Mugo Pine not doing well

bulldog12

Sorry to admins for double post from other forum but not getting any response. Thought I would try here.

Hey Guys,

I have been a lurker on the boards for a while. Love the site. I recently purchased a beautiful mugo pine which was in a nursery container. Approx. 15 years of age. Anyway, I think I cut toooooo much root off the pine at once and its needles are slowly turning brown. Please tell me there is something I can do. I love this tree and would do anything to save it. Any ideas. Oh and yes I am pretty new to bonsai. I run an azalea nursery here but thats about it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Eric

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pootsie

Hi Eric.

Let me say first, that I have very little experience with keeping mugo alive as bonsai.

However, I've lots of experience sending them to a quick death. And I did it just like you describe. In my experience, once the needles start turning brown quickly, that's it.

Sorry to give you bummer news. Try try again!

pootsie

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bulldog12

pootsie,

Thanks for the reply. Thats kinda what I thought I had coming. I'm just not going to give up on the guy until he is completly brown and brittle. Luckily I had another just like him but I don't think I'll be cutting any roots. Thanks again.

Will_Heath

Vance Wood is a expert on mughos, he posts here often and no doubt will see this thread, be patient.

Meanwhile don't "save it" to death. Don't feed, don't over water, and don't re-pot it yet. Many people kill a tree that would have revived by panicking and drowning it.


Will Heath

Newt

Is it still pushing candles? I have a small one that I have been working on with Vance. We chopped it back very hard last year. All the old needles are brown but it is still pushing candles so I have not given up. However my larger mugo the candles are much more advanced (longer and already have needles pushing). It may be a goner anyway. If so it will be the second I killed.

Newt

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Bart Thomas(deceased)

Did you also work on the foliage the same year?

Mugos do not like that at all!

Vance Wood

Sorry Bart, I do that all the time.

Newt: Where do you have the tree, and are we talking about the Mugo in the training planter?

Don't worry about the old needles turning brown, this is a common problem with Mugos, they get a condition called needle cast, it is a fungal disease that affects old needles. It is a problem but seldom takes the tree. What is going on is not due to the kind of treatment it has gone through. Just let the new needles grow and as has been mentioned don't try to baby it to death.

Vance Wood

Eric:

When did you cut the roots?

If you read the string on Mugos that has recently been on the first page you will find that most of my Mugos get potted in the heat of the summer and the Mugos that are potted in spring have the most problems. If you cut the roots according to the books, just as the buds are starting to swell or to open that is where you made your mistake. I find they do best when the needles are fully out and fully open.

Newt

Vance,
The large mugo in your planter is doing great! It is the smaller one that has the brown needles. This one was re-potted two years ago at your 4 seasons club demo in the middle of summer. I suspect it is the fungus as I have a hilliar elm and potentilla that have not leafed out yet. I have some bourdox fugicide, would that be a good idea? I have not used it yet so any suggestions regarding after care or application would be appreciated. Thanks!!

Newt

__________________
Opportunity must not be lost while the gods smile.
-Li Jing