An outdoor location with full sun will aid your Larch bonsai to grow best. This is a frost-hardy species but may require protection from heavy rain in winter.
When the soil becomes dry, be sure to water your Larch bonsai thoroughly. If in full sun during the summer, Larch can become profoundly thirsty. Be sure to keep the plant and soil evenly moist. When growing in a hard water area, don’t be afraid to use an acidic fertiliser to balance the alkaline.
Once the new buds have opened, start feeding in Spring. New shoots will be aided by a nitrogen-rich feed; once grown, a more balanced feed can be used. Feeding should take place weekly with a liquid feed or a solid organic feed monthly into mid-summer. We would recommend the Naruko Slow Release Feed. From here, the tree enters a semi-dormant phase. A low-nitrogen feed should be used from late summer to vitalise the tree for winter.
Pruning your bonsai is important not only to create or maintain an aesthetic style but also to ensure optimal health. Hard pruning should take place in Autumn and the tail end of Winter. Throughout the year, maintenance pruning can be done. New growth should be allowed to extend before pruning back to enable the trunk and branches to thicken.
When the new buds are about to sprout in Spring and the branches are entirely bare, your Larch is ready to be wired. Take care not to damage any new buds. Branches thicken vigorously, so inspect the wiring to ensure it’s not cutting into the bark. Older branches are a challenge and may take many years and repeated wiring to precisely set. We recommend using wires with a thickness that matches the thickness of the branch: if the wire you choose is too thick, you will damage the bark. If it is too thin, it won’t be effective.
Repotting your tree is an important way to provide a fresh and suitable soil mix and ensure appropriate root health. Larch is a species sensitive to repotting, so take extra care. Do not bare root or wash the roots. Repotting should take place at the end of Spring before the opening of the buds, or in Autumn. Larch should generally be repotted every 2-3 years. Older specimens should be repotted every three to five years.
Trees that are ready for repotting will require root pruning, a suitable new pot and appropriate soil mix.
When repotting, do not cut back the root mass by a large amount, and choose a well-draining soil mix that has a neutral or slightly higher PH value of 5-6, but not over 7. We tend to use a mixture of different speciality bonsai soils on our trees. Every species is different, so please contact us for free soil-mix advice or to take advantage of our repotting service.
Larix
Bonsai trees aren’t only magnificent additions to an indoor oasis; they are more than capable of standing out in any garden. Many Bonsai species are incredibly hardy and withstand nature’s colder and damper turns with aplomb, making them worthwhile outdoor plants. We have an extensive library of care guides for outdoor bonsai trees. It’s not about selecting the perfect bonsai; it’s about selecting the perfect bonsai for you.
Larch bonsai can be attacked by several different pests. Aphids will give drying and kinked needles. Mealybugs, black aphids, gall midges, sawflies, caterpillars and black beetle larvae can arise from improper care or environment, so be watchful. Specific pesticides can be used in response to these.
Larch bonsai can be propagated with either seeds, cuttings or air-layering. Seeds need to be sown at the start of Spring. Hardwood cuttings should be taken in the Winter, and semi-ripe cuttings should be taken in the Summer. Be aware that cuttings are not easy to take root. Air layering can take place toward the end of Spring.
Larches are fundamentally to be kept outdoors, while they need full sun to grow, they are renowned for growing best in temperate to cold temperatures.
