stan,
You may have better luck getting advice from Vance over at bonsaitalk.com.

Chris

I'm still around from time to time but my web site is not. They wanted to start charging me for it and I could not justify the price for the return understanding that I could not sell anything on the site.

As to the Mugo. Let the new growth extend till about the Fourth of July. Then, remove all of the needles growing on the bottom and top, leaving all the side growing needles and cut the new growth off to just above where it emerged in the spring. Your tree will look like crapola but it will form an abundance of new buds and next spring you will have a giant flush of new growth with tiny needles. During the time the tree is decandled and it starts producing new buds be careful not to over water.

Pruning: Any time is OK, but if you have to cut a large branch leave a stubb of about an inch. This allows the tree to shut down the area without forming a larg ugly scar that you will encounter if you flush cut the first year. Wait a couple of seasons then cut flush or jin the stub.

Vance Wood.