Question about Mugho's

Neild

Likely a good question for Vance Wood. I just received 2 nice mugho's from a local nursery. They did not want to overwinter, and opted to forgo the anual fall "culling" sale. The girl working told me to take what I wanted. I found a very nice juniper with naturally forming well defined shari and two 3 gal. Mugho's. Each with a nice root spread and from what I can see a 3.5-4 inch trunk. Those were the only 2 Mugho's as luck would have it. What a find.

Both have quite alot of reddish colored bud's on them, which I recall from a post is a good sign accordign to Vance. I will wait until late June or mid July to pot into a pond basket and begin styling work (also advised by a post of Vance).

Given the time of year and zone (5) what if anything should I do with the buds on each tree?

Thanks!

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JavaScottC

Congratulations on your finds, sounds like good material. Any chance of a pic? I'd just let em be for now, and continue to keep em in good shape through to the spring, keeping them debris free.

Scott

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Neild

I have cleaned up the base on one of them, and cut away the top several inches of the container. The other I have just dug into a few inches with my fingers and felt around for the base. They are overwintering in my unheated garage. I'll keep an eye on them for watering purposes.
I'll post a pic tomorrow evening.

So, if it is not advisable to remove the dominant bud now, is it advisable to do so next year given that I plan to "overhaul" it with root pruning, top pruning and wiring? My guess is no. Would growing season two be pinching, continued pruning and continued styling?

Neild

Scott,
Pics you requested. Can't see the base on mugho 1, but I can feel it under the soil. Mugho 2 is nice, lots of branches. I began to work on the juniper a little. The deadwood was already there when I found it. hard to tell in the pic, but there is a natural shari up the from of the trunk and under the branch on the left about 1/4" wide. I plan to take the branch on the right that curve around from behind and make a jin, angle it upward and shorten it a little then carve out and define the shari bwefore repotting next spring. I know it needs to be pinched awhile to fill it out and wil also need some more detailed wiring. All in all not a bad spring to look forward to. Especially at $0.00.
Thoughts on any of these?

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JavaScottC

Neild,
If they were mine, I'd keep them outside, where they can get some light. My understanding of pines is they prefer light to no light, and the temps in a garage are too even, if you will, for good dormancy. The problem you'll find as you look in more nurseries for stock, is that Mugos tend to have no trunk, as they are buried, and have rootage close to where the branching begins. In my limited experience with them, Mugos grown from bonsai nurseries that were field grown are the best way to go, as they have developed trunks that are solid, and growing upwards. I'm sure Vance can give you more guided advice for healthing them up. Good luck with them.

Scott

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Vance Wood

Good for you on the Mugos, they look good. As to the buds. Don't touch them till late June early July. In the spring post again before doing anything and I'll try to walk you through what I would do with them (assuming what I would do as any merit).

They also need to be kept outdoors in the weather, just out of the wind. If it makes you feel better you can mulch the pots up a bit but this is not necessary, it is the wind that is the killer. Just give them a bit of shelter.

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bonsaikc

I look forward to following this thread! Vance's information and long experience with nursery mughos is inspiring me to start thinking in that direction.

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Neild

Thanks guys. I will place outdoors and mulch them.. Being new, I'm trying to prolong the inevitable death of my first tree (aka playing it safe).

Vance,
I will most certainly consult with you; and the rest of those willing to provide input late springtime. Especially styling advice.

It was the posts on mugho's I just happened to read that lead me to take these two home.

Can't wait till june/july!
Thanks again.