Japanese Larch: Three Year Progression

[bougie nights]

Grouper-
How big is this tree? Specifically, the base-width and height.

Very nice!

 

[grouper52]

I have no idea. Glad you like it.

G52

 

[Smoke]

This trees "appears" much taller than 27 inches. That is a good thing. One of the better naturalistic looking trees I have seen. Nice job Will.

 

[grouper52]

Thanks, Al.

Will

 

[bonsaiTOM]

Could you tell us a bit about your feeding schedule (year round) for this tree, and have you altered it over the years?

I hear different theories concerning fertilizing larch at different stages of development. Would like to get yours.

Please post a shot of your tree at the regional show you mentioned earlier.

 

[grouper52]

Could you tell us a bit about your feeding schedule (year round) for this tree, and have you altered it over the years?

I hear different theories concerning fertilizing larch at different stages of development. Would like to get yours.

Please post a shot of your tree at the regional show you mentioned earlier.

Oh, Heavens!

I have no special feeding schedule or such for this or any other of my trees, which all get the same haphazard "schedule" and treatment in general. Things grow so frickin' well up here that I simply don't bother giving it a lot of thought.

All my trees are in a 100% inorganic mix of whatever I've recycled from previous trees and repots - you name it, there's some in there. New additions to the soil mix these days are a mixture of akadama, Boon's mix," Turface, pumice and lava rock - whatever I have on hand. Past stuff that's still around includes haydite, geodite, granite chicken grit, dolomite, and probably a half dozen other things I can't remember. No organics, ever.

Whenever the spirit moves me, I fertilize with a mix of some standard commercial stuff, with a little humic acid, Superthrive (sorry), HB-101 (even more sorry), and whatever that commercial soluble iron stuff is. When repotting, or once or twice in the fall, I might use kelp emulsion fertilizer to strengthen/stimulate the roots, and sometimes throw some in at other times as well for no set reason. I don't really care much whether my trees bloom, so I don't go through fertilizer changes to induce that.

I set almost all my trees in a protected area of my driveway all bunches together, and dump a few bags of mulch on them for the winter. My few tropicals winter in the house. My Chinese elms lay dormant in the garage if it gets really cold for a spell.

I water daily if it's hot and dry, which is about 20 days a year. The rest of the time it varies depending on my sense of how much and how recently it's rained.

That's my "care" schedule. My trees do really well with this benign neglect. I can only get away with it, though, because I live in a very wet microclimate here in the fairly wet macroclimate of the Pacific Northwest, and because I mostly don't try trees that are too finicky in this climate - don't try this at home!

G52

 

[bonsaiTOM]

G52, Thanx so much for your detailed reply. I appreciate your good humor as well as your honesty - lol. Yes, your locale is blessed with ideal conditions for growing so many good things.

I know that many bonsai people follow very strict fertilizing "schedules", but so many more do what you do and still get great results. I'm so glad you shared with us. Don't apologize for the Superthrive thing, a lot of us use it too. I don't want to kick up a debate about it here.

Again, thank you.

 

[davetree]

OMG, you use Superthrive ???? You should be sorry ! I use it too occasionally, but I am not sorry about it, heh heh.

 

[grouper52]

Thanks, guys. Glad the humor was appreciated, and the Superthrive was forgiven - even supported!

Truth is, I don't really care if the the Superthrive helps or not: Looking deep into my psych I've figured out that I use it

1. Because it's controversial.

2. Because since I was a wee lad I got a kick out of mixing chemicals just to see what happened - never quite managed to blow anything up (but Lord knows I tried), and later played this out in chemistry and eventually medicine.

And 3. Because I'm kinda sloppy when I pour the Superthrive into the bottle cap to measure some out, and I invariably get a few drops on my fingers, and DANG! it just smells so good walking around with that divine scent on me the rest of the day.

Obviously, I'm just in the hobby for the shear enjoyment of it!

 

[grouper52]

Here's the latest minor changes on this guy, to add to the great trees already posted in the Larch Parade. Actually, the foliage is just a tad past its prime for the best effect.

The very top-most little foliage hold-out died this past winter - I figured it might, and you can see the little bit I am growing up as a replacement "top".

The right lower foliage area is far too dense, broad and heavy as well - needs thinning and better definition.

Enjoy.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

and THAT is how you join a parade!!!!

love this tree.... looking beautiful as ever ....

 

[JudyB]

Yeah, I love this tree, it's actually better now that the little top died off I think!
Thanks for posting a photo, I was just about to ask for an update...

 

[grouper52]

I agree - that little top looked like some suicidal stunt man perched on the railing of the Empire State Building observation deck during a gale. It was only a matter of time.

 

[crust]

I wuz wondering when you your gonna spin a top off the lower left branch, lose the entire existing top, and go super dynamic with this one?

 

[tanlu]

damn it, this makes me want to collect larch!

 

[sunnspot]

It is Lovely

 

[evmibo]

Very cool Will! You mentioned thinning out that bottom right branch, have you thought about adding a minor jin to it? Gorgeous tree here

Evan

 

[grouper52]

It just might sport a minor jin very nicely - I'll look at it more closely when the time comes. Thanks.

 

[grouper52]

Updated photo, new/back view for the sake of variety. Enjoy!

 

[grouper52]

. . . .or maybe not - photo processing software is down, and I'm using third string stuff. Will try again later.