Unfortunately, no on there being an easier way and yes on it will get bigger if you don't candle cut. The "Valley Cushion" is said to reach 2-3' height x 2- 3' width at the ten year point - but it will keep growing on beyond that.

Eventually the mugo always wins.

They grow till they die and you will not be able to over come that desire. The more you pinch back the more candles it will produce and eventually overwhelm you.

36x18 should not be a death sentence for a mugo but that's all you can do if it has maxed out your space. Even true dwarves are said to reach 2' at ten years so you need one of the very compact broom of a broom mugos.

The window for candle pruning is open until new buds are set in late spring, shortly after the new shoot growth is complete. If you wait until it looks like shoot growth is done, you can reconsider your question about growth rate ("If I quit pinching candles will it get big") and decide if it's worth it to prune the whole thing again this year or just let it go.

ok.. you have tried that method.. it isnt working.. how long you going to beat your head on that wall???

get in there .. and start cutting further back into the plant ... just make sure you leave at least one bud on any given branch ... else it dies ...

you can cut out.. any fork in the road ... no matter how far back in time ... i cant think of a better way to say it ...

and the beauty of it is... if you really mess it up ... get rid of it ... which is option one at this point anyway ... eh???

ken

try hedge shears,,,electric or manual,,,,much faster than pinching

sounds like you've been doing a good job for 15 yrs

ron