larch

[twisted trees]

Yes you can graft in a few different ways, at least on American Larch. I am assuming you could on others. Thread grafting is most popular, Lenz talks about it in his book. Crust has posted successful thread grafts on this site. I have one that appears successful but I am giving it another growing season to make sure.

This tree doesn't need grafting though...imo

I've had success with in arch grafts and I am still waiting on some thread grafts.

 

[twisted trees]

You have two larch - show me where yours backbudded.

I have seen some severely cut larch in the wild push adventitious buds but never on any pre-bonsai or bonsai. Sometimes dormant buds which are hidden by bark push through and can be mistaken for adventitious growth.

 

[defra]

@M. Frary
thnx but il keep it this way to build it up controled and actualy i styled it with only the branch you say i should keep on only instead of cut it i am going to make dead wood out of the "old" trunk

@twisted trees thnx for sharing this
i wont have to experiment anymore so i can start on making the deadwood

 

[mattspinniken]

looks good @defra I like how you are basing the tree off of the lowest branch. You could always go with Mike's suggestion if you change your mind down the road. I have a Larch with a deadwood top that I am working on as well.

 

[defra]

Today i worked on this tree again
Created some deadwood and repotted it into a stone pot and changed the planting angle

The roots are terible tough

 

[GailC]

I like this, makes me want to find a larch.

 

[M. Frary]

Pretty cool!
You are going to have to address those roots in the future though. Next spring at the earliest.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Nice job.

I suggest that you now burn the deadwood. I was doing the same today.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Today i worked on this tree again
Created some deadwood and repotted it into a stone pot and changed the planting angle

Nice job! You took a piece of material that I considered "unpromising" and have now created a path forward.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Do not address this now, but you will want to be aware of the relationship between the height of your deadwood/dead trunk and the height of your new live trunk. You do not want the two to be the same (or close to the same) because it makes your design look like a slingshot. Longer term you want one or the other to be clearly taller.

But don't shorten the deadwood now, until you decide what you want your final design to look like, and that may be determined by how your tree responds to this first initial styling. You can always remove more deadwood later on, but it is hard to put it back

 

[defra]

Thnx for the replies!

Mfrary i think in about two years or so untill i see those horible roots again and then ill have to see what i could do about it i want to be sure its healthy before i work the roots again

Will do jeremy!

Bonsainut thnx !after the needles fell i tought it was crap too lol
But now im happy with the result actualy kinda proud !

I think i will shorten the living part in the future tbh but for now its enough

 

[sorce]

The roots are terible tough

Great that you have already grown enough to realize and admit this.

Sorce

 

[defra]

I went pretty hard on the roots but its leavin out nice !

Only one branch in the top is dead i guess

 

[defra]

It survived the repot and is growing well!

 

[defra]

Pruned back the shoots and the top some more than the bottom to try to balance the energy troughout the tree

 

[defra]

This one got its seccond cutback for this year

Before

After


See the tiny brownish buds between the needles?
I looked for the 4th from the trunk and pruned them back to there

 

[petegreg]

From my observation, this pinching of a new growth is more for back budding and ramification. In fall or spring I cut back deeper if needed for branch taper and to keep foliage nice close to the trunk. The pics from season help me to adjust branches, wiring and bends...

 

[my nellie]

If I only could grow a larch in my place...
Nice going project!

 

[defra]

If I only could grow a larch in my place...
Nice going project!

Thnx!
Is your climate to warm ?
It realy is a cool species yes

 

[my nellie]

Thnx!
Is your climate to warm ?
It realy is a cool species yes

Hot and dry summers! Stone dry!
I have already tried with Larix kaempferi which is supposed to be more tolerant to warmer conditions but with no luck.
A friend from France has sent to me one small tree grown from seed by himself.
I received the tree in October and it did wake up next spring and managed to grow being positioned on a norther balcony.
But it didn't wake up the second spring...