Species · Conifers like juniper and pine
Japanese larch
Larix kaempferi
Japanese larch is a fast-growing deciduous conifer with soft, bright-green spring needles that turn gold in autumn before dropping, giving it more seasonal change than any other conifer here. Vigorous growth and reliable backbudding make it quick to develop ramification, at the cost of needing frequent attention to keep proportions in scale.
Care at a glance
- Watering
- Check daily, water when the top centimetre is dry. Roughly every 2 days in spring, 2 in summer, 3 in autumn and 7 in winter.
- Light
- Full sun, six hours or more.
- Winter
- Hardy once established; check the specific species for exact limits. Protect it when the forecast drops below -10 °C.
- Feeding
- Every 14 days, Apr to Sep, paused in the hottest weeks.
- Repotting
- Every 2 to 3 years, just as buds break, in Mar.
- Growth
- Fast growing. Hardy in zones 4 to 7.
The work calendar
| Work | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prune | Jun | Jul | ||||||||||
| Wire | Jan | Feb | Nov | Dec | ||||||||
| Pinch | May | Jun | Jul |