The 4th of JuLarch

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Chumono
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After spending the beginning of the weekend working, I was able to get up to camp for Sunday evening and all day Monday. Sunday night was a rocking good time, filled with food, drinks, and festivities. Come Monday morning, I beat my girlfreind out of bed, and jumped on the 4-wheeler to work off my well-earned 4th of July hangover. I went to check my larch spot, and see how the trees i chopped were developing. I decided to grab a small one.

Not thinking to clearly yet, I had walked (stumbled) through the rough terrain and waist-high weeds in my flip-flops and shorts. By now, the temperature is quickly rising to near record highs and sweat (booze) is freely flowing from all of my pores. Now, I realize I'm a good couple hundred yards from my sweet ride. Of course, using my ultimate wisdom, I hadn't thought any of this through and had absoloutley nothing with me to wrap the roots. So, I begin to hustle my way back, while cursing myself audibly for the majority of the way.

Finally having arrived back at the ATV, acting fast, I quickly throw my bloody leg over the seat and toss the tree into the cargo basket. ZOOM! In a flash we are off, whizzing down the old dirt trail kicking up a storm of dust in our wake. I return to camp, still semi-disoriented from the prior evenings events, trying to figure out the next plan of attack. I take the small larch and swiftly make my way down the path to the rushing stream. After wetting the roots thoroughly, I brought it back to my work area, which just happens to be the closest picnic table. After clipping back some big obtrusive roots, i returned the tree to a protected spot in the stream for another rinse. At this point, I've got no soil medium, so back on the 4-wheeler and off the the gravel pit I go. Quickly, I sift out the particles I need with the two pond baskets I brought in tow. 10 minutes later, now drenched in perspiration, I make my way back to camp. Acting fast, I pot the tree up using the newly aquired granite and leave the basket resting in the stream.

By this time, it is already 90 degrees and only 11 am, and the tree isn't the only thing that could use a bath. So, off to the lake I was. Upon returning from my refreshing mountain lake journey, (aren't pool noodles great) I thought I'd give a demo for my girlfriend. Man, I was just full of great ideas that morning. Luckily, she was suffering from the same mystery ailment that had struck me so hard, just a couple hours before.

Seeing that she was immobilized in her camp chair and facing my direction, I used the opportunity to perform the much anticipated "4th of July 2010 Bonsai Demo Extraordinaire." I begin clipping and cutting furiously as she looks at me in horror. "Why do you keep cutting that poor thing, it was cuter before you got your evil hands on it!" she exclaims. Luckily, I have a strong will, and shrug off the jeers from the gallery. With wire flying and the sweat dripping from the brow, the show was in full swing. Within an hour, the work was done and the crowd dispersed. A bonsai was born.
 

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rockm

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Nice tree.

Only 90 by 11?...It was 102 here at 11 on July 5th...:D
 

Smoke

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Nice tree.

Only 90 by 11?...It was 102 here at 11 on July 5th...:D

102...nice day!


I know, I know..... it's the humidity stupid. Hope your heat wave has passed.
 

Bill S

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Hooot hooot hooot here tooo, w/ nice high 60s dew pts, can you say sweatttttyyyy.

HA don't get your heart too attached to that tree, July heat wave isn't a good time to dig larch.
 

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Hooot hooot hooot here tooo, w/ nice high 60s dew pts, can you say sweatttttyyyy.

HA don't get your heart too attached to that tree, July heat wave isn't a good time to dig larch.


Never really expected it to live, if it does that is a bonus. I collected one about August 1st last year, and it is doing fine. I'm just testing the boundries and limits. (and using up the last of the aluminum)

dave
 

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Alive and kickin at this point, I'll let ya know what happens in spring.

Dave
 

Bill S

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I did a mid August very hot day, kind of a hard repot too, looks to be making it, I will wait for another year anyway. Mine came due to the tree just was looking like crap, and getting worse. It was an auction tree, possibly collected the previous year and potted in crap, so it was I thought, a six of one 1/2 doz. the other. I actually had big reservations, but we had been to a loggers place( guy supplies Nick L with many Larch) and he showed us his typical repot time in mid summer and did a few, apparently with just shaking off his medium(peat) and replanting. Again the one I did was a bit rough in comparison, and I am not expecting much, but we will see.
 

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Tada. It's like magic.
 

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Bill S

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Both of ours have done better than I expected, so much for "you can't do that!"
 

bonsaiTOM

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Dave, I'm glad you posted the sequel. Good to know the magic is still with you, and lookin' good.
Did I ever doubt you?
No way.
Just wanted it to be shared.
 

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Chumono
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Well, I got this into a pot. Hopefully the roots develop well. Also, if the object were to plant it dead center, I would be champion of the world. Next time I will be sure to move it off center.
 

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JudyB

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Or use a round pot!:) Still, looking nice... exciting larch season!
 

tmmason10

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Well, I got this into a pot. Hopefully the roots develop well. Also, if the object were to plant it dead center, I would be champion of the world. Next time I will be sure to move it off center.
Looks good. Agreed with Judy, might be nice in a round pot. Can you take a close up picture of your larch buds by any chance. I can't tell if mine is going to wake up this year or not.
 

JudyB

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Hey tom, if they start to look golden, then they are on their way. They don't give you much more warning than that, and after, not too long before they pop. That's American, Japanese give you more warning, and swell more. The A. larch does not swell much after the golden color.
 

tmmason10

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Hey tom, if they start to look golden, then they are on their way. They don't give you much more warning than that, and after, not too long before they pop. That's American, Japanese give you more warning, and swell more. The A. larch does not swell much after the golden color.

Judy, you were dead on. I looked this morning and it looks like some of the buds are starting to green in the middle.
 

JudyB

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time to repot if you're going to, don't do it long after the green starts to show.
 

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I Think it was the Fourth of July...

Well, here we are again, two years out of the woods. I reduced all the branches about a month ago, and the tree is responding well. I'm hoping to remove a lot more foliage next styling. I think a more sparse literati feel may suit this larch.

Dave
 

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