Hi everyone, I recently acquired this field grown mugo pine from my neighbor, who did a garden remodel earlier this year. It was originally been kept as a bonsai, and at a later stage, planted in the garden as a landscape tree. It grew in the garden for about 10 years, until it had to be removed this year. Do not know it’s origin, nor exact age. My guess is 50+years, out of which early bonsai life was at least 35, possibly 50)
I potted the tree in this 80x40cm nursery container, basically because it was the only.one that the tree would fit. Unfortunately no photos from the potting. The rootball is beautifully developed rectangular shape, based on ahich you can see the size of the bonsai pot it was originally kept in. Ca 60x40x15cm (width X depth X height).
I managed to keep most of the rootball intact during the repotting, as it was nice, healthy, and compact.
The tree is starting to push candles, New root growth is happening. Should I let it rest and recover more, as it went through repotting recently? Given its just dug out of the field and pumped with energy, I could see the possibility to do some work on it.
Thanks for your ideas
Since it’s an older specimen, I’d let it rest this year, establish itself into the pot.
Maybe start working on it next year depending on how vigurous it is this year.
Molto bello! Comunque è meglio che lo lasci riposare per quest’anno senza fare nessun intervento perché deve avere la possibilità di attecchire bene e prendere vigore. Se tutto va bene l’anno prossimo puoi iniziare a lavorarci sopra.
I would definitely start laying down the branches with wire to start it into the training process; otherwise the tree is just going to try to get taller by pushing apical growth.
But that apical growth will be stronger than growth on the laid down branches and therefore drive more root growth. I agree it needs to be laid down next year, but this year I would promote as much growth as possible to strengthen the roots.