1yr old Pinus Mugo Pumilio - Help!

[JamesBondsai]

Please help

Hello all, I'm very new to the world of Bonsai and have been growing a Pinus Mugo Pumilio from the seed. I've got a 1yr old seedling and I'm looking for guidance.
(I'm located in Southern England, for seasonal reference).

I planted it towards the end of Autumn 2020
and simulated winter, indoors via the use of
my fridge so the seed could germinate for the better part of the Winter season.

After taking it out and giving it a drop of water every two days during spring, it began to sprout to my surprise!

(I actually had two of these growing, one died due to overwatering/roots had damp rot I believe).

It's now mid December and I've just repotted and ever so slightly trimmed back the roots, whilst breaking down some of the clumpy soil so the water would drain better.

I feel I've definitely missed a few steps, i/e - decandling, or cutting the bud back or whatever, but as I'm new to this I'm not really sure.. and even more so not sure what my next steps should be.

As you can see in the photos below, it's wet (won't water it for a while now I reckon, and some of the needles have died/turned brown.

It's usually kept on a South facing windowsill, with part of the windowframe blocking it so it's not under direct sunlight for the entirety of the day. (Not kept on the living room floor haha).

May I please get some advise on next steps, as I'd love to keep this Bonsai healthy and help it grow.

(Edit: the wooden stick I've put in to support it for the first year or so. Also, it had a few slow release fertiliser pellets in the soil, and I use a small amount of miraclegrow in a water spray bottle to give it the odd spray here and there. + Sharpie pen for size reference).


Many thanks,

JamesBondsai (Harry)

 

[sorce]

Don't be an octopussy, put it outside!

Welcome to Crazy!

Eh .. probably not now, but the next one!

Sorce

 

[win320]

too much water may change the media for the next batch. (perlite 50% and 50% peat)

In my opinion, you can save it by the seedling cutting method, but it may be an advanced step.



Root cutting



After 30 days :

 

[win320]

of course for the above process, you need to do it when it is Spring/early summer or you have the control on humidity, temperature and light control.

 

[M. Frary]

Once you get it used to being outside let it grow unhindered for a whole year.
Then maybe impart some movement into the trunk.
There used to be a thread called the mugo train here.
Plus the best mugo information from the best mugo guy on the planet. Vance Wood.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

All pines are best as outdoor trees. Mugo is no exception. Mugo is capable of surviving -40 C in winter. Mugo grown indoors will usually end up with weak stems, needing support, and will be irregular or at some point stop opening new buds. All pines need full sun, or near full sun. A single pane of glass will block 30% of incident light. Insulated glass may cut out as much as 70% of sunlight.

Modern high tech grow light systems developed for raising marijuana can solve the light issue, but there is still the issues of temperatures. Pines need a day-night temperature differential in order to accumulate sugars for growth. Night should be 10 C or 20 F cooler than daytime to aid metabolism.

Seedling pines will tolerate less than ideal conditions, but as they grow the need to put them outdoors increases. Usually by the 3rd year they really need to be outdoors year round.

The only conifer I can think of that will tolerate indoor horticulture is Juniperus procumbens, the procumbens juniper. It is a full sun requiring juniper, but it tolerates (not necessarily thrives) some shade. Also procumbens juniper will tolerate lack of winter cold. But grown indoors juniper procumbens will still be prone to weak, floppy growth, etiolation is the technical term. But some people with good light set ups are able to keep procumbens relatively healthy.

Check the list of species recommended by Meehan's Miniatures for indoor culture. These are the sorts of trees that do better with indoor culture.

Meehan’s Miniatures - Rare, Miniature, Bonsai, and Starter Plant Materials

We grow, train, and cultivate finished bonsai materials, bonsai starter plant materials and accent plants.

www.meehansminiatures.com

 

[AJL]

of course for the above process, you need to do it when it is Spring/early summer or you have the control on humidity, temperature and light control.

JamesBondsai​

only has the one seedling to experiment with so do you really think this is advisable?!!!

 

[win320]

@AJL
In my opinion that one seedling is dying and the only way to save it is by seedling cutting in my opinion.
I take back my comments if others feel the seedling is thriving.

 

[JamesBondsai]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the replies! I'm leaning now towards putting it outside. Am I too late to be putting it outside? And if I do, is now a right time?

 

[Crazy Diamond]

That substrate seems too organic for a pine, they dont like to be wet all the time

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

It takes at least 45 days to change the metabolism to be adapted to less than freezing temperatures. It is a little late, but could be done. Put it outside when temps are above freezing. For the next 4 weeks if temps are above 0 C leave it out all night. Bring it into an unheated porch or garage or shed or a refrigerator on the nights that outside drop well below freezing. Keep between 0 C and +4 C while trying to get it to adapt to cold weather. After 4 weeks start letting it experience temps down to -5 C. On nights colder than -5 C, put it in refrigerator to keep it below +4 C, but protect from serious freezing. After about 6 weeks of acclimation, you should be able to allow the tree to experience full deep winter freezes.

 

[JamesBondsai]

It takes at least 45 days to change the metabolism to be adapted to less than freezing temperatures. It is a little late, but could be done. Put it outside when temps are above freezing. For the next 4 weeks if temps are above 0 C leave it out all night. Bring it into an unheated porch or garage or shed or a refrigerator on the nights that outside drop well below freezing. Keep between 0 C and +4 C while trying to get it to adapt to cold weather. After 4 weeks start letting it experience temps down to -5 C. On nights colder than -5 C, put it in refrigerator to keep it below +4 C, but protect from serious freezing. After about 6 weeks of acclimation, you should be able to allow the tree to experience full deep winter freezes.

Hi Leo,

This is brilliant information thank you so much! Luckily here in England our winter nighttime temperatures aren't tooo bad around December/Early January and only start to really drop below 0 celcius closer to February. So I could probably go ahead with planting it outside for a little while now


Thank you again, I'll give it a go and update this thread with an update sometime in the new year!