Small Ash Bonsai Update May - Sept 2021

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Playlist for this series can be found at • Small Ash Bonsai
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[@andersnrregren9087]

I know big leaf on a bonsai is ugly but i cant help but smile when my tiny ash makes a leaf the size of the tree and pot

[@SidsTrees]

Lol. Stay safe mate

[@mattbrennan647]

All our ash trees here in the northeast US have been dying from Anthracnose. Been killing them off for years. Yours looks beautiful. Thanks, keep growing

[@OddBonsai]

Unfortunatelly, we also have problems in Europe. Ash forests are affected by the Hymenoscyphus fraxineus fungus which came from Asia. And things will only get worse since the emerald ash bug is migrating towards Europe (currently it's spreading in Russia). Estimations are not too optimistic.

[@SidsTrees]

Cheers Matt. Ash dieback is an isuue here too. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed it doesn't get mine and enjoy them while I can. Stay safe

[@sueb1317]

I am amazed at your leaf reduction! The trees here have fronds as long as your forearm lol! I'm a big fan of the cool root bases. I enjoy the 'non-conventional' which seem to be the norm in nature. It doesn't help to have a radial root base when you have to negotiate a giant rock and ditch! I love imagining the stories the trees might tell if they could talk 😁 😁

[@SidsTrees]

As I go along my trees seem to be going further away from the "traditional " bonsai and becoming more natural. I think I prefer them that way. Stay safe.

[@mikemiles3809]

Great to see an update on your small ash trees. I'm following their progress avidly! Nice trees

[@SidsTrees]

Thanks Mike. Glad you like them. I will keep doing occasional updates as they develop. Stay safe.

[@joegarland4885]

Great little group Sid, there is something special about growing from seeds, you feel closer to them maybe like they are your children watching them growing up. All the best Sid.

[@SidsTrees]

Thanks Joe. Glad you like them. Stay safe mate

[@mattbrennan647]

Correction: Emerald Ash Borer appears to be the culprit of the blight.

[@SidsTrees]

I can only hope that my trees are too small for them to notice! 🤞. Stay safe Matt

[@phillipwaterman5721]

Bonsai phill very good video nice shape tree sid thanks mate keep upthegood good work mate stay safe

[@SidsTrees]

Thanks Phill. Stay safe mate

[@moksudkhan]

Really enjoying the movement you’ve got going on some of these trunks.

[@SidsTrees]

Thankyou. Some is natural as the seed sprouted the rest is down to growing and chopping, growing and chopping. Stay safe

[@Robert_McGarry_Poems]

Ha ha. I got kicked out of bonsai school too. When I finally resume making videos i'm thinking of changing the name to 'Decidedly _Not,_ Bonsai.'

[@SidsTrees]

I didn't get kicked out. I'm like Groucho Marx. I wouldn't want to be a member of any club that would let me be a member. Lol. Stay safe.

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

I joined a club just before covid so they haven't got to see my collection of little trees. Many horse chestnuts, ash, English oaks, wild cherry, etc Like Sid I'm a "if it makes you happy" kinda guy...

[@BonsaiJCan]

Really nice trees ! 👍

[@SidsTrees]

Thanks J. Stay safe

[@OddBonsai]

It's encouraging to see how small can the compound leaves get on an ash. It's interesting that you got mixed results. Are they all the exact same species?

[@SidsTrees]

They are. Thay are all grown fron seed so it is purely down to genetic diversity. Ash are extremely prolific seeders and seem to be variable. It may be the thing that saves them from all the problems they are having with Ash dieback etc. Hopefully a resistant strain will emerge. Stay safe mate

[@OddBonsai]

@@SidsTrees Oh how nice it would be if trees could develop resistence to a fungus in such a short time span. They could use it since they'll soon have to deal with the ash borrer too. Let's hope for the best...

[@SidsTrees]

🤞

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

I have a bunch of ash and silver birch that I'm getting ready for next spring. Yet I'm hoping to make shohin and mame size partly of save space and partly because they said you shouldn't. Keep making updates on yours...

[@SidsTrees]

Lol. Man after my own heart. Stay safe

[@tigingrasta953]

Hi sid nice tree👍

[@SidsTrees]

Thank you very much. Stay safe

[@mandyhernon2238]

Lovely to see Ash developing into acceptable bonsai. Mine was a self seeder from a previous home so is just going into its second winter. I put it into a bonsai training pot very early in its development and the leaves are reducing in size but I need to reduce height as there are no branches yet. Its only around a foot tall so an acceptable size. Still thinking about your vine video and have added wisteria to my wish list. Lol. Xx

[@SidsTrees]

Ash are really versatile and make great bonsai. If you get a lot of seedlings you could try fusing them into one larger tree. They fuse together really well. Good luck in your wisteria hunt. Stay safe

[@mandyhernon2238]

@@SidsTrees my next target, if l get enough of any tree is a group/forest grouping.

[@SidsTrees]

Have you tried seed or cuttings? You can get something going quicker than you might think.

[@mandyhernon2238]

@@SidsTrees yes, my successful ones are lemons and almonds, got silver birch seeds in the fridge stratyfying over the winter will try them in spring. Got some cones to empty too. Xx

[@SidsTrees]

Good luck!

[@MikeyDunn]

All of my Ash have struggled this year, unexpected late frosts killed off most younger growth and their tops, can't see any signs of any disease on them, and the lower half's of the two most effected have grown normally. The smallest of them leafed out, grew a few inches, then just stopped, as if frozen in time.

[@SidsTrees]

They don't like late frosts that's for sure. Stay safe Mikey

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

That's a shame, they're virtually indestructible so hopefully next year all will be fine.

[@pip110.5]

Hi Sid, love your vlogs sir. I have noticed three Ash seedlings in my garden which I’m assuming are this years plants and are about five to six inches tall and seem well rooted, and I’m not sure what to do with them, any advice would be much appreciated. Many thanks, and keep up the good work. Kind regards.

[@SidsTrees]

Hi there. I would wait until late winter and lift them while they are still dormant. You can remove most of the garden soil carefully, lightly trim the roots which are often quite fleshy and pot them up in some gritty free draining compost. I would go for a seed tray or half seed tray depending on the final size tree you envision. Let them grow strongly next year. Once they are accustomed to being in a pot you can begin to build some taper and a trunk. Stay safe

[@pip110.5]

Thank you so much for the reply - Sid and thanks for the advice it’s much appreciated. Kind regards from London, and stay safe yourself mate.

[@jameswalker3416]

Are you not concerned that that t branch will cause swelling and reverse taper?

[@SidsTrees]

A little but I'm keeping an eye. If it begins to be an issue one may have to go. I may get a bud to pop in a better place to replace one also. Stay safe

[@jameswalker3416]

@@SidsTrees mybe I should relax about it. I always cut one

[@SidsTrees]

I think you have to make a decision on a case by case basis. How does it look to you? I know the rules say no T branches but trees in nature don't follow rules and I don't always either.🙂