Literati Larch Development Question

[The Warm Canuck]

Good day,

I've been growing this larch in ground the last two years and would like to introduce more taper. I've tried cutting back the top half of the tree back hard and letting the bottom branches grow out strong, but doing so appears to increase ramification at the top branches actually still causing them to thicken. I can see that the top branches will be too large once I'm done developing the the trunk, and even though I'm cutting them back, they're still influencing thickening of the top portion of the tree.

So my question is:

Can I cut back ALLthe top branch to stubs and continue to let the lower branches run free? and than hopefully I continue to get buds on the trunk that I can choose from once trunk thickness and taper is established, or graft the branches?

 

[HENDO]

Hello fellow Canuck!

I'm no literati expert by any means but to me this seems like it would be much more fun to keep as a formal upright or turn into an informal upright. Seems like it would be quite a bit of work to get the literati slender/tapered/curvy profile out of the material you have here.

The only reason I'm saying this is because I've seen a few formal upright larch and they look great. Also you have so many nice branches to select from as the plant grows. Perhaps just cutting back the upper branches every once in a while will help to push energy down, thicken the lower branches you'd plan on keeping?

It might help others to give input if we have a better idea of scale as well - currently how tall/thick is this?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Concur with @HENDO unless there is a specific design in mind. Bending the trunk to lend the tree to literati will be a less than optimal operation without decent help.

Also leaving the bottom growth on to run and thicken the trunk might move the design even further out of the literati wheelhouse

In any event to answer the question. Cutting back to two buds on branches with appropriate locations would be the safest strategy. Also the tree is getting crowded, so it might be an appropriate time for some branch selection.

Yet somehow the tree is saying to me “You had your chance to give me some cool bends. Too late. Right now I love to to be upright. Find a way to me make me look good!”

Just a couple thoughts

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[The Warm Canuck]

Hello fellow Canuck!

I'm no literati expert by any means but to me this seems like it would be much more fun to keep as a formal upright or turn into an informal upright. Seems like it would be quite a bit of work to get the literati slender/tapered/curvy profile out of the material you have here.

The only reason I'm saying this is because I've seen a few formal upright larch and they look great. Also you have so many nice branches to select from as the plant grows. Perhaps just cutting back the upper branches every once in a while will help to push energy down, thicken the lower branches you'd plan on keeping?

It might help others to give input if we have a better idea of scale as well - currently how tall/thick is this?

Concur with @HENDO unless there is a specific design in mind. Bending the trunk to lend the tree to literati will be a less than optimal operation without decent help.

Also leaving the bottom growth on to run and thicken the trunk might move the design even further out of the literati wheelhouse

In any event to answer the question. Cutting back to two buds on branches with appropriate locations would be the safest strategy. Also the tree is getting crowded, so it might be an appropriate time for some branch selection.

Yet somehow the tree is saying to me “You had your chance to give me some cool bends. Too late. Right now I love to to be upright. Find a way to me make me look good!”

Just a couple thoughts

Cheers
DSD sends

Oh my, I'm slow. I meant Formal Upright!!

 

[The Warm Canuck]

Can I change the name of the Post???

 

[Orion_metalhead]

For taper specifically, you need to cut back and develop a new leader. For a formal upright, you need to cut back to a bud that is as close to pointing directly up as possible.

Otherwise you need tonlet bottom branches thicken and restrain the top of the tree.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

Please disregard this thread.

I started a new post with the correct title:

Formal Upright Larch Development Question

Good day, I've been growing this larch in ground the last two years and would like to introduce more taper. I've tried cutting back the top half of the tree back hard and letting the bottom branches grow out strong, but doing so appears to increase ramification at the top branches actually...

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