Progression Thread for my Moyogi style Japanese Larch (Larix kaempferi)

[raffaelbaer]

Hey everyone,

In this thread I will document the further progression of my Moyogi (Informal upright) style Japanese Larch.

Some minor details of the tree:

price: 58€ (including shipping)
date of purchase: october, 2023
source: https://www.baumschule-aurea.de/Japanische-Laerche-Larix-kaempferi-100-125-cm-im-5-Liter-Container

The wanted style for the tree:

Reference 1:

Tree 20: Japanese Larch

Tree Species: Japanese Larch (Larix Kaempferi) Owner: Ian Young – NIBS member since 1993 and current club Chairperson Potter if Known: Wallsall Ceramic History: This is a tree was spotted by …

www.nibonsai.co.uk

Reference 2:

Bonsaibaum 038

www.bonsaiwerkstatt.de

Hope you enjoy this progression, and can get something out of it / find it helpfull for your projects!

Cheers
Raffael

 

[raffaelbaer]

2. February 2024:

The Tree was Top chopped and sealed.



4. March 2024:

The apical growth (and also minor, definitely not needed growth) was removed, to further give strength to the lower branches
The new leader was wired upwards and brought in position to grow on for the next few years
Wire was applied to the lower branches to give the subtle movement



10. April 2024:

leafout in spring, looking quite majestic!




Further plan:

For the year 2024 the tree will stay in the 13 liter mesh pot, and will be fertilized heavily, and left to grow freely.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

Are you going for Formal Upright? or Informal? Your two examples are bit different.

Have you thought about wiring the main trunk to get a bit of movement into the trunk while it's still young? Formal uprights aren't easy to build for beginners, as I'm told.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I wired some curves into mine as they grew and now it has set which is good because once they start to thicken up I don’t think you’ll have much success. These do fatten very quickly and prefer to grow straight as an arrow so you have to start training early unless you like splitting thr trunk in order to put in bends.

 

[raffaelbaer]

Are you going for Formal Upright? or Informal? Your two examples are bit different.

Have you thought about wiring the main trunk to get a bit of movement into the trunk while it's still young? Formal uprights aren't easy to build for beginners, as I'm told.

Im going for a somewhat informal upright look, but somehow also formal upright, not totally straigth!

Yes, I have, however I thought to myself, since im striving for more of a formal tree.
The bend for me is alright!

Personally I dont even think, theres a japanese term for what Im striving to create, because the first reference tree isnt really completely formal upright but also not informal, you get what I mean haha

 

[raffaelbaer]

I wired some curves into mine as they grew and now it has set which is good because once they start to thicken up I don’t think you’ll have much success. These do fatten very quickly and prefer to grow straight as an arrow so you have to start training early unless you like splitting thr trunk in order to put in bends.

My goal mainly is the first reference tree, therfore I dont really want more bends in the lower section...

 

[raffaelbaer]

05. June 2024:

overly long shoots were pruned, to induce backbudding / ramification on lower branches.
Wire that was applied on 04. March 2024 was removed.
Lower wound was recut and sealed again.

Tree is left to grow on freely for year 2024, fertilized heavily on a 4 week schedule with Saidung Ultra (8:4:5).

 

[raffaelbaer]

An Update:

Photo from 28. August 2024


Since the last update, only a few overcrowded branches were cut back, also ones that shaded out lower weaker growth were cut out.
Next plans are as follows:


February / March 2025:

Rewire the tree to the following development plan.
Ive wrapped my head arround it a few times and seem to find it for the best solution.
Right Photo was from late february 2024.



The black rounded branch is the current sacrifice, which I will let run to thicken the trunk, it is not cut back.
It probably doubled in size and diameter this year.

The green branches are gonna become either back branches or sacrifices for further thickening.


March / April 2025:

Tree will be repoted into a 27-45 Liter growbox (60cm x 45cm x height), depending on how much of the roots I can safely take of.
Also nebari will be worked on.

Next updates are gonna be:

before and after wiring in february / march 2025
repotting and nebari work in march / april 2025

---

Cheers Raffael

 

[raffaelbaer]

As of today, a small Update:

I just wanted to show the thickening on the sacrifice branch i started this year, it has more than 2.5x in height and 3x in diameter.
At the beginning of the year it was probably same size (maybe a bit smaller) as the two cut branches left and right to it, i use for anchoring.
Heres a pic.



I suspect, it will catch up to the thickness of the main trunk in about 1, maybe 2 years, then the thickening of the main trunk will really start to kick in!
Also some more pics from winter storage (it looks slightly slanted, since last years i didn't check the angle I put it in correctly, therfore its a bit of to the left => will correct in upcoming repot).



For reference heres also a photo of my reference tree, however in earlier stages of development, its a rough guide (stylewise) of how I will wire mine (at least the first trunk section), coming february



Ive also now switched to my Sony Alpha for pictures on every of my threads for better clarity!

Cheers
Raffael