How to Grow and Care for Dwarf Mugo Pine

Dwarf Mugo pine refers to smaller, dwarf varieties of Mugo pine, also known as Swiss mountain pine, with dark green needles and dense branches. These shorter shrubs grow in colder and more mild areas, preferring full sun and moist, well-drained soils.

Dwarf Mugo Pine Care

These pines have a good tolerance for urban environments. Here are the main requirements for growing a dwarf Mugo pine:

• Choose a spot with full sun, ideally with six or more hours a day.
• Prepare well-draining soil that will not stay wet for long after watering or rainfall.
• Water somewhat regularly until the plant is established; at which point, it will only need supplemental watering during periods of drought.
• Fertilize once a year by adding some compost or a similar amendment to the soil.

Light

While dwarf Mugo pines will tolerate part shade at the northern end of their range (zones 2 to 5), in these regions you will see better performance if the shrubs are planted in full sun. Part shade might be preferable when growing them at the southern end of their range (zones 6 to 7).

Soil

Dwarf Mugo pines are not fussy about soil pH and can tolerate slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil. They are also tolerant of various soil types, provided it drains well. They do not like wet, dense soil. These shrubs do well in sandy soil, provided it has some organic matter in it.

Water

While your dwarf Mugo pine is young, water as needed throughout summer so that the soil remains moist. Once established, dwarf Mugo pines are moderately drought-tolerant and only need watering during prolonged periods of drought.

Slowly water it at the base until the soil is deeply moistened but not soggy. Let the soil dry out before watering it again.

Temperature and Humidity

Dwarf cultivars generally can survive in a wide climate range and tolerate both hot summers and cold winters. They rarely suffer winter burn on the foliage from the drying winds of winter,as do arborvitae and some other evergreens.

Fertilizer

Fertilize your dwarf Mugo pine annually with a few shovels of compost or another organic soil amendment. They typically do not need applied fertilizers, though a spring application might benefit those grown in containers.

Types of Dwarf Mugo Pine

There are several excellent dwarf varieties of Mugo pine that are ideal for small gardens, including these:

• 'Compacta' has dark green needles on dense branches and grows 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide.
• 'Sherwood Compact' is a true dwarf that is densely needled with a rounded, shape. It is slow-growing and matures at 2 feet tall and wide.
• 'Enci' grows 3 feet tall and 5 feet wide. It is a dense, slow-growing shrub with short needles.
• 'Gnome' is a small, flat-top form. It grows slowly, topping out at only 18 to 24 inches tall and 3 feet wide.
• 'Mops' has an especially dense growth habit that works well in confined spaces. It grows slowly to about 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, taking 30 years to do so.
• 'Paul's Dwarf' grows to 2 to 3 feet tall and wide in 10 years; it has short needles.
• 'Honeycomb' grows to 4 feet tall in 10 years; its needles turn gold in winter.

Pruning

Homeowners sometimes purchase and plant dwarf Mugo pines under the false assumption that all cultivars are compact in size. The result of this uninformed plant selection is that homeowners end up with plants that are too big for the space in which they are growing.

This drawback is somewhat offset by Mugo pines' slow growth rate. If you find yourself with a dwarf Mugo pine that is growing beyond the dwarf size you were expecting, you can shape the plant in spring by removing the central shoots of new growth, called "candles."

Pruning these central candles by half their length will create a more dense, compact plant.

Propagating Dwarf Mugo Pine

All Mugo pines are best propagated from cuttings, as growing them from the seeds contained in the pine cones produces plants that are not true to cultivar type.

1. In May or June, when the needles have formed and they are still soft, using a sharp knife or pruners, cut off 5- to 7-inch long, strong stems from the new growth.
2. Remove any side shoots and the needles from the lower portion of the stems. None of the needles should be buried in soil.
3. Fill 4-inch pots with potting mix. Dip the cut ends in rooting hormone.
4. Make a hole in the soil with a pencil or stick and insert the cutting in the hole. Water well until the soil is evenly moist.
5. Place the pots in an outdoor location in bright, indirect light out of the hot sun. Keep the soil moist at all times but not soggy. It can take up to two months for the cuttings to root.
6. Repot any cuttings that have rooted to larger individual pots and let them grow in pots for a couple of seasons.

Overwintering

Unlike dwarf Mugo pine planted in the ground, container plants need winter protection as the vulnerable roots are not insulated. If exposed to temperatures below zero, the cold can kill them even though the plant is hardy down to USDA zone 2.

Once the temperature remains consistently below freezing, move the container to an unheated space such as a garage where the temperature remains consistently between 20 and 30 degrees. Water regularly to keep the soil moist until the air temperatures warm up again in the spring.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Dwarf Mugo pines are rarelyinfested with insects, but gardeners in some regions should watch out for pine sawfly and pine needle scale, as well as various moths and borers, tip blight, rots, and rusts.

Insecticidal soaps are the first option for treating most insects, but you can progress to chemical pesticides if necessary.

These pines may also experience Dothistroma needle blight, a fungal disease that causes needles to turn brown. Fungicides applied in the spring can be used if your shrub suffers from a fungal disease.

Common Problems with Dwarf Mugo Pine

Dwarf Mugo pines are relatively drama-free, provided they are grown in the proper environment. However, they can be susceptible to wind damage.

If you live in a particularly windy area, consider planting your dwarf Mugo pine in an area where buildings or other structures may protect it from extreme wind.

From: thespruce