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Hi all!

I am Chris and I currently live in New Zealand. I am also new to bonsai. The bug has bitten hard and I've started collecting various plants to experiment with.

One of these plants is a 6ft tall Japanese Larch. They (Larix decidua at least) grow well further south where it gets cold, but apparently dont survive past a few years in the area i live (Between Dargaville and Baylys Beach if you want to google that)

I assume they dont do well because it doesnt get cold enough here in winter (if we get a frost its very light, and we didnt get one last winter)

So I was thinking that I could chuck it in a big refrigerator after it drops its needles?

I searched this forum with no luck, also posted on a botanist professors group without a useful response, and googled with no success.

My knowledge of plant physiology is very limited, so I dont understand the processes that need to happen to keep a cold loving tree happy.

Any specific or general help would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

I would not put it in a fridge, I would have thought they would be fine if they lose needles it must be just about cold enough to go dormant

I tried larch twice and both times they lasted until the second spring and died. They want long cold periods below freezing and Alabama just doesn't do that.

If you don't get freezing weather the larch might struggle. The refrigerator might work. That idea pops up here but nobody posts stories of how well it worked, so it might be optimistic.

Guess I'll try and report back in a couple years

There are people who do this, successfully. 4-6 weeks of cold should do it. Beware of the plant drying out. So wrapping it in foil should be considered. I would not bring it to real freezing. 2 degrees above 0 is also dormant. If you do have the option, you could for a few days freeze it, ut that would be over the top I think.

Thanks! Glad to hear its done successfully!!