Mugo Pine -> First attempt at styling...

rasWestin

Hey guys,

I bought a regular garden stock Mugo pine from the local nursery. It came as basically a big round bush, so we rootpruned it, repotted it, and pruned it all at once (I read that these like summer repotting and all rootpruning/styling should be at the time to avoid constant molestation). It's my first attempt at styling, so tell me what you think.

WHat struck me the most was the taper on the trunk. THe pictures make it look slightly smaller than it is. With pot included it's probably 1.25 feet.

Sorry for the bad backdrop in the photo.



It's in a mixture of 2:2:1 (loam:sand:peat). I read that Mugos like a sandy, fast draining soil to avoid sitting water... is this correct?

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bonsaikc

Ras,
Not a bad job for a first styling, it looks like you didn't take off too much that was already there, and you may do okay with your first big cut, you may not get too much swelling there.

I am curious about your wiring. The two bigger wires look like something out of a textbook right up to the top. They follow each other perfectly without a gap. Pretty good job! I would remove the top 1/2 inch where the wires wrap around the tree, let them end just snugged up against the leader.

You have some other wires, though, that are loose and useless. I would remove those. Do you have any bigger wire? My suggestion would be to make the trunk bends more extreme next year, with a planting position farther right so you have greater bends. Work on all your wiring to make it look like what you have on the trunk and you will be wiring as well as anyone. Since you live in Sacramento, I would encourage you to look up Boon Manakitivipart in Alameda. He must be the number one teacher in North America today.

Check my blog (click the link in the signature) for photos of his back yard among other things, and some of the trees we get to work on at intensives. His club is demanding but will teach you to produce the best bonsai in North America, as good as any in the world.

__________________
Chris Johnston
"She was a critic, and lots fo critics who aren't called to do what they write about grow jealous and mean and small in their disappointment." - Stephen King, Duma Key
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

rasWestin

Thankyou for your input!

I've never wired before, and the trunk was easy because it was just straight up. However I had problems with wiring the individual branches. If I wrap the trunk continuously, then how do I anchor the wires to start wiring the branches.

Thankyou,

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bonsaikc

That's an excellent question. Use a larger wire for the trunk. One larger wire works better than two thinner ones. Copper is better for pines than aluminum, but you are doing fine as a beginner. Start off as you did, but take your loop a little closer to the crotch where you cut the trunk. Then pair off the other branches. It takes a full turn around the trunk between the two lower branches to anchor properly. Follow your wire just like you did on the trunk. Then just wire the crotch at the top as I showed.

Here's an old wiring article that I need to update but can get you started.

The real question is, does this tree have any back branches? You need to build some depth in the future. Your tree may bud back if you treat it correctly, feed it well etc. Search this forum for articles on mugho pine. If not, you can always graft a new branch where you want it.

Be careful about your soil mix. I fear it will hold too much water for this tree. Good luck and leave it alone this year!

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__________________
Chris Johnston
"She was a critic, and lots fo critics who aren't called to do what they write about grow jealous and mean and small in their disappointment." - Stephen King, Duma Key
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

rasWestin

Thanks again for taking the time to respond. If you don't mind, I have just a few more questions:

I'm not sure if I should rewire it correctly or leave it alone. Perhaps I should leave the faulty wire as is for a year just to avoid insulting it.

What soil mixture should I strive for next year?

Do you think it will survive in its current soil mixture?

I have it in a spot that is mostly shady with bits of light trickling through... is this the correct procedure for a freshly repotted pine?

And finally, since the soil may hold too much water should I compensate for that by not watering it as often? Can misting substitute watering to avoid over watering?

Thanks again,

Wes

bonsaikc

Just check your soil for dampness until you get a feel for it, and shelter it from too much rain. Your pine needs more light than that, by far. The more the better, even right after repotting. You can clip off the loose wires without hurting your tree, and I would wait until next year to wire anything else.

Use the search feature in the navigation bar at the top of the page for "soil"

__________________
Chris Johnston
"She was a critic, and lots fo critics who aren't called to do what they write about grow jealous and mean and small in their disappointment." - Stephen King, Duma Key
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

rasWestin

Bonsaikc:

You are awesome. Thank you so much for all your help. My father and I got a chance to go to Newcastle, CA and visit a true Bonsai Garden. It was owned by Hiro Matsuda (might be slightly mispelled), and he was AWESOME. He gave me some great pointers and hooked me up with a Chinese Elm. He said it would be a great practice tree to try different styling techniques because they grow so fast.

He also warned me of the dangers of making mistakes on a pine.... 2 - 3 years of recovery just to begin correcting a mistake is pretty harsh, so I really want to make sure I make as little mistakes as possible hehehe. I htink the best way to accomplish this is to just leave it alone for the next 3 years or so and in the meantime I can work on my techniques with more forgiving trees. That way in 3 years I may be more fit to take on the challenges of Pines!

THanks again,

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