Hi dave question i got a new mugo pine last year and letting it grow , going to try and put it in a bonsai pot next year, is it ok this spring to remove candles down to 2 and at the same time reduce the candle length down to the smallest on the tree at the same time in the spring in one go ? Thanks dave
I would reduce back to two now in autumn. This will let the tree then push spring growth to the areas that it should. Then let the tree flush out in spring and see what happens with back budding. Late spring then consider if you want to cut back to inner buds. With mugos, you don’t fully decandle like a black pine. You need to treat as a single flush pine which is to reduce the length of the new candles in late spring. Hope this helps.
I wouldn’t do both at one time especially if there are a lot of branches to cut off to get back to two. If there aren’t too many then you can do both jobs.
If you needle pluck older needles, i.e. deeper into the tree, don't you reduce your chances of having new buds develop there? New buds back on branches allow for cut backs later on.
Back budding can happen anywhere on a pine where it isn’t too old. A very healthy well feed pine can back bud anywhere especially when you decandle in summer. Don’t need needles further back for back budding.
