Pinus Mugo var Mugho Transformation

[alpineart]

As per usual i got motivated and inspired by a member to get tough and get going .This is the tree/plant i purchased 4 week ago .It is the green Mugho approximately 1350mm high and has a triple trunk

100_9405.jpg

.Actually it has 2 very low branches which could be used as a triple trunk .

100_9406.jpg

Estimated at around 7-8 years old with a 30mm base rather leggy but worth the $35 i paid for it . Now for the transformation into a Quality trainer , this will need at least 5 years to fully develop but in the mean time it will grace the display area under the shade sails . Firstly i have cut 2 V sections out of the trunk unions where the lower branches exit

100_9407.jpg

then using a clamp compress both side trunks together .

100_9408.jpg

This gives an indication as to where i will spiral groove the main trunk for the minor trunks to embed into . This is done 150mm at a time then screwed together applying a bend in the whole configuration as it progresses

100_9412.jpg

. Once the trunks are grooved and screwed together some serious wire is applied 4-5 smaller wires for the spiral shari to be produced from and 1,2,3 heavy wires for the main bending purpose .

100_9413.jpg

Using a hook and hold wire i have applied a bend to the base by inserting a block 30mm thick , just for starters , and arch the upper section over and held with a wire anchor . I then turned the shortest 1 outer trunk up as the apex and continue on the next process .

100_9417.jpg

I removed the unwanted needles to aid easy wiring and applied all the wires to the outer branches and shoots then simply styled it into a cascade shape .

100_9420.jpg

While this looks the goods , i have left several options as 95 % of the original length has been maintained . Only the tips and major shoots x3 were removed .

100_9422.jpg

In time this can be layered into a informal upright layering the tail off , left as a semi cascade or layering to apex off for a full cascade . This exercise took about 8 hours to complete , beats sitting inside under the aircon' on a 36 degree day , whinging about the heat outside . If i haven't killed it with cruelty i can always kill it with kindness .Height of the apex is 400mm , from apex to cascade tip is 900mm .

. Cheers Alpineart

[Gerard]

Great work Alpine, I would not dare to be so aggressive at this time of year but I like your vision and hope it goes well for you.

[NathanM]

Wow, good work Ian! What a transformation mate. Hope it survives the hard treatment!

[Dario]

When I started this thread I sure didn't expect this...your full of surprises Alpine!
I hope it does really well and look forward to seeing it develop
Cheers, Dario.

[Andrew F]

Great work alpine i hope it pulls thru, it certainly is a transformation.

[alpineart]

Great work Alpine, I would not dare to be so aggressive at this time of year but I like your vision and hope it goes well for you.

Hi Gerard , any times a good time for a lesson or two .Its not aggressive , quite passive if i say so myself , might end up with plenty of jin material or compost . The big Monty was far more aggressive than this one .

Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

Hi NathanM , just a bit of gentle persuasion that's all .

Hi Dario, nothing ventured nothing gained .

Hi VS, mate its green now , if it starts turning blue i will let you know .

How far can you push a pine , my guess is you won't know if you don't go there .You haven't learnt anything unless you have killed a few tree's , still learning .With 40 degree temps tomorrow i may have to drag it inside and keep it cool .Could always leave it outside and make it toughen up a bit , keep misting it and it should be good .

Cheers Guys . Alpine

[bodhidharma]

The experiments are getting bolder, and why not. It will be a goodun if it pulls through Alpine.

[alpineart]

Hi Bodhi , i have done this before but with a different approach ,eg' JBP 4 FOR $40 . It never had roots on the layer so it was behind the 8 ball and i didn't carve it so the fusing took a couple of years and the bugger has died , now i have a shitty literati to sort out . All the fused whips lower down seem to croak it over time so i figure the the bark area is basically the same just a thicker trunk . Only gentle spirals were implemented and a none aggressive curve , more extreme bends will be added if i don't kill it in the mean time .

Cheers Alpine

[Andrew F]

Hi VS, mate its green now , if it starts turning blue i will let you know .

How far can you push a pine , my guess is you won't know if you don't go there .You haven't learnt anything unless you have killed a few tree's , still learning .With 40 degree temps tomorrow i may have to drag it inside and keep it cool .Could always leave it outside and make it toughen up a bit , keep misting it and it should be good .

Cheers Guys . Alpine

Hey Alpine,

Iv tortured my mugo [see drill out technique thread since been re styled] rewiring and stying the trunk twice the last time was on a 30.c day and she didnt even drop a needle, they are a great tree to practice jui jitzu on. A bit of shade and misting helps.

[kcpoole]

Hi alpine
I assume you have a plan for the reverse taper under the (what were) branches? I will expect as the wounds callous, it will swell there somewhat and make it even larger.
If so, can you elaborate?

Ken

[alpineart]

Hi VS , after care is essential on any tree be it Summer Autumn Winter or Spring . It is is the shed and regular misting today as its bloody hot . I have tortured a few tree's in my time , some good results some bad but i learned a lot and how far to push them . Cant say this has been pushed too hard , just looks drastically different .

Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

Hi kc , sacrifice branches usually pump the base , retaining the 2 outer branches/trunks should continue to pump the base . From the lowest point of the outer branches to the root mass is less than 15mm. If it continues to grow in the reverse then i will simply root wrap the base with the existing upper roots .These will fuse to the trunk all 15mm of it and work like a tourniquet then send out feeder roots alleviating the issue . I used a 3 pronged hand garden rake to comb out the roots close to the trunk so i could see what i had to work with ,A bonsai rake was a waste of time and space on this root ball .

No doubt if i add 15mm of soil to the pot this will grow more roots above the original root mass .Problem solved , no tiny 15mm high trunk thinner than the fusing section . Mugho/Muhgus pines ground layer by themselves quite easily just by falling over and being covered by needle litter . As for the thick side , thin side trunk I'm looking at creating a twisted/contorted Yamadori type weather beaten pine , not a manufacture all proportional trunk . When it fuses then out comes the carver to put a full length shari in the position of the multi wires , it will be in a spiral from base to 3/4 up the trunk .

Cheers Alpine