When to trim Larch?

[WNC Bonsai]

Well, I let my 10 American larch seedlings grow wild all last summer then cut them back in the late summer. This spring I then let them grow out again and am in the process right now of trimming them back after letting them grow wild this spring. They were getting too much mass in the apex and needed a trim to balance vigor. These will be used in a large forest.

I also got another 10 Japanese larch seedlings this spring and they are now a mass of green and have doubled in height. I will let them continue to grow and fatten up this summer then whack them back come late summer. I plan to use these in two groups of five tree clumps. I will post pictures later tonight once I have time (dentist appointment this morning).

 

[Jorgens86]

I need ti prune my larches also. Will post pictures after pruning.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I need ti prune my larches also. Will post pictures after pruning.

I suggest you get a before photo too just in case questions arise.

 

[ralf]

Falling in love with the Serge Clemence larch as presented on the pic No 12 ( visit to Serge Clemence by WP ). Doesn't matter if you pinch paint brushes or cut on the first few buds. What is really important = get the right material to start with. True yamadori in such quality are quite scarce even in CH I believe but I hope there might be still some reasonable good ones somewhere around my place. I just need to be patient and take my time. It may take few years to get the right one. Great movement, cracking bark, short internodes... I hope it will come one day. In the meantime I have started with some seedlings...

 

[leatherback]

Just thought I would update with a recent pic of this larch. It gets pruned every few weeks, whenever a tuft is starting to extend, and likes it.

 

[ralf]

It gets pruned every few weeks, whenever a tuft is starting to extend, and likes it.

The main purpose of this method is to reduce the lenght of internodes. At least this is my understanding. Could you please share your thoughts/pics to support this idea on your trees?
- lenght of internodes
- backbudding
- increased ramification
???
I tried this technique last year on two of my larches and the results are questionable. The lenght of internodes is OK but the vigour of the tree is not as good as with the "let it grow and cut" technique. Eager to learn more from other sources than on Tamarack

 

[leatherback]

I do it mainly to keep growth evenly on the tree. The top starts shooting weeks before the bottom semi-cascading branch. Removing the shoots from the top will assit lower branches.

 

[Vance Wood]

I wait till the new growth elongates to a point it looks like the kind of paint brush used in water colors. Once it gets to that point I pinch out two thirds of the the extending bud. This forces famification and short internodes. I do this all year long during the growing cycle.

 

[leatherback]

I wait till the new growth elongates to a point it looks like the kind of paint brush used in water colors. Once it gets to that point I pinch out two thirds of the the extending bud. This forces famification and short internodes. I do this all year long during the growing cycle.

yup, different description, same approach

 

[ralf]

I do it mainly to keep growth evenly on the tree. The top starts shooting weeks before the bottom semi-cascading branch. Removing the shoots from the top will assit lower branches.

Would you mind to share some pics of these branches from the top where you have applied this technique to see the lenght of internodes?

 

[leatherback]

Would you mind to share some pics of these branches from the top where you have applied this technique to see the lenght of internodes?

Best I can do now.

Remind me in winter to take some.

 

[ralf]

Best I can do now.
Remind me in winter to take some.

Thank you for the pic.
BTW I do like your way of using the screening mesh...

 

[leatherback]

BTW I do like your way of using the screening mesh...

creative-me?!

 

[Dogestoevsky]

Thanks to all who participated in this thread over the years — great lessons on the why and how of pinching larch over the span of the growing season.

 

[Yamabudoudanshi]

I've been tending to a browing forest of J. larches for a few years now. my climate is boarderline too warm and the season long, but I think I got 7 full prunes during last year's season. I havent seen it meantioned, but I can quite easily see the pale brown dormant buds on the new extending green shoots. On the shoots I want ramification on, or want to divert energy from, I cut them back to 1 or 2 of these little brown spots once they have extended 4 or 5 cm. On the branches I want to thicken more, I'll prune every 2nd or 3rd pruning. On the branches that I simply want to thicken the trunk (sacrificial), I've let them run the whole season, and then cut them back to a few buds on the hardwood in winter. I've found this system working pretty great for me. Some of these shoots extended out 15+ cm horizontally last year.

I'm about to do my first prune this season, and I imagine I'll have to do it once more before June. Good thread. Larch really are so responsive and it's so easy to see the results of your labor.

 

[Dogestoevsky]

Quick question for the more experienced larch growers here:

Are we talking about pinching *all* growth, or just *extending* growth? That is, growth that will become new branches?

 

[leatherback]

Quick question for the more experienced larch growers here:

Are we talking about pinching *all* growth, or just *extending* growth? That is, growth that will become new branches?

I am not sure why you would pinch non-extending growth. There is n extension, so no need to prune/pinch?

 

[Dogestoevsky]

Now you’ve got me confused — are we talking about removing the central needles on all buds, or are you waiting to see which buds actually start extending to become branches? I’ve been pinching all buds before they open.

Also, maybe I’m too familiar with watercolor brushes… because that metaphor isn’t translating for me.

 

[Tentakelaertje]

What I do for branches I don't want to extend, is to wait until there's about 3 or 4 inches of extending growth on a branch and remove the first layers of needles immediately at the base, surrounding the first 2 buds. Then 2 weeks later when these first 2 buds are starting to show signs of swelling I trim the branch back to about an inch and a half, depending on the buds. If the branch is really strong and if I don't really need it for the design, I will cut to those first 2 buds (insert Rocky "if he dies he dies" meme)
That allows the inner, non-extending buds, on the weaker branches to get some light and air and growth. I do that everytime there's 3-4 inches on, up until about 4 or 5 weeks before the end of season. I say 'everytime' because within a month and a half there will be significant extending growth on both inner buds and those 2 basal buds. Then when the season is over and all needles have dropped you'll have a claw-like pad with strong internal branchlets and buds. Then trim and wire everything, and repeat next year.
Gets insanely fine ramification while keeping the tree healthy.

@Dogestoevsky how do you pinch a bud that's not opened yet?

 

[Dogestoevsky]

I see — so we are just discussing the extending growth.

For clarification, I wasn’t surgically removing the (micro) central growth before buds opened, but rather that I did it when they all “looked like the bristles of a watercolor brush” — which to me, meant something like a 1/2” soft round sable brush, and not a clear extension. As we all know some buds extend into branches and some don’t. So it seems like I’ve been pinching more than I need to.

FWIW I’m getting good ramification, but it is probably taking too much energy out of the tree early in spring since I’m not waiting until extension. Glad I asked!

We’ve had such a warm winter I wouldn’t be surprised if all the larches are pissed off this spring anyhow