My Three Mughos

[Japonicus]

I guess all my Mugos are in the Train thread, so I better start one for themselves.

Today, before I repotted one of the divisions from July 2018, I read through Vances resource
and see he warns to wait 3 years after root work on a nursery mugo. Not only did I pot the tree
but dividing from a clump/forest bunch I felt maybe I should heed his warning this go around
and commenced to reducing to get that out of the way and grow on from there.











So this was July 2018, (2 years ago). All nursery stock mugo from Lowes.

 

[Japonicus]

Unfortunately I did not take pics before I started this one today.
It's unbelievable how full, and very healthy it had filled out.
It could've withstood being repotted no doubt, but I'll let it fill out 2 more years now that I've reduced it
before I repot it. If you notice the left branch, the now end, where I reduced to is quite the knuckle.
It got really healthy beyond expectations, so that branch now wired I THINK I will jin, and allow the next left shoot
to become the 1st left branch. The placement is fine for that. Otherwise this was a twin trunk tree.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Unfortunately I did not take pics before I started this one today.
It's unbelievable how full, and very healthy it had filled out.
It could've withstood being repotted no doubt, but I'll let it fill out 2 more years now that I've reduced it
before I repot it. If you notice the left branch, the now end, where I reduced to is quite the knuckle.
It got really healthy beyond expectations, so that branch now wired I THINK I will jin, and allow the next left shoot
to become the 1st left branch. The placement is fine for that. Otherwise this was a twin trunk tree.
View attachment 314344

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I really like where this is headed.

 

[Japonicus]

Let's make that FOUR Mughos. 3 amigos or the TV show My Three Sons just has a ring to it.

I always forget about this one, pinus Mugo var 'Congesta'

I got this one on eBay January 2019 $59 claimed to be 6 yrs old then.
It really needs a more shallow pot as the tree is so slow a grower
that it just doesn't use water fast enough in this 2g nursery can. That said, the vibrance is lacking enough
for me to question whether or not to repot. Needs some thinning and general maintenance before I do
so I can at least start there. I've done nothing to this besides feed and water since it came out of dormancy this year.
I really like the bones of this one, but it deserves the name 'congesta'. Many many buds to thin out that I really dont
have the time for every Spring. Pretty sure it's grafted to Scots Pine rather seamlessly other than colour change.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Congesta!!!?!?

I laughed so hard I snorted a lil’.

 

[Japonicus]

Congesta!!!?!?

I laughed so hard I snorted a lil’.

LOL yes. The buds are so proliferous. I counted over 20 terminal buds on a single terminal,
and we reduce to TWO? Screw that! They shoulda paid me to take the tree off their hands.
It's supposed to be a rare cultivar, and no doubt why it was grafted.

 

[HorseloverFat]

20.... that sounds... dizzying.

 

[Japonicus]

20.... that sounds... dizzying.

From the Train thread Oct, 2019

I counted one terminal having roughly 24 buds.
Cant wrap my lens around the mounds to accurately show that, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
View attachment 265097
Now I know where it gets its' cultivar name 'Congesta'.

Then this was April 2020, with cultivar tag atop the soil. I think you can make it out.

 

[Japonicus]

Needs some thinning and general maintenance...so I can at least start there.

Sweet how short the needles are, difficult using #10 copper wire at this point.
Had I used #8, I would not have had to used the galvanized guy wire, but the 10 did fine
rotating the jin on the opposite branch (still with bark) 180º and arcing it backwards.
The left side of this tree doesn't have much going for it, so I have to incorporate the flaws into design.
Before


Then after...just a beginning for today.

 

[Japonicus]

This my 4th mugo, Pinus mugo 'Congesta', high grafted to Scotts pine.

I didn't take a before picture today in this 3 gallon can, but wasn't much different from this last picture really.

Today I changed the planting angle into its 1st ceramic pot



hmm, not the focal point I was going for...
...anyway wish this one best of luck. The roots were staying too wet too long in this tall can
and weren't developing well at all, by any means. If it doesn't make it, this
will be a big disappointment. It's the only one of it's cultivar I've ever come across.

 

[19Mateo83]

i hope this one makes it. It’s a neat little mugo!

 

[Japonicus]

i hope this one makes it. It’s a neat little mugo!

Thank you Mateo. The graft is executed ok, on poor choice of under stock I think.
1st the seller on eBay said it was on its own roots, then after inquiry he thought it
to be grafted to Scotts. The under stock has reverse taper and is smooth for now.
The cultivar trunk is barking up. The new angle helps hide the reverse taper some
and wire will do a lot to correct pad orientation.

Not being mugo roots, I decided to go ahead and move on this one today rather than July.

 

[19Mateo83]

Thank you Mateo. The graft is executed ok, on poor choice of under stock I think.
1st the seller on eBay said it was on its own roots, then after inquiry he thought it
to be grafted to Scotts. The under stock has reverse taper and is smooth for now.
The cultivar trunk is barking up. The new angle helps hide the reverse taper some
and wire will do a lot to correct pad orientation.

Not being mugo roots, I decided to go ahead and move on this one today rather than July.

I’ve been wanting to get one from Home Depot to mess with. I know nothing about growing pines but every time I see them I try to find one with a thick-ish trunk and appealing shape. So far no luck. Most are clumps. I did however see one or two with smaller needles yesterday.

 

[Japonicus]

I’ve been wanting to get one from Home Depot to mess with. I know nothing about growing pines but every time I see them I try to find one with a thick-ish trunk and appealing shape. So far no luck. Most are clumps. I did however see one or two with smaller needles yesterday.

Well clumps as you can see CAN make for an interesting project per the 1st post this thread, but
I tire of looking at the 3g cans of clumped mugo at the nurseries any more. Probably a lot to do with
how many projects I have going on, but if they have them, go for the 1g mugos.
Adair scoffs at mugo, says go JBP instead, which actually would do better in warmer climates.
Mugo are slower growing than JBP by a long shot. The pond basket has increased the clumps growth
enough to make a believer out of me in pond baskets too.

 

[19Mateo83]

Well clumps as you can see CAN make for an interesting project per the 1st post this thread, but
I tire of looking at the 3g cans of clumped mugo at the nurseries any more. Probably a lot to do with
how many projects I have going on, but if they have them, go for the 1g mugos.
Adair scoffs at mugo, says go JBP instead, which actually would do better in warmer climates.
Mugo are slower growing than JBP by a long shot. The pond basket has increased the clumps growth
enough to make a believer out of me in pond baskets too.

It’s rare to find a 1 gal that’s not a clump at Home Depot. I may have to go back and look a bit harder at the mugos.

 

[Japonicus]

It’s rare to find a 1 gal that’s not a clump at Home Depot. I may have to go back and look a bit harder at the mugos.

No kidding. I can go years and years without finding a viable nursery mugo, single or clump.

The one on the left here ^ was a 1 gallon Lowes purchase back when.
Looks better than that now, but needs thinning.
I almost lost it to needle cast 3 or 4 yrs ago. It looked like it was all but dead. Rubbish it appeared to be.

 

[19Mateo83]

I do enjoy the hunt though. Gives me a reason to see what other stores have in their inventory

 

[Backwardsvg]

I just started tons of mugo seedlings so hopefully I will have some nice stock in the future! This is one of 3 sets of these! They will be root pruned and selectively pruned then transplanted in a while to straight bonsai soil (same as what they are in just topped in fine sand)!

 

[Japonicus]

I just started tons of mugo seedlings so hopefully I will have some nice stock in the future! This is one of 3 sets of these! They will be root pruned and selectively pruned then transplanted in a while to straight bonsai soil (same as what they are in just topped in fine sand)!

View attachment 428889

Best of luck. Mugo are so slow growing, I don't covet you trying to develop seedlings

 

[Backwardsvg]

Best of luck. Mugo are so slow growing, I don't covet you trying to develop seedlings

I figure if i start a good amount each year someday I will have some good trees to work with and sell/ give to others who are interested in mugos!