Spring maintenance of Larch Bonsai: Pruning and defoliating

In order to keep inner buds alive and avoid having clumps of burs at the end of bark branches, it is important to prune larch in the right way.

[@scheers100]

Exactly what I have done today. Only I left a bit more of the extended shouts, to elongate some branches. Now I am confident that I did wright. Thanks for the video! 👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

Excellent! Hope the larch responds well!

[@andrewbeattie5245]

Very scary opening sentence but it got my attention as someone who has had mixed results with larch. Good info. Thanks

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad you liked it I do at times like to trigger people into watching more :)

[@JudyGSD]

Love love your videos! You’ve helped a novice like myself leaps and bounds. Thank u 💋

[@GrowingBonsai]

I'm so glad! Enjoy growing bonsai!

[@gibbyrockerhunter]

I’m so happy I found your channel. This is great content and an absolutely beautiful larch. My favorite plant for many years was Tammy my Tamarack. Iv been having a few spine surgeries over the past couple years and she ended up dying due to my neglect early last summer. I can’t believe I allowed that to happen.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Welcome! Life sometimes happens. I would not beat myself up over it.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Great video and you beat me to the upload for this topic 😁 I tend to aim for multiple pruning over the course of the growing season to get those new buds to activate this year and help increase ramificaation building. It is funny that I have never thought of removing the bottom needles - i shall do that from now on thanks to you...and Nigel. Cheers for this

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad it was helpful! I have heard that Larch can take a full defoliation, but have never risked it myself. For the learning aspect, I might do this next year on a healthy youngster!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

@@GrowingBonsai That will be something to see! I have never heard of that before...

[@Bonsaicrazy]

Great video Jelle The tree looks fantastic 👍👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thanks 👍

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

Thank you! I needed this information right now!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad it was well-timed!

[@greenhawk1592]

Mooie Lork!!🌲🌲🌲🙏🙏🙏

[@GrowingBonsai]

Dank je!

[@judlpd]

Very helpful, Thanks !

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad it was helpful!

[@michaelmarshall9924]

Would the advice you give in regards to this species also go for a spruce? My young spruce (about one year old) now got very bushy after all the buds opened up.

[@GrowingBonsai]

With spruce it is similar, but they too provide more backbudding which makes it a bit easier.

[@mm6918]

This is really helpful and very time appropriate for me. I got my first Larch recently and wasn't sure what to do about all the new growth. After this kind of pruning at this time of year (early summer), do I need to put my Larch in shade for a few weeks?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I normally find that I do not remove so much that a lot of inner-crown shading was removed, and I just put the trees back where they were.

[@rcmoot]

Where can I purchase a good size larch? Next will it grow in Louisiana?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Sorry, cannot help you with sourcing one. If you cannot find larch locally, normally that is a good indication they will not do well there. Larch is a cooler climate species, so I would doubt Louisiana is great for them.

[@snoekhoek]

Do you think the same kind of pruning works for spruce and yew?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Yew has a very different growth habit with loads of backbudding and you can work very differently. With spruce it is similar, but they too provide more backbudding which makes it a bit easier..

[@wshow11]

Excellent advice for larch. I’ve had trouble with this kind of trees. Don’t know…….Alabama climate????

[@maximinix]

Ouch, Alabama, no real winter freeze there isn’t it? Larches don’t tolerate hot climates. They like it chilly and freezing in winter. Maybe a good idea to look for more mediterranean or tropical species.

[@wshow11]

@@maximinix no long freezes, but it does freeze occasionally. Not quite cold enough, I guess. Oh well….. no salt on the roads either. lol. Win some, lose some.

[@GrowingBonsai]

How hot are the summers for you? Larch really dislike hot roots. Maybe try shading the pot more?

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌👌🙂

[@GrowingBonsai]

:)

[@ChrisNLger]

Prachtige boom

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thx!

[@theoschmitt3037]

Gleich werde ich die unteren Nadeln von den Ästen entfernen. ❤

[@theoschmitt3037]

Ein schöner Baum

[@GrowingBonsai]

:)

[@GrowingBonsai]

:)