LARCH PRUNING

[August44]

I collected about 10 Western larch last fall. They are anywhere from seedlings to 1.5" trunks. All of them that I have looked at seem to be pushing buds and some have green showing too. Some of the branches are pretty wild and need to be pruned back a bit. Am I ok doing that now or should I just let them fly the first year with no work. Help appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Dav4]

I collected about 10 Western larch last fall. They are anywhere from seedlings to 1.5" trunks. All of them that I have looked at seem to be pushing buds and some have green showing too. Some of the branches are pretty wild and need to be pruned back a bit. Am I ok doing that now or should I just let them fly the first year with no work. Help appreciated. Thank you.

I wouldn't prune anything first year post collection.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

2nd vote for letting them run. I’ve had collected larch push growth, look happy and then burn out. Better safe than sorry and you’ll have a great chance to analyze pruning decisions over the winter when they are bare and have had a full year to accumulate energy back into the roots.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

You can wire the trunks of smaller ones...

 

[AJL]

If they behave anything like Japanese and European Larch , and you have plenty of heathy roots which didnt dried out in transplanting, then some light pruning and wiring now probably wont do them much harm.

 

[yashu]

I collected a couple arrow straight saplings last spring, bare rooted them on collection.


Once I saw some growth at the buds I wired the trunks (I might have gone a little overboard as I wasn’t sure sure how the bends would take on young material). I only trimmed really long branches and and then topped them midway through summer and wired new leaders. I did not remove any branching yet or wire any branches. I will do that within the next month



The trunks are a little over an inch thick at the base and they are pushing foliage like crazy. The last two photos are a couple weeks old now.

 

[August44]

I collected a couple arrow straight saplings last spring, bare rooted them on collection. View attachment 484200


Once I saw some growth at the buds I wired the trunks (I might have gone a little overboard as I wasn’t sure sure how the bends would take on young material). I only trimmed really long branches and and then topped them midway through summer and wired new leaders. I did not remove any branching yet or wire any branches. I will do that within the next month

View attachment 484198View attachment 484197

The trunks are a little over an inch thick at the base and they are pushing foliage like crazy. The last two photos are a couple weeks old now.

Thanks and nice job collecting. Movement great!

 

[yashu]

Well crap… I was providing this as a comparison for you but I just realized that this is a different species. Mine are Larix laricina, not western larch.

…I do not know how similar the species are.

 

[andrewiles]

I would definitely not prune now for design reasons. The only pruning that should happen -- preferrably, at the time of collection -- is to reduce top mass to reflect reduced root mass.

In my experience you'll see the following cases:

• Don't show green when your others do -- didn't make it through winter and already dead.
• Green buds swell but don't fully open, or open but are tiny -- likely already dead. Needs mist and shade to have any chance.
• Buds open with inch long needles, but no extension. Weak, but likely to make it with good care. Occasional mist, protect from afternoon sun.
• Buds open to > 1 inch needles and you get extensions. Healthy trees that can be pruned gently starting next year. Afternoon protection still a good idea.

The main thing I've noticed with western larches is that it can take some time to understand how they are doing post collection. I commonly see them leaf out nicely, without extension, and then have needles that gradually turn yellow in later spring. These trees don't have enough roots to support the foliage, which is why mist helps.

So, I wouldn't do any pruning or wiring until you're through your first season and know that you're in that 4th bucket above.