Mugo roots not happy at all

[Dorky_gearhead]

The other day I decided to slip my tiny mug out of the original pot to get a glimpse of the roots, to my surprise i only seen a handful of live roots on the perimeter.
The top half seems to be chugging along with no obvious signs of poor health. Health wise what are your thoughts on this guy?

 

[ysrgrathe]

Pretty typical of peat based soils. I see quite a lot of growing tips though, you likely caught it in time if you repot into better soil. Look up half bare root.

 

[ihaveaspaceship]

organic soil to the max. maybe a repot in summer is in order as they like that at that time of year. idk how it will fair in a 9a zone CA. I do not have a mugo yet.

GOOD LUCK MATE

 

[0soyoung]

Looks okay to me. Top looks healthy.
Cut off the bottom third and full bare root around Sep.

 

[Dorky_gearhead]

idk how it will fair in a 9a zone CA.

There's several mugo's here in town that get full sun all day, so with good attention it should be okay. I will be putting white plastic around the pot so the roots won't burn before it gets a repot.

 

[Vance Wood]

Without more photos it is not possible to really tell but it looks healthy and the roots look active. I don't think you have a problem. Don't over water but don't keep it dry either.

 

[Vance Wood]

Looks okay to me. Top looks healthy.
Cut off the bottom third and full bare root around Sep.

Just my opinion, I don't generally bare root a Mugo at any time of the year, but it's your tree and your choice.

 

[sorce]

If you keep digging into the core.....

You Will likely find a smaller square of roots, plug size...3x3 ish..

These first year root masses seem to make a "shin" (the beating heart) of sorts, albeit super fucked up for shallow potting or bonsai in some cases, that inner inner can be all that is needed to keep a tree alive.

At least the ones I took back to said rectangle or less are still well.

Sorce

 

[0soyoung]

Just my opinion, I don't generally bare root a Mugo at any time of the year, but it's your tree and your choice.

Well, it is about time you gave it a try!!

 

[Vance Wood]

Well, it is about time you gave it a try!!

What makes you think I have not??? Your remark has a touch of anger to it, did I say something that pissed you off??

 

[0soyoung]

What makes you think I have not??? Your remark has a touch of anger to it, did I say something that pissed you off??

Nope. Nothing at all like that.
It seemed that you may not have ever bare rooted a mugo after Father's Day, so I just meant a kind jab, like drinking buddies. But we aren't drinking buddies, so I apologize for being presumptuous.

I've done this with every mugo I've brought home from a garden center nursery and it has always gone swimmingly. I've done it with many other species I brought home from a garden center and it has gone swimmingly with all but p. thunbergii, p. densiflora, and tsuga canadensis. With these, full bare root = death, so I half bare root them (sometimes HBR in spring 'as buds swell' and a second HBR around August). However, with well over 100 trees already crammed into my very small back yard, I'm no longer bringing much home from the garden center with which I could expand my database.

 

[Ali Raza]

Well I am not master in the field of bonsai, but i think pine needs well drained soil. Pretty sure that soil doesn't look very good when it comes to drain.

 

[Dorky_gearhead]

Well I am not master in the field of bonsai, but i think pine needs well drained soil. Pretty sure that soil doesn't look very good when it comes to drain.

It drains very well

 

[Ali Raza]

It drains very well

Add more coarse particles in the soil. I was suffering from the same problem with my pine (Pinus Roxburghii). When i added crushed red bricks chunks (as bonsai soil is not available in my region) in the potting soil, i was amazed to see the growth of roots in the pot. Lots of white feeder roots began to flourish. Hope you could give it a try and then share your results.

 

[M. Frary]

If it were mine I would be looking to get it into a colander.

 

[Vance Wood]

Nope. Nothing at all like that.
It seemed that you may not have ever bare rooted a mugo after Father's Day, so I just meant a kind jab, like drinking buddies. But we aren't drinking buddies, so I apologize for being presumptuous.

I've done this with every mugo I've brought home from a garden center nursery and it has always gone swimmingly. I've done it with many other species I brought home from a garden center and it has gone swimmingly with all but p. thunbergii, p. densiflora, and tsuga canadensis. With these, full bare root = death, so I half bare root them (sometimes HBR in spring 'as buds swell' and a second HBR around August). However, with well over 100 trees already crammed into my very small back yard, I'm no longer bringing much home from the garden center with which I could expand my database.

I would love to see some of those Mugos if you do not mind. I am always excited to see how others are doing with their Mugos. Please, please, please,--- seriously.

 

[Vance Wood]

The other day I decided to slip my tiny mug out of the original pot to get a glimpse of the roots, to my surprise i only seen a handful of live roots on the perimeter.
The top half seems to be chugging along with no obvious signs of poor health. Health wise what are your thoughts on this guy? View attachment 238201View attachment 238202View attachment 238204View attachment 238205

Seriously there are a ton of living roots, you don't seem to recognize them as they are just waking up. This tree was probably potted up into a larger container, and a larger price scale, sometimes in the last two years. It is just now filling the container with roots.