AusBonsai

G'day all. I've grown this Mugo Pine untouched for the last two years and its time for its first styling. I think Id like to keep the tree at its current height which is around 25-30cm.
Any advice, virts, critiques would be most appreciated.
Thanks again fellow hobbyists

At the moment I would try to achieve this type of shape.
It is not a good time of year to try any serious bending on thick branches so stick to the flexible branches and after bending any branches down remember to try to reposition the buds at th branch tips pointing upwards

possibly at the top bar branches take off the centre verticle and use the rh branch ( p erhaps bent upwards a little)as the new leader----giving you some nice trunk movement to the right with a nice branch at the external bend

Thanks gents, great advice. Ill have a go tomorrow and see what I come up with.

Hi all, an update on this Mugo 2 months down the track. Im pretty happy with how its growing, although I have a bar branch issue thats bothering me. See what you think and I'd appreciate some input as to whether I should remove the branch facing towards the rear of the tree or leave it as is? It does create an illusion, and from the front you wouldn't know. Turn the tree to the side and the illusion is no longer!

how would you go removing everything above the bar branches and then using one of the bars as the new leader-and 'viola' no more bar branch problem-might be a complete restyle but that is not always a negative--might get something interesting

how would you go removing everything above the bar branches and then using one of the bars as the new leader-and 'viola' no more bar branch problem-might be a complete restyle but that is not always a negative--might get something interesting

Geezus Now thats some advice there Guy, but I think that would just defeat my 2 years of ground growing in one fowl swoop!

Geezus Now thats some advice there Guy, but I think that would just defeat my 2 years of ground growing in one fowl swoop!

sorry-I don't give advice ,only suggestions -or just say what I would do -bar branches are a real problem -when styling I try to look forward 2 years- not back 2 years -and of course there are other alternatives(ie remove the back branch)

sorry-I don't give advice ,only suggestions -or just say what I would do -bar branches are a real problem -when styling I try to look forward 2 years- not back 2 years -and of course there are other alternatives(ie remove the back branch

No worries, suggestion noted. And I agree, it is a very young tree in the scheme of things and this could be the way to go. Considering when I was in the U.K I met up with Graham Potter and he was working on a Mugo pine, he had collected from the Italian Alps estimated at 1200 years old. Makes my project tree a laugh in comparison.

Hi Sidd

I am interested in the time taken to wire down these branches and then .. obviously you have removed the wire and voila the new shape....has this been achieved in 2 to 3 months ?

If this is the case I am going to wire my little chubby bar branched mugo right away.

If you do decide to remove one of the "bar" branches you can always do it a bit at a time and see what shows up but hey .. what 's the rush.

Cheers