untrained mugo

[sdavis]

This is a 20 year old species mugo recently purchased from a nursery.
The trunk diameter is about 4 inches. I have cut off 20% of the foliage which I didn't think would be needed for further development. It is healthy.
My question is how to approach further development.
Should I:

a) Concentrate on getting the tree into a smaller pot by cutting off 1/3 to 1/2 of the roots and repotting it.

or

b) Concentrate on the upper tree and begin pruning and wiring.

 

[Dav4]

Nice trunk with pretty good nebari from that first picture. I would probably pick a future front now and start training the canopy, giving it a good first styling this fall. You can gradually replace the soil/reduce the rootball over the next few seasons. That really looks like great material and I look forward to seeing it's development. Good luck,

Dave

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Agreed. Nice material. When I work pines in this stage, I focus on canopy first and roots later...that way the strong roots accelerate development above.

 

[Vance Wood]

Agreed. Nice material. When I work pines in this stage, I focus on canopy first and roots later...that way the strong roots accelerate development above.

I have an opposite approach, especially with Pines. I try to get them into a pond basket, colander, or training planter as soon as possible. It makes no sense to me not to work on the roots when you can without impacting the top of the tree in any significant negative way. But that's just my opinion. Mugos will tolerate doing all of the above at the same time.