New Mugo Pine

I think ur tree is beautiful, lots of graceful movement. It is a great inspiration, I just hope mine will look as good as yours:)

leaving aside aesthetics, the profile linked provides a good summary of mugo specific survival rudiments.
http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATMugo%20Pines%20Indepth.htm
i'm new to mugos [bonsai, really] and found it helpful
--- as well, this discussion thread has been great!
so, thanks to jake for starting it & all the contributors for sharing their knowledge.

Leo Schordje wrote:One advice I can give, if you live in zone 5 or colder, don't listen to California or Georgia growers for how to handle your black pines. They are not a vigorous tree in zone 5 or zone 4.

If you live in Zone 5, don't listen to California, Georgia, or Florida growers on how to handle ANYTHING, especially tropicals. It is a different planet.
Iris

bonsaisr wrote:

Leo Schordje wrote:One advice I can give, if you live in zone 5 or colder, don't listen to California or Georgia growers for how to handle your black pines. They are not a vigorous tree in zone 5 or zone 4.

If you live in Zone 5, don't listen to California, Georgia, or Florida growers on how to handle ANYTHING, especially tropicals. It is a different planet.
Iris

No disrespect to anyone specifically, we northerners just have to keep in mind that what makes sense down south simply won't work. I have less than 120 growing days in my year, this makes all the difference in the world.

I have killed several mini mugo pines following the advice of various experts, until I came upon an article by Vance Wood. He's the one who said to repot them in midsummer & do everything gradually. Works for me.
Being a hopeless schmendrick with zone envy, I keep trying to grow buttonwoods. You have to separate out the advice from Florida that works, & what doesn't work, & kill a few buttonwoods in the learning process.
Iris

Leo, I live in Chicago, zone 5, and I've seen many JBP doing well here. Maybe it's due to having good winter protection?

Fore, Iris and Leo. Perhaps there should be a forum for those of us who are in zones 4 and 5. There are many unique problems associated with living here.

Ya no kidding, try living in a zone 2/3.

Fore wrote:Leo, I live in Chicago, zone 5, and I've seen many JBP doing well here. Maybe it's due to having good winter protection?

Hi Fore, perhaps I'll see you at the big show at the Chicago Botanic Garden in 2 weeks. I will probably be there on Saturday. I'll be the gray haired fat guy with a distinctive loud laugh. (some say obnoxious, I prefer distinctive)

Yes, my winter set up is less than ideal. I have 2 places I use, the very hardy trees go under my bench, get buried in leaves and snow. A tarp keeps the wind and sun off them. My more tender go into an old well house, a room outside, under the patio that I can access from the basement. In a normal winter, this room will hover around 35 to 40 F. Unfortunately the last couple winters this room has not been as cold, running closer to 45 or 50F. Not cold enough to keep pines fully dormant. But I found Cork Bark JBP are not hardy enough for the outdoor storage, especially since in November you don't know if you will have -15 F in January. I don't like moving them once they are set out for the winter.

I need to re-think my winter set up. A project for the next couple months.

I'll look for you Leo. I'm volunteering as a judges asst. fri am, and I'm also doing two workshops with Peter. So I'll be around for the weekend. I'm 51 and tall and skinny lol Should be a fun weekend!

And I bought a $500 hoop house, 8'x10', that i put up in my backyard, and put it away after winter. I only have an unfinished basement and it too isn't cold enough to keep them in hibernation. Kinda a pain, but I also know I can safely keep my collection alive and in hibernation in the hoop house. Maybe a thought for you?

I think mugo pines should be hardy in zone 5. I have a few in the landscape and I have seen dwarf varieties in other yards.

This thread has digressed, but we should have an IBC meeting at the Chicago show. I will be there on Saturday afternoon helping out.

Todd

yes, mugo are usually hardy in Chicago area.

Fore & I had digressed into a discussion of Cork bark JBP and problems with wintering these somewhat more tender, more central and southern Japan originating cultivars.