As I was walking through the yard I noticed that the Mugo pines have put out a lot of new growth and it is that time of year again to pinch back the candles.

 

 The candles are the elongated new growth that form at the end of the branch. The candles should have half of the new growth pinched off. After it has been pinched off 2-3 new buds will form at the tip of the trimmed candle and these are left to continue to grow which will result in a more dense and compact bush.

 

This needs to be done when the new candles are still soft and the needles have not formed yet because if you wait too late there will not be any new buds forming at the trimmed off end and you will be left with a broken stub. This is the only pruning done on a mugo pine because new growth is not regenerated on old wood.

 

If you ever drive by the Massey 'McDonald's' take a look at the pruning that was done on the mugo pines. They have a bonsai look to them as the bottom branches are bare of needles and all the growth is at the top of the shrub.

 

Mugo pines are an attractive evergreen shrub that look good year round. Once they have been established they require minimal maintenance as they are easy to care for, are drought tolerant and rarely bothered by pests, making them ideal for areas that do not receive a lot of attention. They are able to grow in most soils including clay, and are very hardy. Plant them in full sun but they can tolerate some shade. Ideally they grow best in a moist, well drained soil.

 

If trimmed yearly they have a nice mounded shape and the stiff dark green 1-1 ½ inch needles remain on the shrub for up to 3-4 years so that there is not a lot of yearly cleanup as there can be with some other evergreens.

 

There a few different varieties of mugo pine available including the 'pumilio' which is a dwarf form and 'Mops' which does not require any shearing. They are also available in a “standard form” which is a 3-4 foot bare stem with the mugo pine grafted on the top making it a nice specimen tree perfect for rock gardens.

 

Whichever type you choose,  mugo pines are one of the most popular pines sold and give good looks for very little effort.