I fear I'm losing one of my favorites, please help! (Western Larch)

[Horophyle]

Hello all,

Really hoping I can get some advice regarding my Western Larch before it's too late. I have had this tree for three years and it has always been a very strong, vigorous tree. I decided to repot it back in April (it didn't get any substantial root removal but some dead stranglers were clipped). It has been seemingly healthy throughout spring since the repot but about a week ago I started noticing the needles starting to wilt a little bit. We have been having some issues with some local Chipmunks (this is the reason for wrapping the trunk as seen in the pics below). They have been munching on my Dawn's and I just did this as a preventative measure.

My initial reaction is over watering. The weather has been a hair on the cold side here in central Oregon with it really starting to warm up over the last couple of weeks. So I have cut back on watering but that was only a few days ago. I have also moved it under a shade cover. It is planted in a 30/30/30 mix of Akadama, Pumice and Red Lava Rock and is in direct sun for about 4-5 hours a day, mixed shade for the rest.

Is there anything else I can do? I would be devastated to lose this one, I don't have many trees and I am particularly fond of this one. If I am too late please let me down softly

I appreciate any help you all can suggest,

Thanks,

Keaton

 

[pitchpine]

I don't have any insight but am crossing my fingers for you! I lost my own eastern larch last summer after 10 years and still don't know exactly what happened.

Laura

 

[sdavis]

I live in Central Oregon and have been growing larch here for 40 years. Please private mail me and we can talk.

 

[CWTurner]

I live in Central Orego

Like that avatar.
CW

 

[Cadillactaste]

How long ago did you apply the wrap protecting the trunk? What did you use? I almost wonder if it's the material you used...is making it appear girded? Is any trunk at all in that area getting air flow?

 

[Cadillactaste]

I may have used the wrong terminology...example. They filled in a section of our ravine when doing culverts putting in a cement drain. The trees has soil level raised so the tree couldn't breathe...and they all died from it. You can't cover the trunk of a tree without allowing to get some good airflow...or it will die.

 

[Horophyle]

I considered this at first as well. It is a new addition to the tree (about a week). But it is just regular shade net material and it is super loose. It can rotate freely around the tree if you turn it. A greally good thought but I kind of doubt this could be doing it.

 

[BPfeil]

I don't know much about larch, but I'm pulling for the little guy.
On a brighter note-nice to know there's others from Oregon on here!
Best of luck

 

[Horophyle]

Thank you! This evening I had the privilege of speaking with someone much more experienced than myself on the topic of Larch's in Central Oregon. Just a testament to how great this community is. Anyway, after some chatting on the phone he came to the conclusion that it may in fact be under watered. The opposite of what I was thinking....what was I saying about my level of experience? It is very dry here where we live (10-15% humidity usually) and can be somewhat hot. So I think there could be something to this under watering argument.

I have it under some shade netting now and will be watering it a little more liberally. Also applied a slightly thicker layer of sphagnum for good measure. Fingers are crossed now and I will keep the thread up to date. If anyone else has any ideas I am all ears. Thanks!!

 

[LanceMac10]

Larch love water.....most of the time they live in swamps. Do not like heat and humidity, in my experience.
How often are you "working" this piece of material?

 

[M. Frary]

Larch love water.....most of the time they live in swamps. Do not like heat and humidity, in my experience.
How often are you "working" this piece of material?

I'm not sure they all live in swampy areas.
Tamaracks for sure but some others may like it a little drier.
Then again I may just be talking out of my ass again.
It happens from time to time.

 

[Cadillactaste]

@mattspiniken you have collected larch...thoughts?

 

[wireme]

I'm not sure they all live in swampy areas.
Tamaracks for sure but some others may like it a little drier.
Then again I may just be talking out of my ass again.
It happens from time to time.

you are right Western larch like dryer sites, very shade intolerant.. good habitat info here.https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/silviculture/compendium/WesternLarch.htm

 

[crust]

Never grown Western but I am a larch man. Set on ground. pull fertilizer. If it is in a uber porous soil, place a bed of fresh sphagnum moss on top of soil. watch for fungus. did you over fert it with chemical fert?

 

[wireme]

Never grown Western but I am a larch man. Set on ground. pull fertilizer. If it is in a uber porous soil, place a bed of fresh sphagnum moss on top of soil. watch for fungus. did you over fert it with chemical fert?

Thats a good question, it seems like a bit of a strange acute decline. like sudden root death, but why?

 

[LanceMac10]

Living in the PNW......this tree needs to get used to lots of water. Unless it doesn't rain there much?

While it may be sun loving in the ground, characteristics might change when grown in a container. Just sayin'....

 

[twisted trees]

If it wasn't dry when it wilted or didn't perk up after watering then it's not a water problem. Larch in bonsai soil generally cannot be over watered; the soil drains too readily. My guess (from experience with over 1,000 larch) is it might have a vascular fungus.

 

[Horophyle]

Larch love water.....most of the time they live in swamps. Do not like heat and humidity, in my experience.
How often are you "working" this piece of material?

Not really working it at all. Wired it back in the first week of April, that is all the "work" it has seen this season.

Living in the PNW......this tree needs to get used to lots of water. Unless it doesn't rain there much?

While the PNW has a reputation of being a relative rain forest the high desert of Central Oregon couldn't be more different. We average 300 days of sun annually and like I mentioned 10-15% humidity. So under watering could definitely be a culprit.

 

[Horophyle]

Never grown Western but I am a larch man. Set on ground. pull fertilizer. If it is in a uber porous soil, place a bed of fresh sphagnum moss on top of soil. watch for fungus. did you over fert it with chemical fert?

Thanks for the tips. I put a new layer of sphagnum on it last night and watered pretty heavily. It is so dry here that I really doubt it could be fungus....but you never know. I use all organic fertilizers once a week. This one will be just getting water for a while now though.

 

[LanceMac10]

Sounds great for humans, not so much for a tree in a container!!

I think I would further explore what @twisted trees has pointed out, that it could be disease.