3rdYr, At this time in the season it is NOT good to root prune a Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo). Here is a good website on plants and their characteristics (Link at bottom of message 'Horticulture Database'). I believe this will help. As far as your tree goes, I would only prune the candles by half this year. If you feel the need to re-pot the tree then keep everything intact. Do not remove any soil; it will hurt and could possibly kill the tree at this time. Just move it to a larger container and add a nice rich soil. Next spring around late March early April I would plant the tree in a container that is wider than it is tall. Remove all of the soil, prune the roots and replace the soil with a good substrate. Normally, what I do to introduce a tree into "bonsai soil" is I add shredded compost to my substrate for the first transition from "garden soil" to "bonsai soil". I train the tree at this time. Once I see that the tree is established and there are good results, meaning the tree likes the new compost and substrate mix, I would plant the tree in the full substrate and in a bonsai pot. Just remember, a bonsai container will usually slow all growth that is good for training and you will only have a tree that is good for refinement. That means when you plant it in a bonsai pot it will look like the same tree for a very long time. It could only have more refined branches if you like. That is why I only use bonsai pots for trees that are finished with their training stage. I wish you the best of luck and enjoyment on the road to growing and creating bonsai, Gardener Guy Here is a link that might be useful: Link: Horticulture Database

The fat multibranced Thai Adenium specimens are grown using: 1) a seedling genetically dispositioned to produce compact growth and multible branches, presumably some sort of socotranum-arabicum hybrid (for instance, "Adenium Thai socotranum"). 2) light of course, but A LOT of light from all directions, to produce really compact growth and initiate branching. 3) high temperatures, say +77 F degrees (25 C) on average, and plenty of water, some fertilizer (they often use chicken manure) to accelerate growth. 4) branch- and root pruning and wiring techniques. The famous Thai Adeniums are bonsai trained, without any doubt.

Thanks, Josh. Ima - These four have come from four different sources. - I got the Bursera from Tropiflora (he had a bunch of older ones a few years ago). - The Fockea from a local nursery here in Massachusetts - was very surprised to see it there, too. It did not look much like it does now. Back then, it was mostly buried and had a bunch of vines wound through a trellis. - The Euphorbia and the Dorstenia from two different sellers on eBay. Most of my other succulents (Madagascar and S. African) I have sourced from Out of Africa, Great Petaluma Desert, and Rare Succulents - all on the web. I usually get a species in mind, then I start hunting! Tom

Martin, thank you. Even though I've had adeniums for a few years now, this is the first one to put on a 'show' in the spring time, blooming from three branches. The colors are quite nice, much darker than my other pinks. I will say this, though. Along with several other people on this forum, I purchased plants from 'antiquetrader84' on ebay. Every single person has noted that flowers from his plants have all been pink, despite selling over a hundred different varieties. It's a shame many people don't know that seeds aren't true to parent, and are not getting what they expected. I ordered from him because he was in the US, but have since gotten over my fears of ordering seeds/plants from overseas. Rick, sorry to divert attention from your bonsai thread. To get back on track here's another that i potted in a repurposed kitchen bowl after using a diamond bit to poke a drainage hole in the bottom. This plant is about 8 months old and is healthy, but somewhat slow growing.