Mugho Pre-bonsai. Options?

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Author Message   Bliorg  Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 01:58 pm EST :    Hi, all - We have a mugho pine in the front bed. Wife hates it. Been stunted by an oversized bleeding heart for years. Time to pull it, and I'm thinking bonsai. This plant's about 10 years old, all told. Been growing freely in the bed for about six years, and is about 3-1/2' wide by about 2-1/2' tall. This year, I'm pulling it and planting it in a deep, large pot to recover. Might get a little pruning to compensate for the damage I'll invariably do to the roots, but really, I just want it to recover. Anyway, I haven't decided on a style for this yet, though I'm partial to kengai and han-kengai. And I've never tried jinning, and this plant has plenty of old branches to jin. So, from the lousy, rainy pictures, whatcha think you'd do with this? Scott Bliorg - PA, Zone "6B"   Fbonsailady  Supporting Member My Favorite Photo My Garden Journal My Weather My Garden My Time Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 02:14 pm EST :    Hi Scott, I've never had experience with a Mugo pine, but this looks an interesting specimen. Here's a link which may give you some ideas http://www.artofbonsai.org/galleries/wood.php and here's another with basic info http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/mugo-pine.html Kath Zone 8b UK   Bliorg  Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 - 02:29 pm EST :    Thanks for the links, Kath. I've seen Vance Wood post other places; I didn't know he was the Mugho man... Bliorg - PA, Zone "6B"   Bliorg  Posted on Wednesday, May 07, 2008 - 06:39 pm EST :    Well, I finally dug the mugho/mugo up tonight. Still not sure what I'm going to do with it - any suggestions? Scott Bliorg - PA, Zone "6B"   Fbonsailady  Supporting Member My Favorite Photo My Garden Journal My Weather My Garden My Time Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 06:16 am EST :    Oooooooooooh Scott, a lot of potential here, have you yourself any ideas about the shape you would like it to be? As it has recently been moved out of the open ground into a pot, please keep the soil damp and place in a position where it does not have direct sun on it. Normally speaking pines can of course take lots of sun, but as this one has been moved and is under a lot of stress you want to help it recover, so keep it in the shade. Also anything that you have growing out of the trunk between these two red lines I would cut off completely, as close to the trunk as possible. This in turn will give you a view of the beginning of your trunk. What is below the bottom red line can be trained as 'nebari' - i.e. surface roots So that's a start Have a nice weekend Kath Zone 8b UK   Bliorg  Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 08:11 am EST :    Thanks, Kath. Would you save anything for possible jinning later? I posted about this over to the bonsaiTalk forum, too. Vance Wood suggested removing about 1/3 of the top to try and induce back budding low on the truck, then essentially start over in a few years with the new growth. I'm hesitant to do much of anything with it right now, though... Scott Bliorg - PA, Zone "6B"   Fbonsailady  Supporting Member My Favorite Photo My Garden Journal My Weather My Garden My Time Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 01:05 pm EST :    Hi again Scott, In respect of 'saving anything for jinning' yes I would do that above the top red line, after I had made my decision about what style/shape I was aiming for. And 'yes' again I agree 100% with Vance re removing at least 1/3 of the top growth to help to induce back budding lower down, especially as with moving it, you'll probably find that you will get some 'die-back' of the top growth anyway Kath Zone 8b UK   Bliorg  Posted on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 04:28 pm EST :    Thanks again, Kath! I was studying the top today, but don't think I'm ready to commit to cutting it. Yet... ;) Bliorg - PA, Zone "6B"

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