Epic Bonsai Makeover: Ugly Mugo Pine to Tiny Twin Beauties

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

To learn the secret tips to develop your own beautiful bonsai trees: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5i8hoSXgNKCpdE

[@Bonsaicrazy]

Great video Jason I like that blue pot it’s got interest and character tree looks great with it. Good luck with them Jason 👍👍👍👍

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

That is a really nice pot that has just been sat around waiting for the right tree. Thanks Andy 👍

[@mandyhernon2238]

Definitely transformed into two worthy projects. Not a variety I have tried.....yet....keep growing.xx

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thank you Mandy, I will 👍

[@notionbonsai]

These look so much better separated! They will develop nicely! I love them TB pots too!

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

They certainly do. And with a bit of wire, so much more interesting. 👍

[@almac2598]

Thanks Jason. 2 nice trees now with potential.

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thanks 🙏

[@phillipwaterman5721]

Very good job with your mugo pine thanks Jason keep up the good work mate thanks

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thank you too 👍

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌🙂 looks great

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thank you Bruce 👍

[@francien5001]

This looks much better.👍

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thanks 🙏

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Definitely very impressed with how they both ended up. I like the styling and your pot choice is tops as well! Cheers jason

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thank you Xavier. My key takeaway from this was the need to shorten the candles at the right time to increase ramification, encourage back budding and reduce internodal length. Every day is a school day 😊

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

@@TheBonsaiGarden Agree - I hit all my pines in another couple of weeks. Probably looking closer to September.

[@Steves_Backyard_Bonsai]

What an improvement Jason! I’ve got to get some pines. I’m still hopeful my Mugo will show some life in the spring, but I’m prepared to put it on the compost heap if it does not. I just can’t seem to keep them alive. I enjoy your videos Jason. Thank you.

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thank you Steve and good luck with your mugo pines.

[@susanbossert6833]

Love the way these trees turned out, especially the cascade. I did a hard-prune on my mugo a couple of weeks ago. I'm still waiting for back-budding. I find them to be a tricky plant to deal with after the candles have been left to grow so long.

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thank you Susan

[@D.RBonsai4601]

Cool video Jason Some great advice on designing a bonsai there Thanks for sharing bro👊🏻

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thanks Dan 🙏

[@mick681]

You have done a great rescue job there Jason. It will be interesting to see them in a couple of years time. I have one that is very contorted on a deep flower pot but I'm quite apprehensive and unsure as to the best time of year to pot it up. Some say in mid summer, some say spring. Any suggestions?

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

I have heard both suggested for mugo pine. For other pines I would go late spring.

[@KennetDeBondt]

Interesting changes! Nice work. Grts Kennet

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thanks Kennet 🙏

[@bernardmarquillero538]

For the love of bonsai. People always imagined lovely trees. Bonsai is a task of making ugly beautiful .

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thanks Bernard 🙏

[@ElizabethCruttenden]

You wouldn’t know they were the same trees ❤

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thanks Elizabeth. And thank you again for the beautiful pot. 🙏

[@greenmachinesweden]

I am very confused about repotting mugos. Have seen many Americans advocating summer repotting. But not a single European. My mugos is still in big pots to gain trunk size. No hurry to put in bonsai pot. Waiting for the result of your repotting. Please share the result in a year, that would help a lot.🙂👍

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

I believe Harry Harrington also advocates this during July and August. He is UK based and there are details on his website Bonsai4Me. I will of course post updates.

[@kevinwilkes5969]

Jason, could you explain to me why when a tree, ie those pines, are in development, why don't you have them in ordinary terracotta pots? I would have thought it would have given the roots more chance to develop?

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Perhaps you are right. The main thing is that they are in a free draining soil mix to provide both water and aeration to the roots. I am still learning with pines - and with this mugo in particular I have learned the importance of cutting candles which will become future branches to reduce the internode length and get a more compact tree. It is the equivalent of cutting or o pinching out the growing tips of deciduous trees to encourage back budding and increased ramification.

[@kevinwilkes5969]

@TheBonsaiGarden Jason my question was not aimed solely at pines, it was all trees. I am a novice and value your opinion and advice. I have a few trees in development and keep them in normal pots in a soil mix of kitty friend, pine bark and perlite.

[@paulgeddert6125]

​​@@kevinwilkes5969all my trees in development are either in air pots (pond pots) or in the ground in raised beds I've built for growing on. Very few, and only those that are 'completed' if there is ever such a thing are in ceramic pots.

[@kevinwilkes5969]

@paulgeddert6125 I've got a lot of bonsai pots, none of them are occupied. I thought that trees only went in when they needed to be displayed. I would have thought trees developed better in air pots or something similar. But thought there may be a reason Pete put them into bonsai pots.

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

There will also inevitably be an element of personal preference, and perhaps inexperience involved. I actually have a video in the pipeline to discuss the issue of potting up trees too early - it’s a beginner mistake we all make. Also different people may have a different idea of what they consider development or refine. Many of my better trees are at a size and height that I am happy with, and so slowing down significant growth and looking at refinement. Others I have in wide flat baskets or pond baskets, and some in the ground to fatten them up and develop negative before doing any serious bonsai work. I’m certain also you would find a handful of trees in my collection in ceramic pots too early. A matter of impatience and inexperience. These trees specifically are intended as mame/shohin size trees.

[@kiljaypc]

Hi Jason I like your video , I have a black pine some of the needles are turning yellow.. should I pluck them or leave them. What is best? Will they grow back stronger now.

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

The needles naturally drop after three years. Assuming that is what you are seeing, I would clean up the tree by picking out these yellow needles, they are no longer generating energy for the tree.

[@kiljaypc]

Ok many thanks. I must say it’s great that you got two trees for the price of one ,and both look amazing 😻.

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thank you

[@deepanjanbanerjee3491]

Is this a safe time for repotting pines?

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

For mugo pines it is considered a good time. Many experts like Harry Harrington advocate this time of year, approx. For other pines I would do that late spring. Let’s see how they respond 👍