I have tried to find info on developing Larches as bonsai and the only really good info I can find is by Colin Lewis. Unfortunately his books and article in Bonsai Today deal with maintaining or styling already developed trees. I am wondering how one devel
ops ramification while they are still at an early age.

If I understand Colins articles correctly the larches grow extending shoots and you can pinch them back to within a couple millimeters of the base and they will produce buds at the base of that shoot. Also under optimum conditions you can prune back on a b
ranch and some of the spurs will regain their juvenille state and start extending.

So my question is when you want to grow out a branch and get your ramification should you allow the branch to grow out to the desired thicknes and then prune back to a spur and hope that it will start extending, (clip and grow), or do you pinch back the ex
tending shoots and allow the new buds that form time to grow out and harden up, then repeat the process further down on the new growth.

I have two Psuedolarix amabalis that I want to use as learning plants before attempting to grow one as a bonsai, but I would like to find the correct procedure for developing branch structure. As they are now, the branches are just extending without any se
condary branches, just lots of spurs along their lenth.

Thanks in advance for any help in this.

--I crucified my hate and
held the world within my hands--
Neal Ross-Marysville CA


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