How to treat a Larch?

[The Warm Canuck]

Quick question, when it comes to repotting, how should a younger larch be treated (3-6 years). Should I repot it like a deciduous, that being bare rooting and having the ability to reduce the rootball pretty signifigantly? Or should I be more carefull and leave some old substrate?

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Quick question, when it comes to repotting, how should a younger larch be treated (3-6 years). Should I repot it like a deciduous, that being bare rooting and having the ability to reduce the rootball pretty signifigantly? Or should I be more carefull and leave some old substrate?

In my experience (I have about 50 young larix laricina), they are somewhere in between conifers and deciduous. I’ve reduced 75-80% of roots and lost a young tree or two. Jury out on washing the roots, I don’t personally think they enjoy it so I tend to clean them with the chopstick but not wash the roots off with the hose as I would a maple for example. Rough guideline would be no more than 60% of roots removed. Just my two cents based on about 5 years and maybe 50 repots of young American Larch.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

In my experience (I have about 50 young larix laricina), they are somewhere in between conifers and deciduous. I’ve reduced 75-80% of roots and lost a young tree or two. Jury out on washing the roots, I don’t personally think they enjoy it so I tend to clean them with the chopstick but not wash the roots off with the hose as I would a maple for example. Rough guideline would be no more than 60% of roots removed. Just my two cents based on about 5 years and maybe 50 repots of young American Larch.

Just interested, as it seems we're in simillar climates. Have you started re-potting?

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Absolutely - once I see the buds start to move (showing a golden sheen to them instead of black/brown) the clock is ticking. I hold off on repotting once I see the slightest hint of green in the buds. Green = danger for repot based on my experience.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I’d say be very careful, I have had poor results when messing with their roots, both Japanese and American larch. I lost 2 this spring and a couple last year after aggressive transplants. I have had better luck with the older, more established ones though, about the size of your thumb. Also they seem especially sensitive to warm, sunny locations the summer after you mess with them. I now keep mine mostly in dappled shade in the summer. You may do a lot better up in Canada, watch Nigel Saunders YouTube videos.

 

[Eckhoffw]

do you know what kind of larch you have, & also the previous conditions it was kept in?
Like, is this nursery stock or a collected tree?