Mugo Pine Progression

[VAFisher]

I have most of these pics scattered in the mugo train thread, but wanted to give the tree it's own thread. I bought this from New England bonsai gardens back in 2016. This angle would turn out to be the eventual front. Most of the branches were long, with no taper and a few blobs of needles out at the ends.

 

[VAFisher]

In 2017, I picked a trunk line and stuck in a pot.

 

[VAFisher]

In 2018, it got a different pot and started to fill in a little. I also removed that ugly root coming out of the front of the trunk and tried to carve out the knuckle a little.



Also in 2018, after some thinning.

 

[VAFisher]

2019. Not much changed.

 

[VAFisher]

In 2020 I started trying to pull down some of the branches.

 

[VAFisher]

In 2021, I was continuing to pull down the branches. The tree had also been in this pot for about 3 1/2 years, so I did a repot in August which turned out to be a big mistake. About a week after the repot, I started noticing brown needles which quickly spread throughout the whole tree. I thought the tree was a goner but luckily most of the needles only browned from the tip to about half way down the needle. It looked ugly but managed to survive. I don't know if it was the timing of the repot or if I just got too aggressive with the roots, but the tree definitely didn't enjoy the experience. This image was before the repot. I didn't take a pic of the aftermath.

 

[VAFisher]

And here is the tree in 2022 growing new needles. I've plucked most of the brown ones and won't really do any work on the tree this year. The plan is to just let it fully recover from what I did to it last year. On the plus side, I think it looks good in the new pot.

 

[Colorado]

Great progression! It is great to see the year by year updates.

 

[James W.]

After your first working, I wasn't seeing it. But now . . .
Nice!

 

[VAFisher]

After your first working, I wasn't seeing it. But now . . .
Nice!

Thanks! I haven't always seen it either honestly. Haha.

 

[Calnicky]

Nice Mugo! I repotted one in late July or early August (per Harry Harrington) and it was a little slow to perk up again but is now thriving. I have another up for repotting (acquired it last spring) and I think I'll do it in mid-July and see how it responds (i'm on the olympic peninsula where it has been a super cold spring and I'm not hopeful for the summer) . Like the new pot too!

 

[VAFisher]

Nice Mugo! I repotted one in late July or early August (per Harry Harrington) and it was a little slow to perk up again but is now thriving. I have another up for repotting (acquired it last spring) and I think I'll do it in mid-July and see how it responds (i'm on the olympic peninsula where it has been a super cold spring and I'm not hopeful for the summer) . Like the new pot too!

The first time I repotted this tree, I did a normal spring repot and the tree never skipped a beat. I'm going back to Spring when the time comes again, but that's 3 or 4 years away. That seems to be better for me in this climate.

 

[MSU JBoots]

Great thread. I love seeing progressions over the years. I hope to have a few threads like this 5 years from now. Love the tree!

 

[VAFisher]

Great thread. I love seeing progressions over the years. I hope to have a few threads like this 5 years from now. Love the tree!

Time does great things if you can just manage not to kill the tree. You'll have them and hopefully better.

 

[Pine_nut]

Thanks for sharing! It’s always nice to see the progression from a shrub to a tree.

 

[Japonicus]

Very nice mugo! and good to hear the Springtime repotting idea resounding
more and more often with proof to back it up. Glad yours pulled through
Repotting anything brings out my worst paranoia.
I need to get back up to NEBG, been too long.

 

[VAFisher]

Very nice mugo! and good to hear the Springtime repotting idea resounding
more and more often with proof to back it up. Glad yours pulled through
Repotting anything brings out my worst paranoia.
I need to get back up to NEBG, been too long.

I think it's totally dependant on climate. This tree did not like an August repot in VA but didn't mind March at all. More northern areas are different I'm sure. The one tree I've found that deals well with summer repots here is Crape Myrtle.

 

[sorce]

I like the shape of the new pot.

Sorce

 

[VAFisher]

I was pulling some old needles and decided to throw a few guy wires on the mugo. Pulling down some of the branches makes a big difference I think.

 

[Likebull1]

2018-2019 really filled in a bunch. Looks super healthy and full. Great job