When to prune hard on Mugo pine?

[Khanh]

Hello all,

Appreciate in advance for any advices....
I have a Mugo pine in a 30cm pot for 3 years and is abit twiggy and folage at end of branch. Can i prune back to ancourage new shoots along the branches.

Khanh

[kcpoole]

Pine will not shoot back on old wood when trimmed.
they will only shoot from the base of a needle. No needles = No shoots

If you need to get foliage back into the bare section of wood on a pine the only way will be to graft on some Scions or an approach graft

Ken

[Khanh]

Thanks Ken for the tip...appreciated.

[alpineart]

Hi khan , i have to disagree with K.C , pines do back shoot on older wood and they can and will shoot without a needle follicle , however you have no control over where and when if the needles is not present .I have 14 YO JBP's sprouting from the base , Nigra's , Montereys , and numerous other pines with shoots from old wood and without needles present . I have collected 10-20-30 yo Yamadori pines and had them back shoot .Sorry I cant give you any info on Mugo's as i have only worked on 1 specimen . Cheers Alpineart

[Beaumatsu]

I have only worked on JBP and know if the tree is really healthy it will shoot from old wood but your mugo pines has been in the same pot for years hasen't it correct me if i'm wrong. So in August transplant it into some fresh soil and wait til it takes to the new soil then have a go at cutting back to old wood but what was said before was right you cannot control where the shoot will come from. But thats only from my experience of JBP. So why not just have a go at doing it and see what happens and tell us if it does shoot back please.

Thank you

Happyy bonsaing

Beaumatsu

[kcpoole]

Ok then I Must have been fed some Bull:-), But I have never seen it happen so assumed it was so.

If you get some budding please post the photos so we all can see

Ken