Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
Ah OK, I thought it had just been repotted
All aboard the Mugo train!
- Thread starter M. Frary
- Start date
Ah OK, I thought it had just been repotted
Pine_nut
Mame
I am new to bonsai (under a year) so there are some more seasoned people here who may be able to answer better than I can. I know there are some who like to wash all of the clay soil away but I know it’s not good to bare root a Mugo.
The way I understand it is that the bad soil should be replaced over the course of a few repottings, not all at once. I’ve noticed on one of my other pines (not Mugo) that had the same clay root ball, after I repotted it, the clay soil had started to disintegrate a little bit after it had good draining soil around it.
I bought this tree eight months ago and it had been raining for three days when I bought it. The clay was so wet it literally weighed 60 pounds, I weighed it when I got home. I was concerned that the soil would damage the roots but I knew it was not the right time to repot and figured that it would be more harmful to repot in mid fall than leaving it in the clay. So I’ve been carefully watering the tree for eight months until it was time to repot. My purpose in describing this is that you can keep a tree alive in horrible soil if you are careful to not over or under water it. It’s possible to keep it healthy until the time is right to do the right amount of work.
The tree was growing vigorously this spring when it woke up from dormancy so it was thriving in the clay.
So I’m not concerned that there is still some clay in the rootball. The roots will start growing into the good soil and it will start to thrive even more
I’ll include a picture of the candles it sent out this spring so you can see how healthy it was/is.
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Pine_nut
Mame
Yes, it was just repotted the other day. The third picture in the Anderson flat is from this past weekend.
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
then I stand by my statement about sun and watching the watering
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
Pine_nut
Mame
You might want to be careful in the future about cutting branches flush to the trunk. Leave stubs for die back Vance has a really good example of why it’s not a good idea if you read back through the thread.
What kind of soil did you put it in?
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
Sugar!! I remember that now about not cutting flush. Thanks for reminding me.
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
The soil is turface, pine bark, perlite, and some compost.
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
Forever flushing mugo is no more.
After four years of flushing out in every season, it finally made buds that go dormant. Huge amount of backbuds too, which aren't very visible in the pictures.
Pine_nut
Mame
Japonicus
Masterpiece
Probably. If not it does look like a fungus. Assume needle cast and treat accordingly, even though
needle cast is best treated or disrupted in the Spring as candles are forming and then opening.
Systemic granular as well as topical anti fungal. Stopping the spread (lack of progression) + healthy growth in Spring
will affirm your treatment was successful. Treat all 2 needle pines.
Treat all 2 and 3 needle pines every Spring hereafter, though 5 needle pines will accept the treatment fine.
Pine_nut
Mame
Thanks! I thought needle cast was a fungus, how would I tell the difference? Does anyone have a systemic granular treatment they recommend? Is it safe to use in summer?
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
Thought needlecast made the needles band orange, not yellow and you saw that mostly in spring not in summer.
I am not 100% sure though so could be wrong.
Check the undersides of those needles where they are turning yellow. Do you see any white or brown specs?
Bonide Infuse is a systemic granular fungicide
Julio-Rufo
Mame
Wintergold and Pumilo (spring acquisition).Does any one have experience with Mugo var. Humpy? I recently saw a nursery tree with lots of potential.
Julio
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
I don't know what this is, but it's worth investigating.
Could be the problem or could be eating the problem.
Sorce
Japonicus
Masterpiece
It is so we use fungicides. I'm saying if it is not needle cast fungus, it probably is a fungus of sorts, and should be treated likewise.
I don't see anything wrong with assuming you have ruled out insect damage since it's so easily ruled out or treated
nor that your watering is on spot (you don't watering the evening, and you don't water the foliage often
and you water when it needs it but not too dry...and so on).
It is best to treat formed candles prior to opening, then again as they are opening in the Spring.
The disease is not limited to Springtime damage of the needles, but is best to stop its activity then.
It can take several years to get ahead of it, but must continue proactively each Spring.
Just because it is manageable in the Spring, doesn't mean the disease isn't there the rest of the year,
so I would still treat for it, and yes with Bonide Infuse granular, as well as either Phyton27 or Daconil.
Or you could do nothing, and if the base of the needle sheaths starts getting a black sooty build up
and you still continue to do nothing, the tree will die as my 1st JBP did.
qwerty Bonsai
Mame
nice！do you mean you manage to transform nursery stock that you acquired this past spring to these? How much percentage of foliage you cut off?
qwerty Bonsai
Mame
The reason I ask is that, I just did one mugo pumilio following the instructions in the compiled Vance's notes, so I cut off only less than 50%, and what I have after that is still quite messy, would like to cut off more. I have two more to go, not sure if I should be a bit more aggressive when cutting...
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