Styling help with my first European Larch??

[siddhar]

G'day everyone. Another newbie in your company! Im still pretty new to the art of Bonsai and need some styling help/ and advice on this, my first attempt at wiring a European Larch.

Now I felt a tad lazy today, so forgive me for my rough wiring on this tree!

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[Craig]

and welcome to AusBonsai
I know nothing about Larch trees but if you do a quick search using Larch as the key word, you'll get some previous post about them,,
Here is one - viewtopic.php?f=129&t=5746&start=0&hilit=larch

Google pics of some different Larch Bonsai - https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Bonsa ... 24&bih=644

Good luck

[kcpoole]

Gidday and Welcome
I have not got a larch, nor seen any in person actually but plenty of them in Europe that get posted to various forums.

they all have the branches wired to be striaght and bending down from the trunk so that they all look like little arrows pointing to the apex


Ken

[siddhar]

Thanks fellas, I did plenty of google image searches before I attempted this. I would appreciate a little more constructive critisism though..

Your experience is invaluable Im sure.

[parabola]

Healthy looking stick you have there Lots of potential!

This one is impressive though ---> http://www.flickr.com/photos/snuffy/4005652872/

[bonsai eejit]

Talking of arrows pointing to the apex...

Here's mine.


Japanese Larch by Bonsai eejit, on Flickr


Japanese Larch by Bonsai eejit, on Flickr


Japanese Larch by Bonsai eejit, on Flickr

A few others


Frankie Larch 2c by Bonsai eejit, on Flickr


DSC_1058 by Bonsai eejit, on Flickr


DSCF3221 by Bonsai eejit, on Flickr

Pollen falling from a flower on a Larch.


Larch Pollen by Bonsai eejit, on Flickr

[Pup]

Not sure of the timing but I would get it out of the pot it is in, and get it growing on so you lose the chop scar. So you can also get some better taper.

The only time I have worked on one of these trees, was under guidance from Peter Chan. In his Nursery, in June of 2009.

That was some needle plucking and some extraneous twig trimming.

This has nice potential, unfortunately for me it never gets cold enough for them or Yew to grow well here.

Look forward to its improvement, also your wiring skills to improve with time

Cheers Pup

[bodhidharma]

I have a few that i am playing with and it has been my understanding that most of the styling work on Larch should be done when it is going dormant. I have played with wiring while it is growing and have found that the foliage browns off and stops growing. They respond well to growing on and cutting back (which i have just done to mine) but when put into a small container virtually stop putting on size.

[siddhar]

Not sure of the timing but I would get it out of the pot it is in, and get it growing on so you lose the chop scar. So you can also get some better taper.

The only time I have worked on one of these trees, was under guidance from Peter Chan. In his Nursery, in June of 2009.

That was some needle plucking and some extraneous twig trimming.

This has nice potential, unfortunately for me it never gets cold enough for them or Yew to grow well here.

I have a few that i am playing with and it has been my understanding that most of the styling work on Larch should be done when it is going dormant. I have played with wiring while it is growing and have found that the foliage browns off and stops growing. They respond well to growing on and cutting back (which i have just done to mine) but when put into a small container virtually stop putting on size.

Thanks for again the advice, Ill have a serious attempt at re-wiring in winter, put it a large pot and dig it in to the ground for a couple of years.

[bonsai eejit]

I would make the chop into a deadwood feature by carving it. Very common on Larch. They are one of the fastest trees to heal over as well with their think cambium layer.

[kcpoole]

this one on IBC is no a bad example either
http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t6026 ... m-a-noobie

Ken

[Dumper]

what i realise bout larch is that they tend to have a straight trunk with very little taper.

if u wan to know more bout larch on creating better tapering. google search for nick lenz. his is a american bonsai artist that uses a lot of larch

what u have done is nice. just have to clean up the cut area a bit more so u can create a better taper trunk

john

[siddhar]

Thanks again everyone for all of your advice and positive feedback. Ive straightened out and lowered the branches as advised, ill wait until mid-winter to attack the chop area and create a nice jin!

Ill continue creating better taper and grow on for another year in a grow box. Ill update this trees progression as I see fit.