larch question

[August44]

I have quite a few larch that I have collected. Some are smaller and others are pretty good sized. If I am trying to get the branches on the bigger ones to have better distance (smaller) between nodes, and am letting the branches grow, and then, if the space between nodes is to big, prune back to a node that is the right distance and let then try again. I need some instruction on how to do this and should I not be pruning back until the growth is hardened off. Sometimes it's hard to see a node unless it is hardened off. Any help is appreciated. Thank you

 

[stubmle]

If they're healthy, they grow pretty fast in the summer. I can usually give mine a trim twice in the growing season. I let the foliage harden off before cutting back.
You can also pinch back newer growth as it extends to get tighter growth and better ramification. This is usually done in late spring, I think it's described in a thread on here somewhere. Basically when the new growth hits the right point, you can twist/snap off about half of the new shoot. Hard to describe in text but it's easy to get a feel for if you try it.
Worth mentioning- you can defoliate these in summer, but it needs a delicate touch. You need to peel back the needles individually or in small bunches so you don't mangle the bud. Takes a lot of patience but the growth you get afterwards is very tight. Nick Lenz describes the process in his book, I can post an excerpt later.

 

[August44]

If they're healthy, they grow pretty fast in the summer. I can usually give mine a trim twice in the growing season. I let the foliage harden off before cutting back.
You can also pinch back newer growth as it extends to get tighter growth and better ramification. This is usually done in late spring, I think it's described in a thread on here somewhere. Basically when the new growth hits the right point, you can twist/snap off about half of the new shoot. Hard to describe in text but it's easy to get a feel for if you try it.
Worth mentioning- you can defoliate these in summer, but it needs a delicate touch. You need to peel back the needles individually or in small bunches so you don't mangle the bud. Takes a lot of patience but the growth you get afterwards is very tight. Nick Lenz describes the process in his book, I can post an excerpt later.

Hello and thanks for your reply and advice. When you say this, "You can also pinch back newer growth as it extends to get tighter growth and better ramification". Does this mean that you might pinch new growth off before it hardens off and are you pinching off at a node or?? Why is that different than waiting until new growth hardens off and then just cutting back to a node?

I have the Lenz book and will research what you mentioned that he has said in his book. Thank you again. Best, August

 

[leatherback]

I hope I found the right threat. This was discussed at length just a few year back.

M

Thread 'Larch Ramification'

Jul 6, 2022

Hello again!

I have just a quick -- possibly annoying -- question about my larch. I say possibly annoying because I know its been discussed and I may have even asked myself, but the 'artist's paintbrush' thing doesn't make much sense to me and I seem to read some conflicting points of view. So, I have a little collection of larch. I am going to try to keep a few of them quite small. My understanding is that I can prune these new shoots back to a bud and this will encourage the new buds to grow? And this will get me ramification this year? I am basing this on the buds turning gold on...

• missionBonsai
• Replies: 38
• Forum: Other Conifers

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[jeremy_norbury]

Post some photos, I have literally hundreds of larch bonsai...