Formal Upright Larch Development Question

[The Warm Canuck]

Good day,

I've been growing this larch in ground the last two years and would like to introduce more taper. I've tried cutting back the top half of the tree back hard and letting the bottom branches grow out strong, but doing so appears to increase ramification at the top branches actually still causing them to thicken. I can see that the top branches will be too large once I'm done developing the the trunk, and even though I'm cutting them back, they're still influencing thickening of the top portion of the tree.

So my question is:

Can I cut back ALL the top branch to stubs and continue to let the lower branches run free? and than hopefully I continue to get buds on the trunk that I can choose from once trunk thickness and taper is established, or graft the branches?

Fyi the tree is 24" tall and a 1-1/2" trunk at the lowest end.

 

[OTown]

When I look at this tree I see a long slender straigt tree. Why don't you lean into that using the taper you have? Keep it long, cut the bottom branches off, and take advantange of what you have.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

When I look at this tree I see a long slender straigt tree. Why don't you lean into that using the taper you have? Keep it long, cut the bottom branches off, and take advantange of what you have.

Hmmm interesting thought. I do think it need a little more girth to look more mature.

 

[pandacular]

The key challenge of the formal upright seems to be getting taper to look good and in proportion. With an informal upright, you can just chop it and make a new leader; not as possible with a formal upright.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

The key challenge of the formal upright seems to be getting taper to look good and in proportion. With an informal upright, you can just chop it and make a new leader; not as possible with a formal upright.

Yes, that's why I asked my initial question.

 

[PonderingSage:]

You theory makes sense to me but, l just collected my first larch this fall and don’t have any experience with them.
Is you idea to keep the very top leader to draw sap up? Also, are there buds on each branch you would cut back to, or is that something you are concerned about?
Looks like a fun project !

 

[August44]

I like your tree and especially the height and all the branches that you have to work with. Are you shooting for a formal upright or a informal upright? If informal, I would probably try to get some movement in the trunk ASAP. If you're going for a formal upright, then I would try something I was told a while back. You can't make bigger branches smaller, but you can work at making smaller branches bigger by not reducing them and letting them run. I also worry a bit about sunlight not getting to some of the lower and/or smaller branches because of all the branches that are on the tree. Eliminating branches will help that but be careful you don't remove something you might need later. I also would not get to caught up or worried with the idea that the wrong sized branches up and down the tree make the tree not a good bonsai. I don't believe that because trees in nature don't grow that way and if you look closely at finished bonsai from accepted professionals, you will see branches that are out of order on a regular basis. Great example and good luck with that tree!

 

[The Warm Canuck]

You theory makes sense to me but, l just collected my first larch this fall and don’t have any experience with them.
Is you idea to keep the very top leader to draw sap up? Also, are there buds on each branch you would cut back to, or is that something you are concerned about?
Looks like a fun project !

Yes, I'll be leaving the top leader, maybe starting another one at some point if I get the right bud in the right spot. I'll start by cutting all the top and mid branches to one bud, but I'm not too concerned. I'll just thread graft later on, if needed.

I like your tree and especially the height and all the branches that you have to work with. Are you shooting for a formal upright or a informal upright? If informal, I would probably try to get some movement in the trunk ASAP. If you're going for a formal upright, then I would try something I was told a while back. You can't make bigger branches smaller, but you can work at making smaller branches bigger by not reducing them and letting them run. I also worry a bit about sunlight not getting to some of the lower and/or smaller branches because of all the branches that are on the tree. Eliminating branches will help that but be careful you don't remove something you might need later. I also would not get to caught up or worried with the idea that the wrong sized branches up and down the tree make the tree not a good bonsai. I don't believe that because trees in nature don't grow that way and if you look closely at finished bonsai from accepted professionals, you will see branches that are out of order on a regular basis. Great example and good luck with that tree!

I'm going for a formal upright. Like I said earlier, thread grafting a larch is pretty easy, so I'm not too worried about removing too much of the top branches.

 

[Dogestoevsky]

Larch is very apically dominant, and pruning the main apex back to just a few buds is important. My larix laricina with the best taper have lower branching that I’ve developed into sacrificial sub-trunks. I would select one or two lower branches to sacrifice, and wire them up to induce heavier growth. Let the top grow a little of course so it doesn’t languish or die back. Good luck!

 

[yamadoriboi]

Formal uprights generally have their first and largest branch 1/3 up the trunk. I would envision where you see the tree ending in height and cut branches 1/3 of that. Then you can start thickening your first keeper