American Larch

fourteener

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Proof is in the pudding

1. Nick Lentz name is bigger than mine. If he has A WHOLE BOOK on it, someone with more cred than me has already offered this to the bonsai community.
2. Rodney Clemons was in Duluth MN last summer doing a master workshop. His comments to my friend who has been doing this for twenty years was... "Your tamaracks look more like Lentz' trees than any I have seen.
3. Look at my gallery. I'm past the "first garden juniper from Home Depot stage"
4. Ah pics don't lie...I get it

Image 177: This is a branch for which this procedure has been done once. It was done in the summer of 2011 not last summer.
Image 178: A picture of a different branch on the same tree. Replanting this group on a new slab means I let a tree be a tree and grow for the summer. This is a picture of the usual kind of growth you would see on a tamarack any given year.
Image 179: Take a look at how close and numerous are the buds as well as the fine twigs. The twigs are 1/3 the size of regular growth.
Image 180: I am holding the branch that was allowed to grow freely for a year, at the end you see the terminal bud. That terminal bud is next to one that was on a defoliated branch two summers ago. Half the size.


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I don't have any good pic of the process being worked out on this stuff. I have only done bonsai for myself and haven't done a good job of photo journaling the process to share with people. These are the branches I have today standing above the snow bank. It's the best I can offer.
 

JudyB

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Just so you know, I wasn't pressing for pictures for "proof"... I just happen to really be into larch, and want to see as many as people will post. Something about the rugged/delicate juxtaposition that they offer. I have one American and on Japanese.
Thanks for the photos, the differences are obvious. Do you wait a certain period of time after the leaves have set?
 

fourteener

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The process in Northern MN

I seem to get double pics everytime I post...sorry.


The process for defoliating for me. I live in Duluth MN, my legit growing season is May 15-Oct 15. I don't have scorching hot summer days. Lake Superior keeps me at an even 65-80 degrees with a couple of weeks in the 90s.

We have the MN state fair at the end of August. I have done this to try and bring something there that is re budding. Three weeks is about right. Generally the beginning of August. I trim the tree first. I don't want to waste time defoliating something I'm cutting off anyway. I pluck of every needle by hand. In ten to 14 days you'll have twice as many buds as you've ever had if not 3-4 times more. Thebuds come out small and the twigs they are on are small.

One year I did it too late and the new growth didn't harden off before winter(which is soon for me). Needles never turned color, never dropped all winter. It didn't do anything negative to the tree, but it's made me commit to it by the first week in August or not at all.

I don't overwater the trees after defoliating. It's lost it's way to transpire water so I lighten up a bit until I see the new buds forming, then back at it with the water. If you have warmer summers than I do, I'm not sure the implications. Maybe the shade would be good until you see the buds coming out.

Also a good chance to wire things while the foliage is gone. If you have a healthy tamarack growing like crazy, it will really do some wonders. If you don't trust me, trust Nick Lentz.

People do this with Maples all the time. Trust me, it's all the same principles at work. It's funny to me that people are so doubtful. It's just the norm here in Duluth.
 

JudyB

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Thanks so much for that firsthand information, and details. I really appreciate!:)
 

fourteener

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Fine foliage

It's the fine foliage of the tamarack that is so attractive. I have a weeping tamarack. You should consider that for another project. Flowing graceful limbs with some good alligator checked bark.


Glad to pass along the knowledge.
 

tmmason10

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I'm with Judy, I wasn't trying to call you out its just nice to see how others do their work on species I have. It was clear that you were no beginner, and your pictures certainly prove it. Your information on plucking needles three weeks before a show was kind of the inside info I think Judy and I were looking for. Thanks for your input, I can see myself trying this in the future.
 

tmmason10

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I purchased my second collected tamarack at the end of December, and last weekend I styled it at a wiring class with John for Kaikou school students. I like larch as a species so I was happy to get another one. I think that in a few years I should be able to get this tree looking pretty nice. I will be trying to time the repot correctly this spring so that we can get started on encouraging the roots to grow laterally. Judging by how the before mentioned layer looked, it's probably a mess under the soil. Let me know what you think, it's pretty rough.



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I've been pretty unhappy with how this tree turned out since I wired it. I really don't like the silly bends at the top that don't match the rest of the tree. Anyone have ideas? My idea is drastic, but perhaps more fun. Scribbled on a post it at work today.

image.jpg
 

tmmason10

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I hate how the iPhone posts things sideways. Also as an FYI, the layered larch was tossed out by my former landlord as he cleaned up the backyard at my old apartment before I was able to make it back down there. Threw out quite a few things without asking, pretty pissed off. Collections is smaller though, not all bad.
 

JudyB

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I believe that I'd jin the top part, and make the right branch off the upper trunk the last branch on the trunk. I'd pull the left branches down more if possible. The upper trunk is too heavy, and the bending looks too "pretty" for the rest of the tree. I don't think I'd carve, just go for wild and decrepit.
 

october

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Hi Tom, I used this pic from a few pages back to make a virt. If you air layer it a couple/few inches under that big thick branch and reduce the top, I think you might have a rough yamadori like image. Here are a couple of virts. The first is after the layering, cuts and jins. The second is an image of what it could look like in the future.

Rob
 

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davetree

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I got a free camera app for my iPhone that fixed all my sideways and upside down picture problems. It's called Camera+ and when it is installed take your pics with the app and save them to your camera roll. Works every time.
 

tmmason10

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I believe that I'd jin the top part, and make the right branch off the upper trunk the last branch on the trunk. I'd pull the left branches down more if possible. The upper trunk is too heavy, and the bending looks too "pretty" for the rest of the tree. I don't think I'd carve, just go for wild and decrepit.

Thanks Judy, I think I see what you suggested. The left branches pull down but I either need to rewire with copper or guy wire. Your idea is one to ponder, thanks for your input.
 

tmmason10

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Hi Tom, I used this pic from a few pages back to make a virt. If you air layer it a couple/few inches under that big thick branch and reduce the top, I think you might have a rough yamadori like image. Here are a couple of virts. The first is after the layering, cuts and jins. The second is an image of what it could look like in the future.

Rob

Rob, thanks for the virt. I really like the idea you have presented, and I would consider layering. The trunk below is just a but too taperless I think and your idea would eliminate this.
 

tmmason10

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I got a free camera app for my iPhone that fixed all my sideways and upside down picture problems. It's called Camera+ and when it is installed take your pics with the app and save them to your camera roll. Works every time.

Sweet, I'll check this out.


Also, there may have been a few branches that didn't make it up top, which is why I was thinking about jinning and carving. I'm in a wait and see mode to see if the buds pop.
 

tmmason10

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I straightened out the top as much as I could the othe day and snapped a pic today. Noisy picture but I think jinning the top is probably in order, especially since some buds are t opening.
The camera app didn't seem to work, I think the picture ended up beig too large.
image.jpg
 

tmmason10

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Some better pics and more angles. You can see that the top is lagging, not many buds.

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october

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hmm.. This tree doesn't seem to be giving any options. Bunjin is probably out because it looks like much of the top might not bud again. The only real branches are 3 branches and depending on the angle, 2 of them are bar branches.

When I did the virt with an air layer, it sort of involved using some of the area that has not budded out. I think it still could be done. It would create a shorter tree and maybe you could use the existing foliage to fill it in. A smaller tree means less to fill.

Maybe, if nothing really presents itself, you could trade the tree in.

Rob
 

tmmason10

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hmm.. This tree doesn't seem to be giving any options. Bunjin is probably out because it looks like much of the top might not bud again. The only real branches are 3 branches and depending on the angle, 2 of them are bar branches.

When I did the virt with an air layer, it sort of involved using some of the area that has not budded out. I think it still could be done. It would create a shorter tree and maybe you could use the existing foliage to fill it in. A smaller tree means less to fill.

Maybe, if nothing really presents itself, you could trade the tree in.

Rob

Thanks rob, this one is definitely more of a challenge than I first thought. I'll take some time to examine and see what buds end up coming out on the top. I am drawn to a tall lean, bunjin sequence feel but not sure how to proceed yet. Groupers trees are kind of how I hope to bring this one.
 

tmmason10

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Went back and looked at Nicks book and found some inspiration. Beanpole larches are best utilized for group plantings. I think I'll do what I can for now, and pair with a tree or two in the future.

Found inspiration on page 35 of "Bonsai from the Wild" 2nd addition.

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