Not sure of the exact kind of ash yet, but think it is a white ash based on the nearby trees (most dead due to the emerald ash borer). The tree was originally chainsawed to a stump then grew for several year's untouched, last fall I cut it back hard and let it grow all season, just cut it back again the fall. Today I dug a ring about a foot away from the trunk and used a saw to cut through all but maybe 1 or 2 of the major roots. I then filled it in with all the extra soil left over from a failed collection this spring. Then covered it back up with some normal soil. Hopefully next spring it will still be alive and grow lots more feeder roots in response to my cutting through some of the major roots.
Ash tree
- Thread starter Sidesummy
- Start date
aml1014
Masterpiece
Ash is generally not good for bonsai because of leaf size. But from the looks of that trunk I think it'll look in scale just fine. Good luck with it I hope it survives your procedure and you can have yourself a really nice, big tree.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
Just went to a seminar on injecting systemics into ash to prevent EAB. It works but is expensive. Your tree was probably cut a few years ago. They tried to stop the beetle by cutting all of the healthy ash trees from around the infected ones. It didn't work.
I don't fool with ash except at work and what happens to them there is a far cry from what you are doing. I may even be the one who did the original cut.
I don't fool with ash except at work and what happens to them there is a far cry from what you are doing. I may even be the one who did the original cut.
From my experience with the EAB it tend to attack mature trees where it can get under the more furrowed thick area of mark, as a bonsai I think it shouldn't have much to worry about in terms of that pest. My concerns or more about collecting it and trying to design it even thought it's not exactly an ideal species.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
I was just looking at some nice
Beaver chewed Ash....
Today.
IMO. Bug doesn't win. Tree seems to resilient. Tops die, bottoms don't.
Next, same.
Gonna be More Mother Earths Bonsai.
How would you make use of that type of material?
Carving?
Sorce
Beaver chewed Ash....
Today.
IMO. Bug doesn't win. Tree seems to resilient. Tops die, bottoms don't.
Next, same.
Gonna be More Mother Earths Bonsai.
How would you make use of that type of material?
Carving?
Sorce
If It survives, the part where the chainsaw cut was made would eventually be carved out.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
I saw one Russian dude, or german?
On the tube with a stump like that, never saw how it turned out.....hint hint.
I see them sometimes, mostly oaks, with trees all around the ring. .I like those, but they almost always have an ugly telling hollow.
I'd like to. See what you do!
Sorce
On the tube with a stump like that, never saw how it turned out.....hint hint.
I see them sometimes, mostly oaks, with trees all around the ring. .I like those, but they almost always have an ugly telling hollow.
I'd like to. See what you do!
Sorce
Ugly is probably what I'll be going for, it already has a nice callous area on one side shown in the picture which I'd probably follow, Not sure what I'll do on the back side.
Just wanted to give an update on this project. Tree is still in the ground. 2 more years of experience and growth on this tree. I have learned that with bonsai all good things come with time and not to rush things along and risk the health of the tree. Here is the tree 2 years ago:
And here it is today:
I am still aware of ash trees not being the greatest for bonsai because of their large compound leaves, and I know this isn't the best material ever. But this tree is teaching me a lot about patience and what year after year growth and cutback looks like. It also taught me a bit about how harsh I can be with the roots while its still in the ground. To the right side of the tree is where I cut through most of the roots (some as thick as 4" or 5") and on the left I know there is at least a 5" root that I left to keep the tree alive, which I'm sure has gotten thicker because so many other were removed and it will have become even more dominant. I have no idea what the roots look like as of this day because I haven't done in work on them or dug down to see. You can probably see some of the right side has died off, but not all of it. It is my hope that some of those large root cuts allowed for fine roots for form on that side of the tree. Future plans included continuing to let it grow nearly unrestricted throughout the year (maybe 1 cut back midsummer) Next spring I hope to dig on the left side of the tree and cut though the major root I know I left intact when I dug nearly all the way around in 2 years ago. I will leave it in the ground for yet about year to see the health of the tree (at this point I will have cut through all of the major roots that I know of) and there could be the potential of lifting the tree and placing it into the growing grounds I'm developing now. Lots of carving to do one this one someday in the future too.
And here it is today:
I am still aware of ash trees not being the greatest for bonsai because of their large compound leaves, and I know this isn't the best material ever. But this tree is teaching me a lot about patience and what year after year growth and cutback looks like. It also taught me a bit about how harsh I can be with the roots while its still in the ground. To the right side of the tree is where I cut through most of the roots (some as thick as 4" or 5") and on the left I know there is at least a 5" root that I left to keep the tree alive, which I'm sure has gotten thicker because so many other were removed and it will have become even more dominant. I have no idea what the roots look like as of this day because I haven't done in work on them or dug down to see. You can probably see some of the right side has died off, but not all of it. It is my hope that some of those large root cuts allowed for fine roots for form on that side of the tree. Future plans included continuing to let it grow nearly unrestricted throughout the year (maybe 1 cut back midsummer) Next spring I hope to dig on the left side of the tree and cut though the major root I know I left intact when I dug nearly all the way around in 2 years ago. I will leave it in the ground for yet about year to see the health of the tree (at this point I will have cut through all of the major roots that I know of) and there could be the potential of lifting the tree and placing it into the growing grounds I'm developing now. Lots of carving to do one this one someday in the future too.
TN_Jim
Omono
I chopped and threw a 6' pecan from next to the brush pile into a big pot last summer with the dirt where I found it. Its been exposed to every element and completely ignored.
It is now backbudding with vigor. I've tried to give it to friends for potentially their yard w/ no luck.
Its vigor, and your work here has made me reconsider it. Those big damn leaves, I ain't mad at them. I've wondered if I can make it look like some sort of willow, or even what would happen if the leaves were continually chopped back to the last 2-4 leaflets.
It is now backbudding with vigor. I've tried to give it to friends for potentially their yard w/ no luck.
Its vigor, and your work here has made me reconsider it. Those big damn leaves, I ain't mad at them. I've wondered if I can make it look like some sort of willow, or even what would happen if the leaves were continually chopped back to the last 2-4 leaflets.
TN_Jim
Omono
the fighter..
