Larch styling question

Vance Wood wrote:Yes I do have experience with Larch but as to transplanting every three years I would question that.  Five seems to work fine.  Larch are sensitive in the roots, I know people who have lost them because they exhausted their field capacity and dried out too much.  If you have ever collected one you will find them growing in swamps and bogs.

Hmm, bogs? Around here Czech, Austria, Slovakia, Romania and Italy I noticed that they grow in gravely areas and also all the way up to the tree line with the Mugos in rocky terrain. I have also seen some in boggy areas but those seem to be stunted and not doing so well.

I wanted to clarify something about the roots you mentioned now and earlier. You say that they don't like to be transplanted often but with a small pot they would have to be transplanted often. Therefore, do you mean that you recommend a larger pot so that they would have time before they would become root-bound, i.e. 4-5 years, instead of 2-3?

I also don't think re-potting anything frequently can benefit any tree and that the longer it can remain in the same substrate before being very root-bound is only beneficial. I've been reading Larry Morton's book on Modern Bonsai Practice and the substrate is quite important with how the tree will live. According to modern horticulture, same particle size and great breath-ability is what all roots appreciate regardless of the actual make-up of the soil.

Chuck- I think that your Larch forrest will look wonderful once you get some wiring in there. The contrast of different sized trunks you have is good. Is this Decidua, Kaempferi or Tamarack? It looks like European to me but I am not sure.