I have mentioned before that one must be careful pruning evergreens. They don’t bounce back as quickly as deciduous trees and shrubs. If you make a mistake you could be looking at a hole for a few years.

I am a little late with this post but I saw this Mugo pine and had the idea to write about it. Now, or two or three weeks ago in warmer climes, is the time to trim pines, tree and shrub forms. The new growth is not a bud like spruce or fir. It is called a candle, shown in the picture at right. The needles will unfurl for the bushy branches common but right now it is a compact, dense, upright growth.

Pruning or trimming the candles will result in a scab, often mixed with sap, but that will fall off and nobody will be able to tell anything was done. If you have dwarf pines like the Mugo you can even up growth and control the shape. You simply cut the candle where you want the tip of the branch to be. If a branch is showing two leaders you can simply snap one off at the base.

The mature Mugo pine shown is the species which can get to be a big shrub. The back of it was six feet tall, the front four to five feet. The difference is probably that the front is more exposed to winds and heat. If you would like to even off the shrub simply snap or trim off all the candles on the tallest part; they will achieve no new growth this season while the front branches will increase in height.

If you have a dwarf Mugo and would like it even in a tight half circle, trim the candles now to consistent heights. Don’t be afraid, it’s just a little pruning!