cut right below the knuckle right above the branch you are holding in Photo #2. As to you doing anything wrong? No, not that I can see. Make sure you leave those bottom branches for now. It's easy to remove, impossible to restore---most of the time. When you get back budding on the trunk and you probably will, be careful they are fragile and easy to break off. You give yourself more options with more branches. Another important thing to remember, if you can develop small branches you will have a more believable structure than you would with larger thicker branches developed from existing branches.

Thanks for the guidance Vance!! I will do so and lets hope next year there is a follow up picture of this tree.