Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

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Grant Bowie
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Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by Grant Bowie »

Hi all,

In 1999 at the Adelaide AABC convention i collected some seed and propigated hundreds of Ash.

By the time I moved to Canberra I only had two left and they were rejects that hadn't grown as I wanted.
Similar to what it looked like in 2006.JPG
I kept cutting them back and they developed a real carroty, lumpy growth growth.

More pics to come.

Grant
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by Grant Bowie »

In 2006 I took one tree and cut off everthing except two Thin and lanky whips that were growing off to the side. It left quite big scars on top and at the back.

Two years later the two new trunks (One and a spare) had grown and thickened and had lots of little branches.
In one 40 minute frenzy of work I decided to keep both trunks, shortened them back and then wired everything left and put in the initial shape and then left alone for one season.

Next season I defoliated the tree at least 3 times and wired after each defoliation.
Close up of trunk and leaf of normal size.JPG
after defoliation and wiring 28th Dec 2009.JPG
back in leaf 7th January 2010.JPG
After final defoliation, wiring, new leaf and leaf trimmed 5th April 2010.JPG
Ash leaf comparison.JPG
I am looking for a suitable glazed pot. It is a bit squat and fat but of course it will continue to grow lots of new branches over the years whereas the trunk won't thicken much any more.

Grant
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by bodhidharma »

G'day Grant, lovely Ash, they are a very underrated subject. You have done beautiful work on it.
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by bonsai4life »

what a lovely tree.....it really shows your talent for designing bonsai, welldone....
you inspire me to grow my stock when i see these kind of progressions.

thanks
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by Bretts »

Thats a very intresting design Grant. It looks spectacular. Does the twin trunk look pleasing from other angles?
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by Grant Bowie »

It is half way through unwiring at the moment so once that is done and it has dropped its leaves I could do a 360 so you can see it warts and all.

I may need to bare root it as I want to cut off and grind out two roots that are over sized and also make it easier to get into an appropriate pot. Seeing as I will bare root it I am considering moving it into 100% inert potting media just to try it out.

Grant
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by kcpoole »

Awesome work Grant
Amazing what can be done when we decide that a tree needs to start over from scratch
Cut back hard and regrow the ugly bits

Ken
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by Grant Bowie »

Yes as Salvatore said "Tagliare profundamente" and then regrow.

Grant
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by Tenka »

Wow, that is stunning. Thanks for showing the play by play photos too, really makes the end result that much more impressive.

I have a couple of dozen golden ash I used to learn about soft wood propagation and another few dozen american ash coming up for rootstock.
I may just keep the rejects aside as projects now.
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by MattA »

Grant Bowie wrote:It is half way through unwiring at the moment so once that is done and it has dropped its leaves I could do a 360 so you can see it warts and all.

I may need to bare root it as I want to cut off and grind out two roots that are over sized and also make it easier to get into an appropriate pot. Seeing as I will bare root it I am considering moving it into 100% inert potting media just to try it out.

Grant
Hey Grant,

Yet another great tree, the foliage reduction is fantastic. I grew a golden ash for any years and found it grew best of all in an inert mix, blue metal & crushed brick 50/50. No chance of it staying too wet, controling growth & foliage size were also easier.

Look forward to seeing this in 360 bare.

Matt
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by Grant Bowie »

Top scar healing OK.JPG
Back scar not healing as quickly.JPG
Showing branch placement all around from the top.JPG
Side shot.JPG
Here are some more photos in the mean time.

Grant
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by Grant Bowie »

MattA wrote:
Grant Bowie wrote:It is half way through unwiring at the moment so once that is done and it has dropped its leaves I could do a 360 so you can see it warts and all.

I may need to bare root it as I want to cut off and grind out two roots that are over sized and also make it easier to get into an appropriate pot. Seeing as I will bare root it I am considering moving it into 100% inert potting media just to try it out.

Grant
Hey Grant,

Yet another great tree, the foliage reduction is fantastic. I grew a golden ash for any years and found it grew best of all in an inert mix, blue metal & crushed brick 50/50. No chance of it staying too wet, controling growth & foliage size were also easier.

Look forward to seeing this in 360 bare.

Matt
Thanks for that, good to know about the Ash in inert mix. Anyone else tried other mixes on Ash?

Grant
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by EdwardH »

I just love the defoliated view. Looks great.
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by anttal63 »

Grant Bowie wrote:Yes as Salvatore said "Tagliare profundamente" and then regrow.

Grant

Bravo grant sei molto in gamba! ;) :D 8-)
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Re: Ash Fraxinus angustifolia 11 years from seed

Post by nealweb »

anttal63 wrote:
Grant Bowie wrote:Yes as Salvatore said "Tagliare profundamente" and then regrow.

Grant

Bravo grant sei molto in gamba! ;) :D 8-)
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