Japanese larch - eBay error!?

[Mali84]

Evening all,

Looking for inspiration or reassurance!?!…

Impulse bid on eBay resulted in me ‘winning’ this Japanese Larch. Pre-wired to semi cascade, buds open, trunk/root ball not secured.

Firstly, is it safe to repot into a suitably sized training pot and wire in place without doing root work. It’s late spring here, about 15 degrees Celsius.

Secondly, would you advise doing anything to the existing wiring structure or is it best advised to wait until winter? Also, any styling advice would be greatly appreciated, I am more than happy to happy to completely reshape the tree if I’m on to a ‘loser’ as is?!I do prefer the leaning/windswept look over this semi-cascade!

Thanks in advance.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Oh what fun /s

- it's summer on Sunday...so there goes your spring
- Unless you really really find it necessary I would not repot. Well I might, but I'm loathed to tell you that youshould. if you do NOT bare root it - just shake off the old soil as much as possible, you'll probably get away with it BUT it's always a risk.
- wiring larch is ALWAYS better in late autumn/winter then the buds are small and robust and it's easier to get the wire on and off. Even unwiring now (assuming you actually unwire vs cutting the wire off) would almost certainly result in multiple needle buds getting damaged.
- it's an amateur styling job - typical beginner semi-windswept-I-don't-know-wtf-to-do.

 

[Mali84]

Oh what fun /s

- it's summer on Sunday...so there goes your spring
- Unless you really really find it necessary I would not repot. Well I might, but I'm loathed to tell you that youshould. if you do NOT bare root it - just shake off the old soil as much as possible, you'll probably get away with it BUT it's always a risk.
- wiring larch is ALWAYS better in late autumn/winter then the buds are small and robust and it's easier to get the wire on and off. Even unwiring now (assuming you actually unwire vs cutting the wire off) would almost certainly result in multiple needle buds getting damaged.
- it's an amateur styling job - typical beginner semi-windswept-I-don't-know-wtf-to-do.

Much appreciated.

I think I will have to take a chance and repot!the slightest wind is causing pretty significant trunk movement within the soil!

As for everything else, I will wait until late autumn/early winter and hope that over time I learn to dislike its appearance less!!

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Nothing to stop you bending the tree back upright. I loath lopsided bonsai...

If you want some ideas on bending larch - go look at this albums page I have on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/norbury/collections/72157625342099145/
There are at least 100 larch on there - here are a couple of simple one session bending examples:

- https://www.flickr.com/photos/norbury/albums/72177720323710736/
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/norbury/albums/72177720302973112/
-

 

[Mali84]

Nothing to stop you bending the tree back upright. I loath lopsided bonsai...

If you want some ideas on bending larch - go look at this albums page I have on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/norbury/collections/72157625342099145/
There are at least 100 larch on there - here are a couple of simple one session bending examples:

- https://www.flickr.com/photos/norbury/albums/72177720323710736/
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/norbury/albums/72177720302973112/
-

Amazing archive, thank you for sharing.A definite source of inspiration.

I think I will reshape to upright for sure.do you have any advice regarding timings and definites ‘to avoid’? Again, late autumn to winter before this can be done?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I think I will reshape to upright for sure.do you have any advice regarding timings and definites ‘to avoid’?

Whether or not you repot, make sure you anchor the tree in the pot so it doesn't move in the wind. If you keep it in the current nursery pot, just poke some holes in the rim of the pot and tie the trunk of the tree down with wire. I have an old soldering iron that I use for poking holes in plastic pots (particularly drainage holes) and I think I have used the soldering iron more for this purpose than I did for soldering!

 

[AshleyMammal]

I’ve killed so many trees by being too eager, these days whenever I buy a tree I let it get acclimated to my garden, I.e. do nothing for 6months/1year. I haven’t killed any since - but then my overall horticultural knowledge has increased

 

[jeremy_norbury]

YW.

- it's by far the easiest to wire and bend a tree which is not in a pot - with the roots dangling. It gives freedom to hold the tree at any angle to find the best front, the best trunk angle etc.
- wire gauge (thick enough) makes life MUCH easier. Something like 1/3 of the diameter of the trunk, whilst hard to get on, really makes a difference when bending.
- use wiring pliers (sometimes called Jinning pliers) to hold thick wire while you bend it
- this greatly reduces wire damage to the bark.
- It needs to feel like you are coiling the wire against itself and NOT using the trunk or branch as a lever.
IMG_6032 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr
- wrap the tree in camo wrap or raffia if you are worried you'll break it - happens to me with some regularity
- try make your mind up in advance of wiring where the big bends are going to be. Hold the tree in your hand and bend where the branches meet the trunk, twist the whole trunk to move branches from sides to back or front to side.
- anchor your wire at or even under the roots - and pre-bend the first bends in the wire like this:
IMG_6031 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr
- remove NO branches until you're sure you don't need them.
- bend and curl the trunk such that the majority of branches are on the outside of the bends
- make sure the bend in the SAME direction as the wire is applied (more importantly make sure you WIRE in the direction you intend to bend)
- compress the height of the tree - like a spring. Smaller compact trees generally look older and more mature than tall spindly trees which have a juvenile look to them.

Practice makes perfect - so try find a cheap/free source of seedlings and saplings - I have found them in the past in the UK and I have a good source now here in NL - I probably style 50-100 per year now.

 

[Mali84]

Thank you all for your advice. I will be sure to come back and update in the autumn.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Be very careful, every time I have messed with the roots any time other than when they are just popping buds the tree has died later in the summer. Slip potting is one thing but any more disturbance and you risk a brown out.

 

[Mali84]

Be very careful, every time I have messed with the roots any time other than when they are just popping buds the tree has died later in the summer. Slip potting is one thing but any more disturbance and you risk a brown out.

Slip potted the tree yesterday and wired in. Hopefully the tree wasn’t too disturbed, the nursery soil that the tree came with almost entirely crumbled away without me teasing the roots or anything!

I also, against my better judgement repositioned the tree upright. As far as I’m aware there was no damage visible damage to buds/folage.Should I expect to see signs of damage within a number of days if the tree has been stressed to much?

 

[WNC Bonsai]

My experience has been they just suddenly wilt and die overnight, usually on a very warm day if left in the sun. I know several others in my area with the same experience after a late root disturbance.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Slip potted the tree yesterday and wired in. Hopefully the tree wasn’t too disturbed, the nursery soil that the tree came with almost entirely crumbled away without me teasing the roots or anything!

I also, against my better judgement repositioned the tree upright. As far as I’m aware there was no damage visible damage to buds/folage.Should I expect to see signs of damage within a number of days if the tree has been stressed to much?

Keep it out of the direct sun for a few weeks.

 

[Mali84]

Keep it out of the direct sun for a few weeks.

Thanks @jeremy_norbury

 

[Mali84]

image to show repositioned trunk and branching.no styling but reorientated the branching to the sides they extend from.

I plan to remove the wire that the tree came with in winter, and rewire making some minor design changes to trunk shape and branching. Also remove some of the branches that extend from the same trunk position. No plans to change potting mix unless it would be highly advisable at this stage?

Any thoughts/considerations?

Much appreciated

 

[Paradox]

Looks good.
Now leave it alone except for watering and a little fertilizer over the summer.

 

[Mali84]

slightly concerned that the wiring that this tree came with is potentially damaging branching nearest trunk. Would it be best to just leave it as is until winter or carefully remove it all now?image attached to illustrate my concern - perhaps unwarranted - but there are multiple points where the wire has been applied like this.

Thank you

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I wouldn’t try to remove it, too much chance of damage. However if you have good bonsai wire cutters just snip the wire into pieces and it should fall off by itself or at least release its grip.

 

[Jpxc17]

Remove it. That's very poor wiring technique.

 

[Mali84]

Snipped all the wire off with the exception of the lowest trunk area which has been pushed through the rootball - I’ll leave that until winter. Seems to be doing ok and the first few buds are showing signs of a second flush.

Should I be starting to consider which branches will be retained as main branching and which one to keep as a sacrifice to help thicken the trunk? The lower mid section is quite congested with a number of branches attaching at a aliñar trunk point.

Please feel free to suggest which ones you choose to remove etc.