🔵 Ash, #2403

Fast growing tree with naturally long internodes. Picked up for a few dollars to experiment with. Fremont backyard nursery.

[Oops: after pruning, read that this should be done after 3 sets of leaves have hardened—and over-fertilizing results in longer internodes.]

Trimming center leaf or branch to suspend internode length. Pruning long & straight branches. Bulks up quite easily but having to cut & grow to style.

Late July—plan for next spring

Bonsai Empire

  • The ash thrives in full sun or partial shade. During the hottest weeks of summer it is advisable to provide some shade over midday and early afternoon.

  • The ash bonsai tree should be watered thoroughly as soon as the soil gets dry. It does not like longer droughts or constant wetness.

  • Use a solid organic fertilizer every month and / or a liquid fertilizer once a week during the growing season. Ashes need good feeding for their vigorous growth, but excess fertilizer will promote overly long internodes and large leaves.

  • The ash grows and thickens rather quickly and requires frequent trimming in order to produce a good ramification. Allow the shoots to extend to three or four nodes before pruning them back to one or two leaves. Overly large leaves can be removed or shortened. The best time to prune larger branches is in late autumn. The ash can be wired in autumn or winter to improve the branch lines. Guy wires are also a good option for shaping stronger branches.

  • Ash trees should be repotted every two or three years in early spring with normal root-pruning. Older and larger specimen can be repotted in longer intervals. Use a well-draining standard soil mixture.

https://www.bonsaiempire.com/tree-species/ash

Inspiration:

Xavier’s Bonsai Retreat (UK)

  • https://youtu.be/YqauCg3Ov4Y?feature=shared

  • https://youtu.be/yNGwZ8drV8I?feature=shared

  • Recommend to grow out and not caution on long internodes—they bud back easily like oak. A long internode may push options of buds along the internode to cut back to.

  • Wire shape and movement.

  • Fine roots, can repot every year or two.

Michael Wei