Collected American Larch

[mattspinniken]

Really like the bark on this Larch I collected this fall from a bog. Also made a drawing of where I hope to take it. Think I can do it in 3-5 years?

 

[sorce]

I would totally attempt an incorporation of that long right branch.

It can speak volumes!


Sorce

 

[Dav4]

Really like the bark on this Larch I collected this fall from a bog. Also made a drawing of where I hope to take it. Think I can do it in 3-5 years?

When did you collect it? I love larch but have minimal experience with them, but I do know they need to have recovered from the trauma of collection before meaningful work can be done to them. It definitely has potential, so you want to make it's health your primary focus for now.

 

[mattspinniken]

Dav4 I collected it this fall, not planning to touch it for 1-2 years or until it's ready. I have other Larch to play with in the meantime. I know people always recommend collecting these in the spring but I have had good success collecting larch in the fall. Plus Nick Lenz recommends it in his book Bonsai from the Wild. I did save some better trees at this spot to collect next spring.

 

[Dav4]

Dav4 I collected it this fall, not planning to touch it for 1-2 years or until it's ready. I have other Larch to play with in the meantime. I know people always recommend collecting these in the spring but I have had good success collecting larch in the fall. Plus Nick Lenz recommends it in his book Bonsai from the Wild. I did save some better trees at this spot to collect next spring.

So, you collected it in the last 3 weeks or so? I'd say waiting a year or two is a good idea. I love Nick's book, by the way.

 

[mattspinniken]

Mr. Lenz is the man, probably my favorite book. Yes I collected it almost exactly 3 weeks ago.

 

[The Bonsai Herald]

Mr. Lenz is the man, probably my favorite book. Yes I collected it almost exactly 3 weeks ago.

Since you collected it in the fall, make sure you protect it well this winter! The absolute best thing to do would be to put it on heat pads at 40 degrees all winter long.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I would not put it on a heating pad. They are native to your area, cold temperatures are not a problem. I would protect it from winter sun, and wind. A heating pad, even set at 40 F would run the risk of drying the tree out. And keeping the roots too warm to go dormant. Bury it in snow and forget it until the snow melts. What does Nick's book say about wintering fall collected larch? Go with Nick's suggestion.

 

[The Bonsai Herald]

I would not put it on a heating pad. They are native to your area, cold temperatures are not a problem. I would protect it from winter sun, and wind. A heating pad, even set at 40 F would run the risk of drying the tree out. And keeping the roots too warm to go dormant. Bury it in snow and forget it until the snow melts. What does Nick's book say about wintering fall collected larch? Go with Nick's suggestion.

This is something that Randy Knight told me he does when he collects trees in the fall, and his trees are from areas with cold temperatures too.

Also it won't dry out if you keep it watered

 

[M. Frary]

areas with cold temperatures too.

Minus 20 for weeks on end?
I don't collect a thing in the fall. Winter comes on too fast for roots to heal in time before freezing solid.
If I were to collect sonething in the fall here I would plant it back in the ground for best chance of survival. Never a pot or a bucket.

 

[mattspinniken]

M. Frary, your right spring is best around here for collecting. I saved the most interesting ones to collect next spring. Although, the larch I collected last fall at the same time was bigger than this one and is very healthy today so I thought I would try another one.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I had no illusions that these fall collected larches would have time to grow any roots at all. At best maybe a small amount of callus. Just as some store scion wood in the freezer, you want them fully dormant for the winter, so that they are ready to grow roots in spring. Remember the Larix laricina - American Larch has a high number of degree days of chill required to break dormancy. Winter a larch too warm, and growth in spring will be poor.

 

[crust]

Defintly no heat pads

 

[mattspinniken]

Here is the larch I collected last fall with a more adventurous plan.

 

[mattspinniken]

Just wanted to update this post because I know there was some discussion on fall collection for Larch. All the larch I collected last fall are looking very healthy. Fall seems like a safe time to collect so far. This pic is an update as of today of the larch above collected last oct.

 

[twisted trees]

View attachment 110726 Just wanted to update this post because I know there was some discussion on fall collection for Larch. All the larch I collected last fall are looking very healthy. Fall seems like a safe time to collect so far. This pic is an update as of today of the larch above collected last oct.

Pinch those shoots before they develop terminal buds or direct all of their energy to the top of the tree and ends of the shoots. This will encourage the inner buds to elongate and add ramification.

 

[sorce]

Nice Sharkboy!

Real nice!

Sorce

 

[mattspinniken]

Also an update on the larch collected fall 2014 from post #14. 3 thread grafts started on it, 1 failed the other two look good. It's looking healthy although a little Frankenstein-y.

 

[Giga]

Looks great! DOn't own any myself because I'm pretty sure they would fry in our heat here

 

[mattspinniken]

interesting how the branches all start to pull up. Tree seems to be happier in its new home than it was in the wild. Collected fall 15' I will wire it this spring (I have a lot of wiring to do) and post pics. At this point planning to plant this tree with a larger one for a 2 tree planting.